SB 424: Community health workers; creating the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act; providing for voluntary certification. Effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill moved from House to Senate floor version, resulting in significant changes to the statute's codification location, minor wording adjustments to definitions and powers, and a change in the committee report date. The core policy regarding community health worker certification remains substantially the same.

Scope change

The bill's codification location changed from Title 63 (Health) to Title 59 (Professional Licensing), indicating a shift in how the law is organized within the Oklahoma Statutes.

TECHNICAL

The bill's codification section changed from Title 63 (Health) to Title 59 (Professional Licensing), affecting where the law appears in the official statutes.

The committee report date changed from April 16, 2025 to March 3, 2025, and the report language was updated to reflect Senate floor amendments.

Minor formatting and page header changes to reflect the Senate floor version rather than the House floor version.

DEFINITION

Minor wording changes in the definition of 'community health worker' to clarify the relationship with the community being served.

REQUIREMENT

The list of functions for certified community health workers was slightly reworded to include 'cultural competence' in service delivery.

SB424 (3-25-25) (GILLESPIE) FS FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended from a Senate floor substitute version to a House floor version, primarily changing the document header and page numbering while maintaining the same substantive policy content regarding community health worker certification in Oklahoma.

TECHNICAL

Header changed from 'FLOOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 424' to 'ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO. 424' to reflect the bill's progression through the legislative process.

Page numbering and formatting markers were updated from Senate tracking numbers to House floor version identifiers.

Added committee report notation indicating the Committee on Health and Human Services Oversight voted to pass the bill on 04/16/2025.

Committee Substitute → SB424 (3-25-25) (GILLESPIE) FS FA1.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was changed from a Committee Substitute to a Floor Substitute version, moving it closer to final passage. The primary substantive change is the renumbering of the bill's sections from Title 59 to Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which reflects its progression through the legislative process. The core policy content regarding community health worker certification, eligibility, and functions remains substantively unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; only the statutory citation was updated from Title 59 to Title 63.

TECHNICAL

The bill was renumbered from Committee Substitute to Floor Substitute, indicating it has been amended on the Senate floor and is ready for final consideration.

The statutory citation was changed from Section 1280.x of Title 59 to Section 2063x of Title 63, reflecting the bill's progression through the legislative process.

Page numbers and request numbers were updated from Req. No. 1799 to Req. No. 1861, consistent with the bill's new position in the legislative queue.

Enrolled (final version) → Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from its enrolled final version to a committee substitute version, primarily changing the statute citation from Title 63 to Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The substantive policy content regarding community health worker certification, eligibility requirements, and functions remained largely the same, though some wording was adjusted for clarity and consistency.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains unchanged; it still establishes the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act with voluntary certification requirements, eligibility criteria, and defined functions for community health workers.

TECHNICAL

The statute citation was changed from Section 2063a through 2063e of Title 63 to Section 1280.1 through 1280.5 of Title 59, affecting where the law appears in the Oklahoma Statutes.

The effective date of November 1, 2025, and the overall structure of the bill remained unchanged.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Community health worker' was slightly reworded to clarify that they serve as a liaison between health/social services and the community, including faith-based organizations.

REQUIREMENT

The eligibility requirements section was reorganized and slightly reworded, but the core criteria (citizenship, residency, age, and minimum qualifications) remain identical.

The exemption for applicants with work experience was clarified to specify that they must provide evidence of at least 1,000 practical hours and a recommendation from a supervising provider.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 4 edits · May 5, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was finalized from its engrossed version to the enrolled version, with changes primarily involving sponsor additions, formatting adjustments, and a clarification of certification eligibility. The most substantive change adds an exemption from educational, training, or examination requirements for individuals with at least 1,000 practical hours of community health worker experience and a supervising provider recommendation. The bill also adds additional House sponsors and adjusts the effective date to November 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on establishing a voluntary certification program for community health workers in Oklahoma, with no change to its overall applicability.

ELIGIBILITY

Added an exemption from certification requirements for individuals with 1,000 practical hours of experience and a supervising provider recommendation

TECHNICAL

Added additional House sponsors (Ranson, Harris, Roe, Pfeiffer, West, and Osburn) to the enrolled version

Adjusted formatting and page numbering from engrossed to enrolled version

TIMELINE

Confirmed effective date of November 1, 2025 in the enrolled version

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the statute citation from Title 59 to Title 63, update the codified section numbers, and expand the scope of community health worker functions to include employment assistance and faith-based activities. The engrossed version also adds new eligibility requirements for certification and establishes oversight procedures for compliance.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include employment support services and faith-based community activities for certified community health workers, and the statute citation was changed from Title 59 to Title 63.

TECHNICAL

Changed the statute citation from Section 1280.x of Title 59 to Section 2063a through 2063e of Title 63.

REQUIREMENT

Added new eligibility criteria requiring U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, state residency, and minimum age of 18.

Added exemption from educational, training, or examination requirements for applicants with 1,000 practical hours of experience and a supervising provider recommendation.

Expanded community health worker functions to include assisting with employment, education, and occupational training, and added faith-based settings to allowable activities.

Added requirement that community health workers emphasize private, nonprofit, or faith-based resources rather than relying solely on public assistance programs.

ENFORCEMENT

Added oversight procedures including complaint and disciplinary processes for violations of the act.

Community health workers; creating the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act; providing for voluntary certification. Effective date.

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