State welfare benefits; eligibility; immigrants; food stamps; Medicaid; effective date.

HB 3597 prohibits unauthorized immigrants (defined as individuals without proper legal documentation, including those who entered without inspection or overstayed visas) from receiving food stamp benefits or Medicaid/SooonerCare coverage in Oklahoma. The bill amends state statutes to explicitly ban these benefits for such individuals under all circumstances, with penalties for knowingly assisting them. It aligns Medicaid eligibility requirements with federal SNAP work rules but excludes Insure Oklahoma and specific exempt populations. The law takes effect November 1, 2026.