SB 723 updates Oklahoma law to clarify which positions at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs are exempt from standard civil service rules. It adds 11 specific healthcare and administrative roles - including physician assistants, pharmacists, occupational therapists, and Veterans Center administrators - to the list of exempt positions. The bill removes outdated references to previous exemption methods and confirms existing exempt positions remain unaffected. This change takes effect November 1, 2025.
HB 2013, "Dylan's Law," requires health insurance companies to cover epilepsy treatments equally to other conditions, prohibits dropping coverage solely due to an epilepsy diagnosis, and mandates coverage for medically necessary neurostimulation devices. It also allows individuals with epilepsy (diagnosed by a licensed doctor) to voluntarily add a unique symbol to their Oklahoma driver's license or ID card by June 1, 2026, to help first responders identify their condition during emergencies. The symbol cannot be used for any other purpose and may be removed at any time. These provisions became law on May 25, 2025, without a gubernatorial signature. The bill directly affects people with epilepsy and insurers operating under the Affordable Care Act in Oklahoma.
HB 2834 requires Oklahoma's Medicaid program to cover 96% of Medicare's payment rates for in-home physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. This directly affects Oklahoma Medicaid recipients needing these specific therapies by ensuring providers receive a standardized reimbursement rate. The bill sets a new reimbursement standard for these services, effective July 1, 2025, rather than expanding eligibility. It passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives with 64-25 support but did not secure emergency status.
SB 391 extends the Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board's existence until July 1, 2026 (correcting the bill title's "dissolving" error), requiring it to review opioid overdose cases involving adults. The Board gathers confidential records from medical examiners, hospitals, law enforcement, and other agencies to identify systemic issues in medical or law enforcement responses, then makes recommendations for improvement. All case discussions and recommendations remain confidential and privileged, not admissible in court, while the Board must publish an annual public report by February 1 detailing its findings and system coordination. This directly affects state agencies (like mental health services, law enforcement, and medical examiners) and ensures public transparency through annual reports.
SB 251 expands eligibility for Oklahoma county mental health and substance abuse funding to include employment, education, and housing programs alongside existing treatment services. It requires the state to allocate at least 0.5% of total funds to each county government or multi-county partnership applying for grants. The bill also mandates annual reports to legislative leaders detailing funding distribution and services provided. These changes aim to broaden community-based support options while ensuring minimum funding for all participating counties.
SB 1104 requires the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority to select a vendor for a statewide inventory tracking system to monitor medical marijuana from cultivation to sale. The system must track key events like planting, harvesting, transportation, and disposal, and maintain detailed records of all products, including batches and transactions. This affects all medical marijuana businesses, research facilities, education centers, and waste disposal facilities, which must integrate their operations with the new system. The bill takes effect on November 1, 2025, aiming to standardize tracking and improve oversight.
HB 2777 allocates $20 million from Oklahoma's Opioid Lawsuit Settlement Fund to the state's Opioid Abatement Revolving Fund for opioid-related programs, and $1.25 million to local governments that did not sue opioid manufacturers. The bill directs these funds to be used for opioid abatement efforts, such as treatment and prevention services, without requiring new taxes. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, and was signed into law on May 29, 2025. The legislation uses existing settlement funds rather than creating new spending.
SB 1227 allows mobile crisis teams (groups of mental health professionals and peer specialists) to request safety-related information from police before responding to mental health, substance use, or suicidal crises. It requires local law enforcement agencies to create protocols for sharing only necessary safety details - like weapons history, violent behavior patterns, or outstanding warrants - with the teams. The bill limits disclosures to what ensures responder safety, keeps information confidential, and grants police immunity for following these protocols. This directly affects mobile crisis teams, law enforcement, and individuals in crisis by improving safety coordination during emergency responses.
SB 1290 allocates $3 million from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to maintain the state's 2-1-1 hotline for the 2027 fiscal year. The funding ensures the hotline continues providing direct support for basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and medical assistance. This appropriation directly affects Oklahomans who rely on the 2-1-1 service for immediate help. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 2784 creates the Emergency Medicine Revolving Fund to preserve Medicaid supplemental payments for specific hospitals. It directly affects Oklahoma hospitals with American College of Surgeons Level 1 trauma centers, particularly those owned, operated, or partnered with the Oklahoma State University Medical Trust or University Hospitals Trust (including facilities in Oklahoma City and Tulsa). The bill requires annual certification by the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority to ensure trauma centers meet standards for receiving these payments, while also clarifying agreements between medical authorities and healthcare providers. Key provisions include maintaining existing Medicaid funding streams for teaching hospitals, trauma centers, and affiliated medical school providers, and directing the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to develop plans to sustain these payments through federal waivers or state plan amendments.
