Healthcare

vetoed · Oklahoma · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 423: Medical records; access; eliminating certain health care provider duties; authorizing certain fees. Effective date.

SB 423 updates Oklahoma's medical records access law by establishing standardized fees for patients and their representatives to obtain copies of medical records. Patients pay $0.50 per page for standard records, $15 for printed x-rays, and $20 for x-rays on CD/DVD, with providers prohibited from charging for searching or preparing records for the patient. The bill excludes psychological, psychiatric, mental health, and substance abuse records from these provisions, requiring separate access under different legal processes. It also sets higher fees for third parties (e.g., $20 base fee plus per-page charges for attorneys), while maintaining existing rules for disability-related requests.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStandardizes affordable medical record access fees, prohibits search fees, and maintains protections for mental health records - directly improving patient access to healthcare information.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1117: In vitro fertilization; legal protections; health care providers; practice of medicine; child or children; human embryos; patient's property; effective date.

HB 1117 establishes legal protections for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Oklahoma. It states that human embryos created through IVF are legally considered the patient's property, removes limits on the number of embryos that can be created or frozen in a single cycle, and requires written consent from all parties involved in the procedure. The bill also specifies that children born from IVF are treated the same as naturally conceived children under the law and mandates that IVF must be performed only by licensed medical providers. These provisions directly affect IVF patients, healthcare providers, and the legal status of embryos in Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects IVF patient rights by classifying embryos as property and removing procedural limits, advancing reproductive healthcare access and patient autonomy.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 606: Office of public defender; increasing certain population requirements. Effective date.

SB 606 raises Oklahoma's population threshold for counties required to establish a public defender office from 300,000 to 400,000 residents, affecting only large counties (over 400,000) under the latest federal census. It updates statutes to require public defenders in these counties to provide training on mental health and substance abuse treatment, and clarifies conflict resolution for appeals between county public defenders and the state Indigent Defense System. The bill also specifies that public defenders are deemed state employees under tort law. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRaises population threshold for public defender offices, reducing mandatory coverage in smaller counties and potentially limiting defendant access to counsel.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health training for public defenders, supporting mental health service integration in legal representation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 1136: Oklahoma Health Care Authority; requiring portions of certain appropriated funds be used for certain purposes; providing for duties and compensation of administrators and employees.

SB 1136 allocates $100,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) for unspecified duties required by law. The bill directly affects the OHCA, which administers state health care programs, by providing dedicated funding for its operations. It requires the agency to use these specific funds for purposes outlined in existing law, though the bill does not detail the exact programs or services. The funding is effective immediately upon the bill's passage, declared an emergency for public health and safety reasons. This is a routine appropriations measure with no new policy requirements or beneficiary changes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $100,000 to OHCA for operations, directly funding state health care program administration without restrictions or defunding language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 2237: Medical marijuana; requiring employees of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to apply for and receive medical marijuana credentials from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority; codification; effective date.

HB 2237 requires employees at Oklahoma's licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to obtain and maintain a "medical marijuana credential" from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. To qualify, employees must complete an approved training program, be 21+, pay a $30 fee, and submit ID. The credential allows employees to assist customers with product selection, explain risks/benefits (including non-smoking alternatives), and teach safe handling - but prohibits diagnosing conditions, recommending treatment changes, accepting payment for product suggestions, or allowing smoking on premises. Credentials must be visibly displayed at dispensary locations, and the Authority can deny, suspend, or revoke them for violations or fraud. The law takes effect January 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes credentialing for medical marijuana dispensary staff to ensure safe product information and patient access, strengthening regulatory oversight in healthcare services.90% confidence

Track

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 2805: Dental benefit plans; creating the Medical Loss Ratios for Dental (DLR) Health Care Services Plans Act; definitions; formula; reporting to Insurance Department; data verification; rebate calculation; rates; effective date.

HB 2805 establishes minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements for dental benefit plans in Oklahoma, requiring insurers to spend at least 85% of premium revenue on actual dental care (not overhead) for large group plans and 80% for individual/small group plans. If insurers fail to meet these ratios, they must issue annual rebates to enrollees calculated as the shortfall multiplied by total premium revenue (excluding certain fees). The bill also mandates annual MLR reporting to the Oklahoma Insurance Department by calendar year, with public data disclosure, and requires insurers to file dental rate changes by July 1 for January 1 effective dates. It does not apply to Medicaid plans and takes effect January 1, 2028, for rebate implementation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnforces 80-85% MLR for dental plans, requiring insurers to spend premiums on care (not overhead) and issue rebates for shortfalls, directly protecting enrollee rights and improving coverage access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 27: Controlled dangerous substances; exempting certain practitioners from electronic prescription requirement. Effective date.

SB 27 exempts specific healthcare practitioners from Oklahoma's electronic prescription requirement for controlled substances. It directly affects veterinarians, practitioners in hospitals/nursing facilities/hospice programs, those serving medically underserved areas (as defined by federal standards), and practitioners facing temporary technology issues - provided they document exceptions in patient records. The bill requires licensing boards to coordinate with drug control authorities and mandates that non-electronic prescriptions use Bureau-approved forms. Practitioners must register with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control to obtain these forms, and exemptions are denied to those with disciplinary history related to controlled substance prescriptions. The bill updates existing law but does not change the core electronic prescription requirement for most practitioners.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts practitioners in medically underserved areas from electronic prescription requirement, improving access to controlled substances care without compromising safety.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 547: Health care; minor self-consent to health services; granting certain protections to parent or legal guardian related to medical records. Effective date.

SB 547 allows minors to consent to certain health services (like reproductive care, mental health, or substance abuse treatment) without parental permission. It requires healthcare providers to follow new rules for these services and ensures parents or legal guardians can access their minor child’s medical records for those specific services if they choose. The bill directly affects minors seeking confidential care, parents seeking record access, and healthcare providers who must update their consent and record-keeping practices. It creates a clear framework for minor self-consent while preserving parental rights regarding related medical records.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables minors to consent to confidential reproductive, mental health, and substance abuse care without parental permission, expanding access to critical services and protecting patient rights per bill's core provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SB 879: Public health; prohibiting certain vaccination of an infant without prior written informed consent. Effective date.

SB 879 requires health care providers to obtain written consent from a parent or guardian before vaccinating an infant (including for Hepatitis B), explaining associated risks. It makes such vaccinations voluntary and "opt-in only," prohibiting providers from implying consent is required. The law directly affects infants receiving specific vaccines and their parents or legal guardians. It takes effect on November 1, 2025, and codifies these requirements in Oklahoma law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts mandatory infant vaccinations by requiring explicit consent, limiting public health program implementation and standard care protocols.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Public Health

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1079: Vaccinations; Vaccine Transparency and Informed Consent Act; purpose; transparency and disclosure requirements; informed consent standards; civil penalties; confidentiality of records; severability; effective date.

HB 1079, the "Vaccine Transparency and Informed Consent Act," requires Oklahoma health care providers to give patients written information before administering any vaccine. This includes a full list of vaccine ingredients (per CDC standards), details on development/testing, and a comprehensive summary of all known risks (from clinical trials, VAERS data, and ethical considerations), along with exemption options and VICP information. Providers must obtain written consent acknowledging receipt of this information, and patients must be given time to ask questions. Violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000 per incident, and signed consent records must be kept for seven years under HIPAA protections. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates vaccine transparency and informed consent, protecting patient rights by requiring detailed information and written consent before vaccination. This strengthens patient autonomy in healthcare decisions.95% confidence

Track