Healthcare

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 439: Diagnostic x-ray systems; requiring the Board of Dentistry to enforce certain laws. Effective date.

SB 439 requires Oklahoma's Board of Dentistry to enforce state and federal laws governing diagnostic x-ray systems used in dental offices. The bill mandates the Board to annually submit related health and safety data to the State Department of Health and caps inspection fees at the existing rate set by the State Health Commissioner. It updates the Board's duties to include oversight of x-ray safety standards and reporting requirements, directly affecting dentists, dental practices, and the Board itself. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, with no changes to patient care or treatment protocols.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires dental x-ray safety enforcement and data reporting, protecting patient health through regulatory oversight of healthcare equipment standards.92% confidence

Track

died · Oklahoma · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 1018: Health care; unauthorized pelvic examinations; exceptions; effective date.

HB 1018 prohibits healthcare providers (including physicians, nurses, and physician assistants) from performing pelvic examinations on anesthetized or unconscious female patients without written permission from the patient. Exceptions allow such exams only if they are part of a necessary surgical or diagnostic procedure, or if the patient cannot consent but the exam is medically required for diagnosis or treatment. The law directly affects female patients under anesthesia and healthcare providers who must obtain explicit consent or meet specific medical necessity criteria. It will take effect on November 1, 2025, and is codified in Oklahoma Statutes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits non-consensual pelvic exams on unconscious patients, protecting patient autonomy and rights in healthcare settings.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 2176: State revenue administration; medical marijuana taxation; procedures; effective date.

HB 2176 establishes a 7% tax on retail medical marijuana sales in Oklahoma, collected at the point of sale by the Oklahoma Tax Commission (replacing the Medical Marijuana Authority as collector). The Tax Commission retains 1.5% of collected funds as a fee, with the remaining revenue (after fees) split: $65 million annually first allocated to public school funding (59.23%), the Medical Marijuana Authority (34.62%), and drug rehabilitation programs (6.15%), with any surplus going to the state general fund. The bill also mandates permanent license revocation for medical marijuana businesses that intentionally fail to pay taxes. It takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 7% medical marijuana tax, allocates 59.23% of revenue to public schools and 6.15% to drug rehab programs, directly funding public services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allocates 6.15% of medical marijuana tax revenue to drug rehabilitation programs, directly funding a key criminal justice reform initiative to reduce recidivism.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $65M annually to public school funding (59.23% of revenue), directly increasing education funding per summary.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates 6.15% of medical marijuana tax revenue to drug rehabilitation programs, directly funding public health initiatives under healthcare topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue State Budget Drug Policy School Funding

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 1934: Motor vehicles; creating the Jamie Lea Pearl Act; requiring medical needs motor carriers to have certain tax exempt status; effective date.

HB 1934, the "Jamie Lea Pearl Act," establishes rules for small medical transportation providers in Oklahoma. It requires these "medical needs motor carriers" to be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, operate vehicles with a maximum weight of 5,000 pounds and capacity for five passengers (including the driver), and provide non-emergency medical transport (like dialysis or cancer treatment) at little or no cost. Key provisions include mandating $100,000 insurance per person for bodily injury, quarterly vehicle safety inspections, a 10-hour daily driving limit for drivers, and retention of background checks and drug test records for two years. The law directly affects small companies transporting patients for non-emergency medical needs, excluding regular taxis, school buses, or commercial carriers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates low-cost non-emergency medical transport (e.g., dialysis) with nonprofit requirements and insurance, improving patient access to healthcare services.90% confidence

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 13, 2025

SB 569: Practice of nursing; providing for independent prescriptive authority of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who meet certain requirements. Effective date.

SB 569 would allow Oklahoma Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) - including Certified Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Certified Nurse-Midwives - with three years of supervised prescribing experience to apply for independent prescribing authority. To qualify, APRNs must hold a current license and provide proof of their supervised practice to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. The bill requires $1 million in malpractice insurance per incident and mandates the Board to review applications, with authority to approve, deny, or revoke prescribing privileges. This directly affects APRNs seeking to prescribe medications without physician oversight in Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands APRN prescribing authority, improving patient access to care without restricting coverage or funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1145: Healing arts; terms; legislative findings; protections; practitioners; penalties; effective date.

HB 1145 protects practitioners of indigenous and traditional healing therapies, as well as complementary and alternative healing practices like naturopathy and massage, by shielding them from penalties under health care laws when operating within defined limits. The bill prohibits these unlicensed practitioners from performing surgery, prescribing drugs, diagnosing medical conditions, or falsely claiming licensure. It specifically requires practitioners to avoid harmful procedures, not interfere with prescribed medications, and not misrepresent their credentials. This law directly affects both practitioners offering these services and the public accessing them, while ensuring compliance with Oklahoma’s health regulations. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects indigenous and traditional healing practitioners from penalties, expanding access to complementary healthcare services within defined limits without restricting core medical practices.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 2606: Domestic violence; directing the District Attorneys Council to develop and implement a domestic violence forensic exam pilot program; codification; effective date.

HB 2606 creates a five-year pilot program in Oklahoma counties with over 100,000 residents to provide free domestic violence forensic exams for victims. The program, funded through a state victim compensation fund, covers up to $200 per exam for medical evaluations conducted by trained health professionals (like nurses or physicians who completed a 40-hour course). It directly affects domestic violence victims in qualifying counties who would otherwise pay for these exams, while defining domestic violence broadly to include dating relationships and household members. The bill requires counties to participate and sets clear standards for exam qualifications and fund disbursement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides free forensic exams for domestic violence victims, improving access to evidence for legal proceedings and aligning with victim support in criminal justice reform.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds free forensic medical exams for domestic violence victims, expanding access to health services via state funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Victims' Rights

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 5, 2025

HB 1585: Pharmacy technicians; training guidelines; training skills; on-the-job training; effective date.

HB 1585 establishes mandatory training requirements for pharmacy technicians in Oklahoma. It requires pharmacy technicians to complete two phases of training: Phase I before receiving a permit, and Phase II within 90 days of permit issuance. Pharmacy managers must develop, document, and verify all training, with failure to complete Phase II voiding the permit. The law directly affects pharmacy technicians seeking permits, their employers (pharmacy managers), and the Oklahoma Pharmacy Board, which oversees compliance. The bill takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates training for pharmacy technicians to ensure competency, improving patient safety and care quality in healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SB 937: Health care; creating the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act of 2025. Effective date.

Oklahoma's SB 937 establishes the "Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act of 2025," creating a legal framework for advance health care planning. It defines when an individual has the capacity to make health care decisions (including understanding risks/benefits), presumes capacity unless rebutted by a qualified health professional, and allows individuals to create health care instructions or appoint agents. The bill requires health care providers to document these instructions in medical records, prohibits certain family members from serving as agents, and specifies that conflicting instructions revoke prior ones. This directly affects Oklahomans planning future health care, their providers, and those acting as surrogates when capacity is disputed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects patient rights by establishing advance care planning framework, allowing individuals to define health care instructions and appoint agents.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 2782: Health Care Authority; Rate Preservation Fund; adding authorized uses of funds; authorization; requiring conditions for return of funds; emergency.

HB 2782 creates a "Rate Preservation Fund" within Oklahoma's Health Care Authority to prevent cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates for healthcare providers when the state's federal Medicaid funding percentage decreases. The bill allows the Authority to use fund monies to maintain these rates and permits temporary transfers of up to one-third of the fund's balance to other Medicaid program accounts for cash flow needs - provided the funds are fully repaid to the preservation fund by year-end. This directly affects hospitals, clinics, and other Medicaid providers who rely on stable reimbursement rates. The law also declares an emergency to take immediate effect.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents Medicaid reimbursement rate cuts for providers, maintaining access to care and stabilizing healthcare funding during federal funding fluctuations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid