SB 1142 allocates $100,000 from unallocated state funds to Oklahoma's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funding is intended to support the department's existing duties, including providing mental health and substance abuse services to Oklahomans. The bill declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval, bypassing standard legislative timelines. This is a procedural funding measure, not a policy change, and remains pending before the Appropriations Committee.
SB 989 creates the "Wrongful Death Protection Act of 2025," holding manufacturers, distributors, and providers of abortion-inducing drugs strictly liable for the death or injury of an unborn child or pregnant woman resulting from those drugs. It specifically targets drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol (excluding emergency contraception like Plan B), and applies to anyone involved in their supply chain. The law prohibits common defenses (e.g., ignorance of the law, consent, or negligence claims) and voids any waiver of this liability, with a 6-year statute of limitations for lawsuits. It explicitly excludes cases where abortion was performed to save a pregnant woman’s life or treat medical conditions like ectopic pregnancy.
HB 1011 creates a voluntary Education Employee Assistance Program within Oklahoma's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to help school employees manage personal issues like mental health challenges, substance abuse, or financial difficulties that affect job performance. The program provides assessment, referral, and counseling services to employees and their families, with all participation records kept confidential and separate from regular personnel files. School districts may maintain their own employee assistance programs as long as they follow the same confidentiality rules and record-keeping standards established by the Department. Participation or nonparticipation does not impact an employee's discipline or employment status.
SB 668 caps fees that health care staffing agencies can charge when placing workers who previously worked at a hospital or nursing facility. Specifically, the fee cannot exceed 105% of the worker’s highest hourly wage paid by that facility within the past two years. Covered facilities (hospitals or licensed nursing/specialized facilities) can sue agencies for violations if they fail to correct excessive fees after being notified with payroll records. If found liable, agencies must pay damages, attorney fees, and other remedies. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.
This bill updates Oklahoma's teledentistry rules, requiring dentists to hold an Oklahoma license when diagnosing or treating patients remotely within the state and mandating that all teledentistry records be maintained in Oklahoma or within 50 miles of its border. It also expands the Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Program, offering up to $60,000 annually for five years to dentists who agree to provide care to Medicaid patients (at least 30% of their practice) and serve in designated underserved areas (with exemptions for specialists and FQHC providers). The program prioritizes new dental graduates, particularly from the University of Oklahoma, and requires participants to teach at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry if selected as faculty. The law aims to increase dental access in rural and underserved communities while ensuring Medicaid-dependent patients receive care.
SB 801, the Oklahoma Medicine Injury Justice Act, makes pharmaceutical companies directly liable in Oklahoma courts for harm caused by their products to Oklahoma citizens. It requires companies to pay financial compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages in cases of gross negligence or fraud. The bill explicitly removes federal immunities (like the PREP Act) that previously shielded companies from state court claims, ensuring all cases are heard in Oklahoma state courts without mandatory arbitration. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and asserts Oklahoma’s authority to enforce accountability under state constitutional protections.
SB 1382 establishes Oklahoma's Medicaid Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for members with prediabetes, requiring the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to implement an evidence-based lifestyle program aligned with CDC standards. The program mandates 22 initial coaching sessions over one year (with maintenance sessions for those achieving 5% weight loss), delivered by trained peer coaches using CDC-approved curricula focused on healthy eating and physical activity. Medicaid providers must offer the program, and payment for services is limited to 80% of Medicare rates, with unlicensed coaches needing provider arrangements for reimbursement. The bill affects Oklahoma Medicaid enrollees with prediabetes and their providers, effective November 1, 2026.
SB 811 requires Oklahoma's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to implement a community-based competency restoration pilot program for defendants found incompetent to stand trial but capable of regaining competence with treatment. The bill directly affects individuals in the criminal justice system who are deemed incompetent due to mental health needs but not intellectually disabled or dangerous. Key provisions mandate the department to provide treatment in community settings (instead of solely in forensic facilities), make regular court reports on defendants' progress, and establish clear pathways for resuming trials or transitioning to civil commitment if competence isn't restored. The pilot program specifically aligns with a court-ordered consent decree from the Briggs v. Friesen case. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB 2754 establishes the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program to provide financial support to qualifying rural hospitals. It directly affects publicly owned hospitals in towns with fewer than 5,000 residents that meet federal critical access hospital standards. The program creates a revolving fund in the state treasury, administered by the State Department of Health, to award grants prioritizing areas with significant healthcare access barriers due to distance. Grants are limited to the total funds available in the revolving fund, and the program becomes effective July 1, 2025.
HB 1008 prohibits most abortions in Oklahoma except when necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman facing a medical emergency involving physical disorder, illness, or injury directly related to pregnancy. It defines "medical emergency" as conditions where abortion is required to save the woman's life, and imposes penalties of up to $100,000 or 10 years in prison for violations. The bill explicitly states it does not criminalize women for pregnancy outcomes and preserves access to contraceptives when used before pregnancy detection. The law takes immediate effect as an emergency measure upon passage.
