SB 331, the Emerson Kate Cole Act, requires Oklahoma school employees to call 911 immediately after administering Epinephrine to a student experiencing an allergic reaction. It also mandates schools to notify parents or guardians when a student has a possible allergic reaction and to provide annual training for teachers and staff on recognizing anaphylaxis and using Epinephrine. The law amends existing school medication policies to clarify procedures for handling allergic emergencies and ensures staff are trained on emergency response. This directly affects students with severe allergies, school employees, and school districts across Oklahoma.
HB 2144 creates a new legal cause of action for Oklahoma insurance policyholders and third parties who suffer unreasonable delays or denials of benefits by insurers, defining "bad faith" as violating an insurer’s duty of good faith and fair dealing. It prohibits insurers from including clauses reserving discretion to interpret policies or deny claims, eliminates the need to exhaust administrative remedies before suing, and guarantees jury trials for bad faith claims. The bill applies to all insurance policies issued in Oklahoma (including health, disability, and employee benefits), directly affecting insured individuals, businesses, and third parties who rely on insurance contracts. Key provisions clarify that insurers must pay valid claims promptly, and claimants can seek damages for unreasonable refusals or delays without first appealing to the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
HB 3928 requires vision insurers to reimburse optometrists for covered services at no less than the 60th percentile of local usual and customary rates, as determined by an independent data source. It prohibits insurers from reducing payments for materials (like frames, lenses, and contacts) when increasing service payments, unless the change applies uniformly to all providers. The bill also mandates that insurers disclose average reimbursement rates for both affiliated and independent providers, and prevents insurers from penalizing providers for using nonaffiliated labs or vendors that meet credentialing standards. These changes directly affect optometrists, vision insurers, and patients using vision insurance plans in Oklahoma.
HB 3016 requires Oklahoma schools to provide binocular vision screenings for students in kindergarten, first, and third grades to identify convergence insufficiency (a vision disorder affecting near focus). Screenings, conducted within 30 days of the school year start by trained school nurses or vision professionals, must be performed in addition to existing vision screenings. The bill establishes a Binocular Screening Revolving Fund in the state treasury to cover program costs using state appropriations, which must supplement - rather than replace - current school vision funding. The program begins in the 2026-2027 school year.
HB 1811 changes Oklahoma insurance rules for chronic condition care. It requires insurers to keep prior authorizations valid for six months for non-inpatient treatments (like outpatient care) and 14 days for inpatient acute care. For ongoing inpatient stays, insurers must approve extensions within 72 hours or continue paying providers; they cannot use stricter criteria than the initial approval. The law does not require coverage for conditions already excluded from policies.
HB 3886 requires Oklahoma's State Department of Health to provide nursing homes with written notices of violations, detailing the specific rule or standard breached and the facility's obligation to submit a correction plan within 10 working days. The bill mandates that health personnel remain on-site during emergencies (like life-endangering situations) until a facility's "Plan of Removal" is accepted. It also establishes clear procedures for facilities to dispute violations through informal resolution or formal hearings, and requires exit conferences where facilities can discuss preliminary findings before final reports are issued. This bill directly affects licensed nursing homes operating under Oklahoma's Nursing Home Care Act, enhancing transparency and due process in regulatory enforcement.
SB 1567 modifies Oklahoma's rules for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) by allowing supervising physicians to charge reasonable fees for oversight services, requiring these fees to be disclosed in written agreements and based on fair market value. The bill prohibits the Oklahoma Board of Nursing from imposing fees for maintaining supervision agreements or related administrative tasks. It also mandates that supervision agreements include specific details like fee structures, scope of practice, emergency plans, and alternate physician designations. This directly affects APRNs who rely on physician supervision and supervising physicians, streamlining oversight requirements while ensuring transparency in fee arrangements.
SB 1483 makes vaccine manufacturers legally responsible to individuals harmed by vaccines they advertise in Oklahoma. It defines "advertise" broadly to include paid promotions (like social media or influencer deals) but excludes standard provider-patient discussions. If a manufacturer advertises a vaccine in Oklahoma and that vaccine causes injury, the affected person can sue within three years of the injury. A successful plaintiff would receive actual damages, court costs, and attorney fees.
SB 1508, the Compassionate Access to Medical Marijuana Act, requires licensed Oklahoma health care facilities to permit medical marijuana use by patients with a terminal illness (expected to live one year or less) who hold a valid state medical marijuana license. Facilities must prohibit smoking/vaping, document use in medical records, enforce locked storage, and develop written guidelines, but cannot be required to recommend marijuana or include it in discharge plans. The bill excludes emergency departments and does not alter existing state marijuana laws or federal scheduling restrictions. It takes effect November 1, 2026.
SB 1555 updates Oklahoma's Medicaid definitions for "individual with intellectual disability" and "developmental disability" to align with current standards. It raises the age for disability manifestation from 18 to 22 years, refines IQ criteria (e.g., requiring scores below 70 or 71-75 with specific scoring), and revises adaptive skill areas to match Social Security Administration guidelines for daily living skills. These changes directly affect Medicaid eligibility for individuals seeking home- and community-based services under Oklahoma Statutes §1406-1424. The bill ensures existing Medicaid recipients as of September 1, 1991, remain eligible, and the Department of Human Services may expand services for underserved individuals within available resources. The updated definitions take effect November 1, 2026.
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Medicaid
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People with Disabilities
