Sen. Julie McIntosh

Maddy summarySB 959 would allow Oklahoma health care institutions (like hospitals and clinics) and health care payors (like insurers) to refuse services conflicting with their religious or moral beliefs, including declining to use facilities for such services. It grants legal immunity from lawsuits or retaliation (such as job loss, license denial, or contract termination) for these refusals, while requiring emergency care under federal law. Religious entities could also base hiring, staffing, and admission decisions on faith. The bill failed in committee on March 3, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 959 protects healthcare institutions (like hospitals and clinics) and payors (like insurers) from discrimination or penalties if they refuse to provide services based on religious or moral beliefs. It prohibits actions such as job termination, denial of licenses, or loss of contracts for such refusals, while requiring emergency care under federal law. Religious entities can make hiring and admission decisions aligned with their beliefs, but state-run facilities are excluded from these protections. The bill failed committee review in March 2025 and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 958 requires health professionals to allow parents or legal guardians to be present during minors' medical appointments and provide them copies of medical records (with an exception for suspected child abuse cases). It modifies Oklahoma's physician-patient privilege law (12 O.S. 2503) to clarify that minors under 18 cannot block parental access to their health information. The bill also updates counselor confidentiality rules (59 O.S. 1910) to require parental consent for minors under 18 to access certain services. This applies to all health services provided to minors under 18 in Oklahoma, directly affecting parents/guardians and healthcare providers.

Maddy summarySB 958 modifies Oklahoma health confidentiality laws to give parents and legal guardians greater access to their minor children's health information. It removes minors' right to block parents from seeing health records or attending medical consultations, requiring healthcare providers to share records and allow parental presence - except in cases involving suspected child abuse, neglect, or battery. The bill also updates rules around minors' self-consent for health services and clarifies when health professionals may disclose information. This directly affects minors under 18, their parents/guardians, and healthcare providers in Oklahoma.

Maddy summarySB 779 creates the "Volunteer County Emergency Response Corps Act," requiring Oklahoma counties to establish a system for residents to volunteer their skills and resources during emergencies. County officials (sheriffs, commissioners, and emergency management) must develop a matching system to connect volunteers with specific needs like debris clearance, medical services, transportation, or temporary staging areas. The bill prioritizes volunteers with specialized skills (e.g., construction, chaplain services, veteran first responders) and provides liability protection for volunteers and entities offering services, barring claims of gross negligence. Counties must hold annual public meetings to promote the program, and volunteers are immune from civil liability for non-negligent actions during emergency response.

Maddy summarySB 779 creates the "Volunteer County Emergency Response Corps Act," requiring Oklahoma county officials (sheriffs, commissioners, and emergency management personnel) to establish a system for residents to volunteer their skills during emergencies. The bill mandates prioritizing volunteers based on specific needs like debris removal, medical services, transportation, and temporary staging areas. It requires counties to maintain a public system for volunteers to list specialties, hold annual public meetings to promote the program, and provides liability protection for volunteers (excluding gross negligence). This directly affects county residents who volunteer and county officials responsible for implementation.

Maddy summarySB 807 requires Oklahoma healthcare providers to give patients a written document before administering any vaccine, detailing ingredients (using CDC guidelines), vaccine development history, all known risks (from clinical trials and VAERS data), ethical considerations in production, exemption options, and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Providers must obtain written patient consent after reviewing this information, with signed forms kept in medical records for seven years. Violations carry penalties of up to $1,000 for failing to provide the document or $5,000 for administering a vaccine without consent. The law directly affects all patients receiving vaccines in Oklahoma and healthcare providers who administer them.

Maddy summarySB 321 creates a sales tax exemption for specific disaster preparedness items during two annual three-day periods: the last Friday in March and September. It directly affects Oklahoma residents purchasing qualifying items like food supplies, safety gear, general disaster tools, and fastening items during those windows. The bill defines "disaster preparedness supplies" to include four categories (general, safety, food-related, and fastening items) and authorizes the Oklahoma Tax Commission to create implementation rules. The exemption applies to sales made between 12:01 a.m. on the last Friday and 12 a.m. on the following Sunday of those months. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 1079, the "Vaccine Transparency and Informed Consent Act," requires Oklahoma healthcare providers to give patients a written disclosure before administering any vaccine. This document must detail all vaccine ingredients (per CDC standards), development history, all known risks (including short/long-term side effects from clinical trials and VAERS data), ethical considerations (like fetal tissue use), exemption options, and information about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Providers must obtain written patient consent acknowledging they received this information, reviewed it, and understand their right to accept, decline, or defer the vaccine. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $5,000 per incident for failing to secure consent, with repeat offenses risking professional license action. The bill directly affects healthcare providers who administer vaccines in Oklahoma.