HB 3648: Officers; Governmental Tort Claims Act; definitions; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended during its passage from the House to the Senate, resulting in significant changes to the definitions of 'Charitable health care provider' and 'Community health care provider.' These changes expand the scope of who qualifies for immunity under the Governmental Tort Claims Act, specifically by adding new categories of health care providers and clarifying the requirements for those seeking federal designation as community health centers.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include additional types of health care providers and specific volunteer groups under the definition of 'Employee,' thereby broadening the entities and individuals protected from tort liability claims.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Charitable health care provider' was restructured to more clearly specify that the provider must be authorized by state law to administer health care and provide care to indigent persons without expectation of compensation.

A new definition for 'Community health care provider' was added, covering providers at federally qualified health centers, look-alike centers, and those awaiting federal approval for such status.

The definition of 'Employee' was expanded to explicitly include licensed physicians, osteopathic physicians, and Certified Nurse-Midwives who provided prenatal, delivery, or infant care services to State Department of Health clients between September 1, 1991, and June 30, 1996.

The definition of 'Employee' was further expanded to include any volunteer, full-time, or part-time firefighter when performing duties for a fire department.

HB3648 (4-28-26) (WOODS) FS FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove references to The Governmental Tort Claims Act from its title and scope, focusing instead on defining state officers. A significant change redefines who counts as an 'Employee' under the Act, explicitly including elected or appointed officers and members of governing bodies, while also removing specific historical exceptions for certain medical providers and firefighters from the definition.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from a broad amendment to The Governmental Tort Claims Act to a specific focus on modifying the definition of 'Employee' to include high-level officials like elected officers and governing body members.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Employee' was expanded to explicitly include all elected or appointed officers, members of governing bodies, and other persons designated to act for an agency or political subdivision.

Specific sub-provisions that listed exceptions for certain licensed physicians, osteopathic physicians, Certified Nurse-Midwives, and firefighters performing duties between 1991 and 1996 were removed from the 'Employee' definition.

SCOPE

The bill's title and summary were updated to remove references to The Governmental Tort Claims Act, amending sections, and authorizing costs and fees, shifting the focus solely to modifying the definition of 'Employee'.

References to amending specific sections of the Governmental Tort Claims Act and providing for an effective date were removed from the bill's summary.

Engrossed → HB3648 (4-28-26) (WOODS) FS FA1.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to expand its scope from modifying only one section of the Governmental Tort Claims Act to modifying two sections (152 and 154). This change broadens the legislative intent to update both the definitions of terms and the extent of liability for state and political subdivisions. The text of the definitions and liability sections remains largely identical to the previous version, with changes primarily reflecting the expanded scope of the amendment.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include amendments to Section 154 in addition to Section 152, covering both definitions and the extent of liability under the Governmental Tort Claims Act.

SCOPE

The bill now explicitly amends two sections (152 and 154) of the Governmental Tort Claims Act instead of just one, broadening the legislative update to cover both definitions and liability limits.

DEFINITION

The introductory text for the definitions section was updated to reflect that the amendments apply to both Section 152 and Section 154.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting and punctuation adjustments were made to the list of eligible claimants and the definition of 'Community health care provider' to improve consistency.

Introduced → Engrossed · 3 edits · Mar 24, 2026

MINOR

The bill text was updated to reflect its progression from the 'Introduced' stage to the 'Engrossed' stage, incorporating final amendments and formatting corrections. The substantive legal definitions within the Governmental Tort Claims Act remain unchanged, though minor text adjustments were made to the title and act description.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed' and the legislative session details were reorganized to reflect the final version of the document.

Minor wording adjustments were made to the act's short title, changing 'the Governmental Tort Claims Act' to 'The Governmental Tort Claims Act' for consistency.

The footer text was updated to reflect the new 'Engrossed' status and page numbering was adjusted to match the final bill format.

Officers; Governmental Tort Claims Act; definitions; effective date.

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