HB 2749 creates a special fund called the Intergenerational Education Revolving Fund within the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. It establishes a competitive grant program to connect nursing facilities participating in Oklahoma's Medicaid program with public school districts for collaborative intergenerational education initiatives. Grant awards, provided as rate adjustments to qualifying facilities, will fund these partnerships. The program begins July 1, 2025, with funds limited to the total amount deposited into the revolving fund.
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 3066 creates the Health Care Workforce Training Commission and establishes the "Rural Health Transformation Revolving Fund" in Oklahoma's state treasury. The fund will collect federal funds (including those from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025), interest, and designated state monies to specifically recruit and retain healthcare workers in rural and underserved Oklahoma communities, requiring a minimum 5-year service commitment. The Commission can use these funds for workforce programs and create necessary rules to implement the program. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects rural healthcare providers and communities facing workforce shortages.
SB 1653 would allow Oklahoma to join the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, enabling licensed occupational therapists and assistants from participating states to practice in Oklahoma without obtaining a separate Oklahoma license. This "Compact Privilege" applies when the patient is located in Oklahoma (the "Remote State"), preserving each state's regulatory authority while facilitating interstate practice. The bill establishes mutual recognition of licenses, supports military spouses relocating across states, and includes provisions for telehealth services and sharing disciplinary information between states. It directly affects occupational therapists seeking to practice across state lines and enhances access to services for patients in Oklahoma.
HB 2268 requires the Oklahoma Medicaid Program or its contracted entities to reimburse providers for "cognitive assessment and care planning services" (defined using standard medical billing code 99483). This directly affects low-income Medicaid beneficiaries who receive these specific cognitive care services. The bill mandates reimbursement for these services under existing Medicaid rules, with no new funding or eligibility changes. It takes effect November 1, 2025.
HB 4430 changes Oklahoma's rules for physician assistants (PAs) by allowing those with 6,240+ hours of postgraduate clinical experience to practice without physician supervision. PAs meeting this threshold must report their hours to the State Board online (no fee), and the Board will maintain a public list of qualifying PAs. PAs with fewer hours or unreported experience must maintain practice agreements with physicians, including telecommunication requirements and regular reviews. The bill also clarifies prescription authority: experienced PAs can prescribe without delegation, while supervised PAs must follow their physician's delegated protocols, especially for controlled substances.
SB 1984 amends Oklahoma's Osteopathic Medicine Act to modernize regulations for osteopathic physicians and the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners. It clarifies definitions (like "emergency" and "emergency suspension"), expands the Board's subpoena power and authority to design exams, and updates disciplinary procedures by adding/removing grounds for action. The bill also requires electronic license renewals, clarifies telemedicine practice rules (requiring a proper patient record for remote care), and specifies conditions for emergency license suspensions. These changes directly affect licensed osteopathic physicians in Oklahoma, the regulatory Board, and patients through updated oversight and licensing processes.
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 1428 creates the Office of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Service Coordination within Oklahoma’s State Department of Health, effective November 1, 2026. The office will coordinate statewide dementia services, eliminate duplicated efforts, collect data, support staff training, and identify grant opportunities to improve care for individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementias and their caregivers. It requires the office to maintain a full-time dementia services coordinator position to manage operations. The bill repeals two outdated sections of Oklahoma law (63 O.S. 2021, Sections 1-879.2 and 1-879.3) related to dementia services.
HB 1168 makes it a felony to knowingly deliver or possess abortion-inducing drugs (like misoprostol or methotrexate) with the intent of causing an abortion, punishable by up to $100,000 in fines or 10 years in prison. It directly affects individuals who provide such drugs for non-exceptional purposes, including off-label use for abortion. Key exceptions include pharmacists, manufacturers, and distributors acting within lawful medical practices, as well as preventive contraception used as directed by manufacturers. The law does not restrict treatment for ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, or medical uses of drugs like chemotherapy.
