SB 693 requires social media platforms to display a clear warning about potential mental health risks for minors when users under 18 access the platform. This warning must be provided in a specific, conspicuous manner as defined by the bill, and failure to do so would be deemed an unlawful business practice under Oklahoma's Consumer Protection Act. Violations would result in civil penalties, which would be deposited into a new "Social Media Mitigation for Minor Mental Health Fund" managed by the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The fund aims to support mental health services for minors in Oklahoma, directly affecting social media companies operating within the state.
SB 670 requires health care providers to complete specific continuing education on mental health screening as part of their ongoing training. This applies directly to licensed health care professionals who provide patient care, such as doctors, nurses, and counselors. The bill mandates that this training include standardized mental health screening protocols to be integrated into routine patient evaluations. It does not create new funding or insurance requirements, but instead sets a professional development standard for current providers. The bill is currently pending in committee after passing a committee review with amendments.
SB 1040 amends Oklahoma law to update the appointment process for the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors. It removes an outdated requirement that five of six counselor members must have secured licensure by January 1, 2005, and instead mandates that at appointment, five members must be licensed counselors and one must be certified. The bill requires the Governor to appoint four members from a list provided by the Oklahoma Drug and Alcohol Professional Counselors Association, one from the Oklahoma Substance Abuse Services Alliance, and one from the Oklahoma Citizen Advocates for Recovery and Treatment Association. This change takes effect November 1, 2025, and affects how the board is composed, directly impacting the selection process for state-level alcohol and drug counseling oversight.
SB 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.
SB 1064 requires health insurance plans in Oklahoma to use evidence-based clinical guidelines when creating step therapy protocols (where insurers mandate trying cheaper drugs first). It mandates that insurers provide a clear, accessible process for doctors and patients to request exceptions when step therapy blocks necessary medications, and they must grant exceptions if the doctor provides justification (e.g., prior drug failure, adverse reactions, or medical necessity). Insurers must respond to exception requests within 72 hours (24 hours for emergencies), and failure to respond on time automatically grants the exception. The bill directly affects insurers, healthcare providers, and patients using prescription drugs covered under step therapy protocols.
SB 456, the "Abolition of Abortion Act," would reclassify most abortion procedures as criminal homicide under Oklahoma law, defining "human being" to include unborn children and applying homicide statutes to abortion-related deaths. It exempts legal abortions with maternal consent, standard medical practices, life-saving procedures for the mother (with steps to save the fetus), and spontaneous miscarriages. The bill also modifies wrongful death claims to include unborn children and expands duress defenses for mothers who undergo abortions under threat. The bill failed in committee in February 2025 and would not take effect if passed, as it is currently pending legislative action.
