House Public Health Committee approves slate of cleanup and regulatory health bills

The House Public Health Committee met and approved a package of health-related bills on largely unanimous votes, moving a set of technical and regulatory measures to the next stage of the legislative process.

Representative Miller told the committee that Senate Bill 1651 was “our kind of standard cleanup language … from the Oklahoma medical board,” saying the changes modernize statutes and streamline licensing requirements. The committee moved the bill and, after a voice vote, the chair declared it passed 5-0.

Other measures the panel approved included House Bill 1645, which establishes parameters for Oklahoma Health Care Authority audits of long-term care facilities; Senate Bill 1560, described as cleanup language following last year’s nurse practitioner bill; and Senate Bill 206, which would classify ambulances operated by public entities as essential services for federal funding eligibility.

Representative Newton presented a package of additional cleanups and jurisdictional fixes, including Senate Bill 1557 (moving board-certified assistant behavioral analysts and behavioral analysts under the Board of Psychology and removing a fee cap so licensure fees may cover costs), Senate Bill 1849 (allowing the Oklahoma Board of Podiatric Medicine to set continuing education for podiatrists prescribing medical marijuana), Senate Bill 1984 (clarifying emergency definitions and procedures for the Board of Osteopathic Medicine), Senate Bill 1436 (creating a procedure for obtaining a certificate after fetal loss), Senate Bill 1794 (directing the Department of Mental Health to publish bed vacancies at state facilities) and Senate Bill 1553 (specifying qualifications for psychologists who review appeals of adverse determinations). Each of those bills was moved, yielded for questions when requested, and recorded as passed by the committee, typically by 5-0 voice votes.

Votes at a glance

• SB 1651 (medical board cleanup): passed 5-0
• HB 1645 (OHCA audits of long-term care): passed 5-0
• SB 1560 (nurse practitioner cleanup): passed 5-0
• SB 206 (ambulance eligibility for federal funding): passed 5-0
• SB 1557 (behavioral analysts under Board of Psychology; fee cap removal): passed 5-0
• SB 1849 (podiatry CE for medical marijuana): passed 5-0
• SB 1984 (osteopathic board emergency procedures): passed 5-0
• SB 1436 (fetal loss certificates): passed (recorded by chair as passed)
• SB 1794 (mental health bed vacancy reporting): passed 5-0
• SB 1553 (psychologist qualifications for appeals): passed 5-0

Several bills were listed by the chair as laid over to next week’s agenda, and the committee adjourned after completing the day’s business.