Legislative session continues

Posted on: 3/6/20

The first deadline of this legislative session has come and gone. We have seen 3,132 bills die, leaving 1,455 still in play. This figure includes 723 House bills, three House Joint Resolutions, 720 Senate bills and nine Senate Joint Resolutions. The House and Senate began the bulk of their floor work this week, meaning they began moving through the bills that passed out of committee. By the end of next week bills must pass off the floor of their respective chamber of origin to remain alive and continue through the process.

SB 1748, the Patient Disclosure Act, flew off the Senate floor this week with a vote of 44-2. The bill creates a method for patients to be treated for an emergency before they are asked for payment and know whether their emergency conditions will be paid for by their insurance. This is a priority bill for the OHA. Another bill of interest, SB 1290, the Medical Care Provider Protection Act, passed off the Senate floor by a vote of 43-4. The bill provides needed protections for our health care staff.

Two bills aimed at recruiting and retaining Oklahoma physicians, SB 1276 and HB 3392, passed off the floor of their respective chambers this week. SB 1276 increases the percentage of the subsidy that funds the residency training programs managed by the Physician Manpower Training Commission from 50 to 75%. While a related bill, HB 3392, expands the definition of primary care physician within the Oklahoma Medical Loan Repayment Program to include general surgery.

Stay tuned next week as we wrap up the first floor deadline and see how many bills make it across the rotunda. (Scott Tohlen)