Disability Legislation Tracking
Below is an extensive list of pending legislation currently being discussed at the Oklahoma State Legislature that may impact Oklahomans with developmental disabilities.
Bills are listed in the following categories:
- Education,
- Healthcare,
- Inclusion & Public Policy,
- Medicaid & the Waiting List, and
- Tax Policies
Each bill listed begins with its House or Senate bill number and the bill's authors, which is followed by a brief summary of the bill and its current status in the legislature.
If you have any questions or bill addition requests, please email Jennifer Grover, Planning & Grants Management Director for the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma.
Click on the bill numbers below to link directly to bill.
Any starred* bills have been updated since our last legislative email was sent.
Education
HB2980 Albright.
Creates an Act to authorize counseling services to be provided by school counselors. It also recommends that all schools strive for a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:250.
Plain Language: This bill would provide more counselors in schools across the state. These counselors would provide additional services and supports to all students, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
STATUS: Do Pass, as amended, by House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee 2/12/2020.
SB1128 Simpson and McCall.
Authorizes the State Board of Education to grant an exception to the requirements for all certification examinations for teacher candidates who are deaf.
Plain Language: This bill would allow flexibility for teacher certification requirements for teachers who are deaf.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 2/26/2020.
SB1436 Stanislawski and Miller.
Authorizes the State Board of Education to issue provisional and standard teaching certificates in the area of comprehensive special education as well as issue two-year provisional teaching certificates in severe-profound disabilities.
Plain Language: This bill would increase the amount of teachers available to teach in comprehensive special education across the state.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/10/2020.
Bills Related to Dyslexia and Other Related Disorders in Students
There are currently three House bills (below) related to identifying and screening for dyslexia and other related disorders in students. The bills also direct the State Department of Education to develop and maintain classroom instruction techniques to meet the needs of students with dyslexia and other related disorders.
HB2804 Sanders and Bice. Requires any student enrolled in kindergarten through third grade who is not meeting grade-level targets to be screened for dyslexia.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/4/2020.
HB2889 Sanders and Stanislawski. Requires the State Department of Education to maintain the dyslexia handbook created by the Dyslexia and Education Task Force.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/4/2020.
HB3320 Conley and Kidd. Directs the teacher preparation program to train candidates about identifying dyslexia characteristics and other related disorders in students and classroom instruction techniques.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/10/2020.
Healthcare
* HB2870 Kiger and Paxton.
Creates the Small Rural Oklahoma Hospital Survival Act. The Act is intended to provide contracting and reimbursement fairness for small rural Oklahoma hospitals. Health insurers may not discourage insureds from utilizing services from a small rural Oklahoma hospital.
Plain Language: This Act would allow all Oklahomans in the rural areas of the State to better access health services closer to home.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/11/2020.
HB2968 West (J.) and Rader.
Creates the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. The Compact would allow providers licensed in a member state to practice across state lines. Once ten states have adopted the Compact, it will go into effect. There are currently 8 states that have adopted the Compact.
Plain Language: This Compact would create better access to audiology and speech-language pathology services for Oklahomans. Click here for more information about the Interstate Compact.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/4/2020.
HB3029 Bush and Pugh.
Creates the Transparency in Health Care Prices Act. The Act would require health care providers to make their prices available to the public for the 20 most common health inpatient and outpatient services. This price information must be updated annually.
Plain Language: This Act would make prices for common healthcare services public and transparent.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/9/2020.
* HB3383 Ranson and Rader.
Creates the Advisory Council on Traumatic Brain Injury within the State Department of Health. The Council will provide expertise on treatment for people suffering from traumatic brain injuries, evaluate current rehabilitation standards, and promote education on traumatic brain injuries.
Plain Language: An Advisory Council on Traumatic Brain Injury would highlight the needs of Oklahomans with traumatic brain injuries and help the state better meet those needs.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/10/2020.
HB3403 Randleman.
Requires health care providers treating fetal alcohol syndrome to receive training on screening tools and treatment resources every three years to maintain licensure.
Plain Language: This bill would make sure that specialty doctors maintain up-to-date expertise about fetal alcohol syndrome.
STATUS: Do Pass by House Public Health Committee 2/19/2020.
HB3463 West (T.) and Coleman.
Requires that when a resident of an assisted living center is prescribed an antipsychotic drug the facility is required to ensure that the resident is reassessed by a medical provider at least quarterly and the results must be documented. Additionally, all resident care staff must understand the benefits and side effects of the medication and know the procedures to be followed if an antipsychotic drug is prescribed to a resident on an as-needed basis.
Plain Language: This bill would protect people living in long-term care facilities from being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs unless these drugs are necessary and correctly documented.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/2/2020.
SB1201 McCortney and McEntire.
Requires all licensed health care facilities in the state to report data to and utilize the statewide health information exchange.
Plain Language: This bill would support people with numerous doctors because all of their doctors would have easy access to their health information.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/4/2020.
SB1739 Leewright and Lawson.
Creates the "Barbara E. Hoover Act," which requires assisted living centers and continuum of care facilities to provide the same notifications as nursing facilities as it relates to electronic monitoring. The bill also modifies the term "representative of a resident" to mean any court-appointed guardian, the parent of a minor, a relative, or other person designated in writing by the resident.
Plain Language: This bill would protect people in assisted living centers and continuum of care facilities from being electronically monitored without their knowledge or approval.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/3/2020.
SB1768 Kidd and McEntire.
Authorizes health districts established by county boards of health to be comprised of multiple county health departments operating under agreement to share resources.
Plain Language: This bill would save the state money by allowing county health departments to work together and share health resources.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/4/2020.
Inclusion & Public Policy
* HB3041 West (T.) and Weaver.
Allows the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) to include in its required courses of study for law enforcement certification a minimum of 8 hours of developmental disability awareness training.
**This bill was introduced as a result of the Developmental Disability Council of Oklahoma's Law Enforcement Task Force and Partners in Policymaking (PIP) program.
Plain Language: This bill would add developmental disability awareness training to the topics covered in police officer training.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/10/2020.
HB3406 Randleman and Pemberton.
Amends the training requirements for foster parents to include at least one hour of pre-service training on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/3/2020.
* HB3952 Dollen and Brooks.
Creates the Oklahoma Universal Changing Station Act, or “Max’s Law”, which requires all public buildings constructed after January 1, 2021 that can hold at least 200 persons to install a university changing station in a family restroom for persons with a physical disability. The station must comply with all accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Plain Language: This bill would require public buildings in Oklahoma to have universal changing stations. This would make public buildings more inclusive for individuals with developmental disabilities.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/10/2020.
SB1389 Hicks and West (T.).
Updates the term “retarded person” to “individual with intellectual disability” in current state statutes.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/3/2020.
* SB1779 Treat.
Modifies the procedures for absentee ballots. No person shall apply for, transmit or submit an absentee ballot on behalf of another person. A voter may still request assistance to mark the ballot, complete the affidavit or seal the envelope for his/her absentee ballot.
The purpose of this bill is to prohibit absentee ballot/vote harvesting or election fraud. No administrator or employee of a nursing or health facility may attempt to coerce or influence the vote of a person in that facility.
Plain Language: This bill would support the political rights of Oklahomans with developmental disabilities by making sure that their voting ballots are correct.
STATUS: SENTATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/11/2020.
SB1809 Rosino and McEntire.
Modifies terminology in the Oklahoma Guardianship and Conservatorship Act. The bill modifies the terms "least restrictive alternative" and "supported decision making." The amendment also requires any court order appointing a guardian for a person to provide specific reasoning as to why the person needs a guardian instead of a less restrictive alternative.
Plain Language: This bill would support the rights of all individuals by providing guidelines about guardianship and decision-making.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/3/2020.
Medicaid & The Waiting List
SB1851 Standridge and Echols.
Requires the Department of Human Services to remove any person on the Waiting List if the person enters an institutional care facility. If the person leaves the facility, the Department shall place the individual back on the Waiting List in the same spot he/she had been on the date the person was removed.
The bill also stipulates that the Department shall, subject to available funds cover the expense of an adult activity center, up to $5,000 annually, to any person who voluntarily removes him/herself from the Waiting List.
Plain Language: This bill is supposed to help shrink the Waiting List in Oklahoma by giving people on the list incentives to remove themselves from the Waiting List.
STATUS: Do Pass, as amended, by Senate Health and Human Services Committee 2/24/2020.
SB1852 McCortney and McEntire.
Transfers all personnel, powers and duties relating to the ADvantage Waiver Program from the Department of Human Services to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Rulemaking and authority to enter into contracts relating to the Program shall be transferred to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board.
Plain Language: This bill moves the management of ADvantage Waiver Program from the Department of Human Services to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.
STATUS: Do Pass, as amended, by Senate Health and Human Services Committee 2/17/2020.
SB1907 Pugh.
Directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to submit a waiver to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to transition the Parent/Caretaker population of the state Medicaid program to a health voucher system. The bill outlines acceptable expenditures for the voucher system.
Plain Language: This bill would transition Oklahoma’s Parent/Caretaker population to a voucher system for Medicaid services. Moving to a voucher system has the potential to increase the total financial benefits for these services.
STATUS: Do Pass, as amended, by Senate Health and Human Services Committee 2/24/2020.
Tax Policies
There are two bills being reviewed to create an income tax deduction for contributions to accounts established pursuant to the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program. If passed, beginning in tax year 2020, taxpayers may deduct up to $10,000 per year for single filers, or $20,000 per year for joint filers for contributions to an eligible ABLE account.
SB1190 Pugh.
STATUS: SENATE PASSED. Sent to House 3/10/2020.
HB4006 Ortega and Howard.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/3/2020.
HB3462 Russ and Standridge.
Amends the definition of prosthetic device in the Sales Tax Code to include hearing aids purchased from a licensed audiologist, hearing aid dealer or fitter. The measure provides a sales tax exemption on hearing aids, effective November 1, 2020.
Plain Language: This bill would provide a tax benefit for people who buy a prosthetic device.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 3/3/2020.
HB3823 McCall and Hall.
A new law that provides an income tax credit for medical and osteopathic doctors that practice medicine in the rural areas of the state.
Plain Language: This bill would affect individuals with developmental disabilities and their families throughout the state by financially encouraging doctors to remain in rural areas.
STATUS: HOUSE PASSED. Sent to Senate 2/27/2020.
This legislative update is for informational purposes only. Inclusion and tracking of any legislation does not constitute endorsement or opposition by the Redlands Partners: Center for Learning and Leadership, the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma, or the Oklahoma Disability Law Center.
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