A House committee on Tuesday advanced more than a dozen bills covering child welfare, health care, workforce training, energy and regulatory oversight, moving many measures to the House floor by voice vote or recorded tally.

Among the bills the committee reported were a revision to the Sarah Stid Act to ensure youth leaving foster care and Oklahoma Juvenile Affairs custody receive critical documents; a measure aligning state review of wind-energy siting with federal military safety processes; a repeal aimed at clarifying use of RU‑486 and related FDA language; expansion of Medicaid coverage for in‑home and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy; and several bills addressing patient rights, workforce certification and medical‑marijuana employee training.

Why it matters: The package includes bills that change how vulnerable Oklahomans transition from state custody, how health services are paid and regulated, and how the state coordinates with the military on energy projects. One bill on medication abortion generated the most recorded opposition in the committee, while several health and workforce bills drew extended technical questions from members and outside witnesses.

What moved forward

- House Bill 2361 — third iteration of the Sarah Stid Act: The bill codifies requirements that foster care and juvenile justice agencies provide crucial documents on day one after release (examples discussed in committee included birth certificates, Social Security cards and educational transcripts or certificates). The committee voted 11‑0 to report the bill as a policy recommendation.

- House Bill 2118 — technical state code updates prepared by Army and Air JAGs: Presented as an annual clean‑up of state code language reviewed by military legal counsel; reported 11‑0.

- House Bill 2142 — wind energy and military operations coordination: The bill integrates state review into the federal process that evaluates potential operational hazards to military installations and air traffic; reported 11‑0.

- House Bill 1169 — RU‑486/repealer and FDA language changes: Described by the sponsor as clarifying what the medication should be used for and reiterating that use under a physician’s oversight remains permissible. The measure drew questions about patient access and the effect on medical practice and passed the committee 10‑1.

- Optometry board fee increase (bill number as stated in committee: 18 19): The bill would allow the Oklahoma Board of Examiners in Optometry to raise its maximum annual licensing fee from $300 up to $500 (exact cap language discussed in committee). The committee voted 12‑0 to advance the measure. The transcript identifies the proposal and the vote but does not include additional fiscal details in committee remarks.

- House Bill 1389 — breast‑screening cost‑sharing elimination: The bill requires health benefit plans to cover low‑dose mammography, diagnostic exams and supplemental breast screenings without cost sharing; reported 12‑0.

- Pharmacy technician on‑the‑job training (bill number stated in committee as HB 8 15 85): The bill would add an additional training pathway for prospective pharmacy technicians. The committee reported it 10‑2.

- House Bill 1600 — “Lori Brand” Patient Bill of Rights: The measure would codify patient rights regarding respectful, informed care and family involvement in discharge when the patient permits; reported 13‑0.

- House Bill 2185 (as stated in committee) — follow‑up and oversight for youth assaulted while in custody: The bill requires the agency with purview over a juvenile to check in with law enforcement every 30 days about the status of investigations and to document follow‑up in the juvenile’s file; reported 13‑0.

- Combined senior care/Alzheimer’s improvements (full PCS): Sponsors combined related bills to assure facility care and caregiver support for residents with Alzheimer’s or dementia; the committee reported the combined PCS 13‑0.

- House Bill 2834 — expand in‑home and outpatient PT/OT/ST under Medicaid: Sponsored at the request of the Oklahoma Association for Home Care and Hospice, the bill expands coverage so eligible patients can receive physical, occupational and speech therapy at home or in outpatient clinics; the sponsor and a Health Care Authority liaison discussed clinic eligibility, rural access and budget estimates in committee. The measure was reported 14‑0, with sponsors agreeing to work on clarifications before the floor.

- House Bill 2837 — employee credentialing for licensed medical marijuana businesses: The bill requires training and credentials for dispensary employees; the Medical Marijuana Authority testified the training would likely be offered electronically and that no additional fee is expected beyond existing credential fees. The bill passed the committee 14‑0.

- House Bill 2897 (as stated in committee) — dispensary signage on THC risks to pregnant women: The amended bill requires dispensaries to post a printed warning that ingesting THC products while pregnant may harm the fetus; sponsors specified minimum font and simple language. The bill was reported 14‑0.

- House Bill 1831 — community health care worker workforce measure: The bill creates an optional licensing or credentialing pathway for community health workers to support entry into the health workforce. The committee approved the measure 13‑1.

- House Bill 1816 — specialty lab access for Oklahoma Health Care Authority: The bill clarifies the authority’s ability to use out‑of‑state specialty laboratories when necessary; the committee reported it 14‑0.

Votes at a glance

(House bill number — description — committee vote)
- HB 2295 — laid over until the afternoon session (laid over by committee at the start of the meeting)
- HB 2361 — Sarah Stid Act update (foster/OJA documents) — 11 yes, 0 no — reported as a policy recommendation
- HB 2118 — state code updates (military legal review) — 11 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 2142 — wind energy/military coordination — 11 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 1169 — RU‑486 repealer / FDA language clarification — 10 yes, 1 no — reported
- Bill listed in committee as 18 19 — optometry board fee maximum increase — 12 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 1389 — breast screening cost‑sharing elimination — 12 yes, 0 no — reported
- Bill listed in committee as HB 8 15 85 — pharmacy technician on‑the‑job training pathway — 10 yes, 2 no — reported
- HB 1600 — Patient Bill of Rights (Lori Brand) — 13 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 2185 — juvenile assault follow‑up and reporting checks — 13 yes, 0 no — reported
- Combined PCS (senior/Alzheimer’s care improvements) — 13 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 2834 — Medicaid therapy expansion (in‑home and outpatient clinics) — 14 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 2837 — medical‑marijuana employee credentialing/training — 14 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 2897 — dispensary signage warning about THC for pregnant women — 14 yes, 0 no — reported
- HB 1831 — community health care worker credentialing — 13 yes, 1 no — reported
- HB 1816 — specialty labs clarification for OHCA — 14 yes, 0 no — reported

Process and committee discussion

Several bills generated technical questions rather than partisan debate. Members pressed sponsors to clarify implementation details — for example, how educational transcripts and diplomas would be obtained and handed to youth leaving custody (HB 2361), whether out‑of‑state specialty labs would be allowed under OHCA policy (HB 1816), and how expansion of Medicaid therapy benefits would apply to both in‑home care and outpatient clinics in rural areas (HB 2834). The Medical Marijuana Authority and the Health Care Authority provided committee testimony and budget ranges where requested.

What the committee did not do

The committee did not take final action on HB 2295 at the start of the meeting and laid it over until the afternoon session. Several sponsors agreed to work with members to refine language before floor debate.

Ending

The committee recessed and said it would reconvene at about 3:00 p.m. to continue work on remaining agenda items and to take up bills laid over earlier in the day.