Legislative Alert

Title 59 Nurse
Friday, September 3, 2010


HB2320Paraphrase:modifies the definition of "lock" and "locksmith industry" under the Alarm and Locksmith Industry Act. It also increases from 24 to 90 the maximum voltage of electric circuits a person may install or repair under the act without being licensed. It modifies the terms of the Alarm and Locksmith Industry Committee, limiting appointed members to two terms. In the Senate, the bill was amended to exempt those who install or repair electrical circuits consisting entirely of 24 volts or less Class 2 or Class 3 circuits and power source requirements as established by the National Electrical Code from obtaining an electrician's license. The CCR accepts the Senate's amendments.
 Principal Authors:Steve Martin (H), Harry Coates (S)
 Effective Date:11/01/2010Emergency:No
 Status Date:06/07/2010Current Status:Governor Action - Signed

HB3202Paraphrase:adds a definition of "teeth floating" to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act to state that as provided by a nonveterinary equine dental care provider, it means the removal of enamel points and the smoothing, contouring and leveling of dental arcades and incisors of equine and other farm animals. It also excludes acts of animal husbandry such as teeth floating and farriery from the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act. It states that any individual certified by the Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to be a nonveterinary equine dental care provider is exempt from the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act. The measure directs the state board to annually certify any practitioner of teeth floating and establishes eligibility criteria. It states that prior to July 1, 2010, teeth floaters are to be granted certification upon submission of a signed, notarized affidavit from three people who are residents of the state saying they know the applicant as a nonveterinary equine dental care provider. It requires four hours of continuing education for annual certification renewal for teeth floaters. It requires an equine owner to contact a licensed veterinarian if prescription drugs are to be used in nonveterinary equine dental care procedures, and it allows the owner or nonveterinary equine dental care provider to pick up the drugs. It directs complaints related to teeth floaters to be filed with the state veterinarian, who may investigate complaints. The measure allows the state board to charge a $200 certification fee. The bill also modifies membership of the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, requiring one of the five licensed veterinarian members to be an equine practitioner and one to be a large animal practitioner. The measure also prohibits the use of any controlled dangerous substances as defined in the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act in teeth floating and to clarify that those who are certified as nonveterinary equine dental care providers are prohibited from performing acts allowed of veterinarians licensed under the Veterinary Practice Act.
 Principal Authors:Don Armes (H), Mike Schulz (S)
 Effective Date: / / Emergency:No
 Status Date:04/16/2010Current Status:Governor Action - Signed

SB1311Paraphrase:modifies language related to the issuance of special volunteer licenses, allowing it to be issued for a period to be determined by the applicable board. The bill also allows nursing homes with publicly accessible pharmacies to maintain an emergency drug box.
 Principal Authors:Andrew Rice (S), Doug Cox (H)
 Effective Date: / / Emergency:Yes
 Status Date:05/10/2010Current Status:Governor Action - Signed

SB2054Paraphrase:authorizes the insurance commissioner to require any entity obligated to submit or file documents with the Department of Insurance to electronically file the documents. The bill also clarifies language in the Oklahoma Insurance Code and removes outdated language. The bill also eliminates the requirement to certain funds collected be paid to the state treasury for credit to the General Revenue Fund. The bill eliminates the requirement that the Department of Insurance mail an affidavit of exempt status under the Workers' Compensation Act form to those requesting it but requires the department to make the form available on its Web site. The bill requires insurers that use credit information to provide certain information if the consumer's credit information has been directly influenced by certain events. The bill permits a nonresident life or accident and health insurance broker applicant to receive a license in Oklahoma if they are licensed and in good standing in their home state and if the applicant's home state awards nonresident licenses to Oklahoma residents on the same basis. The bill modifies language related to health benefit plans and eliminates group policies applicable to less than 50 people from the definition. The bill removes commercial lines insurance risks or portions thereof that are not rated according to manual, rating plans or schedules, including "a" rates, from the exemption from review requirements. It creates the Unauthorized Insurers and Surplus Lines Insurance Act. It modifies language referring to surplus line insurers. It requires all licensed administrators to file an annual report for the previous calendar year reviewed by a certified public accountant who shall be independent of the administrator. The bill adds advisory board or advisory organizations to the list of organizations that are required to make loss runs or claims history available to current and former policyholders within thirty 30 days upon a written request by the policyholder. The bill permits a nonresident life or accident and health insurance broker applicant to receive an Oklahoma license if they are licensed and in good standing in their home state, and if the home state of the applicant awards nonresident licenses to residents of Oklahoma on the same basis. The bill amends the Genetic Nondiscrimination in Insurance Act to certain acts on the basis of genetic information. The bill also permits health benefit plans to provide coverage other than those required by law for mental health and substance use disorders. The bill also provides that treatment limitations for mental health and substance abuse disorder benefits will be no more restrictive than the predominant treatment limitations substantially applied to all medical and surgical benefits covered by the plan and that there shall be no separate treatment limitations applicable only to mental health or substance abuse disorder benefits. The bill requires the board to develop a plan to end the business of the Oklahoma Small Employer Health Reinsurance Program. The bill requires the board to submit the plan to the insurance commissioner for approval within 120 days of the effective date of the program's repeal and requires that the plan include, but not be limited to, an accounting of the funds and expenses of the Oklahoma Small Employer Health Reinsurance Program and a detailed description of the method of reimbursement of any funds or monies from the initial assessment to any reinsuring carriers. The bill modifies certain reporting requirements related to medical professional liability insurance policy claims. The bill permits a professional employer organization, or PEO, to use a qualified assurance organization as approved by the commissioner to provide services related to the registration of the PEO. The bill also repeals requirements that copies of volunteer fire department ordinances be submitted to the insurance commissioner. The bill also repeals additional language concerning the Small Employer Health Insurance Reform Act. The bill repeals language related to the application for license as a service warranty association. In the House, the bill was amended to remove the repealer of language under the Service Warranty Insurance Act related to application for license as a service warranty association.
 Principal Authors:Bill Brown (S), Daniel Sullivan (H)
 Effective Date:11/01/2010Emergency:No
 Status Date:05/06/2010Current Status:Governor Action - Signed

Reprinted with permission
Copyright (c) eCapitol, LLC, 2009