All Roll Calls
Yes: 174 • No: 0
OklahomaSB 929Oklahoma 2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
Practice of osteopathic medicine; amending various provisions of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Medicine Act. Emergency.
Sponsored By: John Haste (Republican)
Became Law
Senate Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
16 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 11 mixed.
Osteopathic doctors face new discipline grounds
The Board can deny licenses or discipline osteopathic doctors for additional listed violations. These include violating pharmacy law or breaching the American Osteopathic Association Code of Ethics or Osteopathic Oath. Knowingly providing a legally defined gender-transition procedure to a child is also a ground for discipline.
Doctors face limits on restoring licenses
Doctors may apply after 12 months following revocation with a right to reapply, or six months following suspension. They must apply to the executive director and pay a Board-set application fee. The Board can reconsider and restore a license at any time for a reason it finds sufficient. It cannot issue or restore a license after finding repeated medical malpractice, even after order compliance and demonstrated safe practice.
Osteopathic doctors must keep malpractice coverage
Oklahoma-licensed osteopathic doctors in active practice must keep malpractice insurance, which provides financial protection for malpractice claims. Exceptions include qualifying group or hospital coverage, government facilities, unpaid volunteer care, and no Oklahoma practice during the renewal year. The Board can approve temporary exemptions for health problems or urgent circumstances. Out-of-state doctors with active licenses must give notice and show coverage at least 10 days before resuming Oklahoma practice. Missing required coverage can lead to license cancellation; restoring the license requires fees, education proof, coverage, and Board conditions.
Osteopathic trainees get revised license rules
Osteopathic postgraduate trainees must hold resident or advanced resident training licenses, with Board-set practice limits. The law broadens resident-license eligibility and removes the stated ban on renewal without special Board approval. Each resident license lasts no more than one year; applicants must pay a fee and get their Oklahoma program's recommendation. Practice must stay within the training program, and prescribing requires program approval and state and federal authority. Special-license lists no longer include telemedicine or military spouse licenses; recognized schools must meet charter, accreditation, admission, curriculum, and graduation standards.
Board funds support doctor education and training
The Board must increase its patient-safety efforts through continuing education programs. Its revolving fund can pay for these programs and sponsor resident physician training, alongside existing authorized uses. The law sets no specific funding amount, course content, or individual course requirement for this Board-directed effort.
Federal doctors face narrower license exemptions
Qualifying Armed Forces, Public Health Service, and Veterans Affairs medical officers have a narrower exemption from Oklahoma licensing. Their practice must stay entirely within federally controlled facilities, and they must hold a full osteopathic license in a U.S. jurisdiction. Officers who hold an Oklahoma osteopathic license remain subject to the Act.
Osteopathic doctors face fees and collections
The Board sets fair fees through formal rulemaking for licenses, permits, charters, certificates, and services. Annual renewal has a July deadline; the Board can assign renewal dates by written notice and adjust fees accordingly. Late renewal, when allowed, requires a Board-set late fee. Restoring a lapsed license after forfeiture requires unpaid fees, education proof, and Board-required proof of professional conduct. The reinstatement penalty cannot exceed twice the renewal fee; the Board can pursue collections and impose nonpayment penalties.
Hospitals keep narrower doctor employment exception
Qualifying hospitals can employ Oklahoma-licensed osteopathic doctors without the hospital itself being treated as practicing osteopathic medicine. The employment exception no longer includes the separate category of a related institution.
Disciplined doctors pay costs with safeguards
When choosing sanctions, the Board must first consider public protection or patient compensation, before physician rehabilitation. Doctors must pay all costs of complying with orders under this rule. Discipline without suspension or revocation requires proof that a violation is more likely than not. Suspension or revocation requires the higher clear-and-convincing evidence standard.
Osteopathic doctors face tighter reporting duties
Doctors must report criminal investigations and limits on licenses, credentials, or practice authority within 14 days. Specified institutional departures, privilege limits, and failures to reapply also require 14-day reports, noting whether a formal investigation was underway. Settled malpractice claims or claims decided by final judgment must be reported within 30 days. Renewal disclosures are set by Board rules; doctors must attest to complete, truthful answers, and the Board must review them. Doctors must report reasonably suspected unsafe practice or misconduct; required good-faith reporters receive civil-damages protection, and possible crimes go promptly to law enforcement.
Electronic osteopathic care faces license rules
Providers delivering electronic osteopathic medical services to patients being treated in Oklahoma must have an Oklahoma license. Nonresident doctors consulting irregularly with an Oklahoma doctor remain exempt. Electronic care and prescribing require an appropriate doctor-patient relationship and a record containing a current history and physical.
Interstate doctors gain routes with screening
The Board can license doctors from other jurisdictions without a new exam when registration standards and prior exams are equivalent. Applicants must have no pending disciplinary matters in any jurisdiction. Doctors seeking faster licensing through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact must submit fingerprints for a national criminal-history check. The Board can also obtain checks for applicants seeking a Compact qualification letter. Check results must be retained, used only for screening, and not shared more broadly.
Retired volunteer doctors face education rules
Retired doctors can get a fee-free volunteer license after holding a full, unrestricted U.S. license and never facing medical discipline. Applicants must document osteopathic school graduation and practice history. Practice is limited to unpaid care for needy Oklahoma residents or service through the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps. Doctors cannot receive or expect direct or indirect compensation. Licenses last one fiscal year and need Board approval for renewal; the exemption from continuing education is removed.
Osteopathic faculty gain limited teaching licenses
Qualified osteopathic faculty can get a license without an exam through an electronic application and Board-set fee. Applicants need an active license in another U.S. jurisdiction, an accredited osteopathic degree, and the Board's general qualifications. Practice is limited to teaching duties at an accredited osteopathic school or its affiliated hospitals or clinics. The license ends when the teaching relationship ends or after 24 months, whichever comes first.
Osteopathic Board gains stronger enforcement tools
The Board can act against unlicensed osteopathic claims, suspend or revoke credentials for violations, and bring legal actions to stop violations. Investigators must present a subpoena to inspect nonfinancial business records; refusal can support discipline unless the subpoena is legally challenged. The Board can seek court enforcement or search warrants and impose added penalties for willfully violating its orders. It must set education and practice standards, with fines staying within legal limits. Rules must provide ways to challenge administrative actions and protect private information under state and federal law.
Patients get clearer osteopathic doctor credentials
Doctors can claim specialist board certification only after meeting requirements of one of the three listed national certifying organizations. They can still accurately describe their services or practice limits. The public register lists names, gender, license type and status, practice location, specialty, certification status, and Oklahoma disciplinary history. Doctors must report registry changes, though no deadline is stated. The Board must keep its proceedings record electronically.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
John Haste
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Newton
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/1/2025
THIRD READING
Yes: 84 • No: 0
House vote • 4/14/2025
DO PASS
Yes: 13 • No: 0
House vote • 4/14/2025
DO PASS
Yes: 13 • No: 0
House vote • 4/9/2025
DO PASS
Yes: 6 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
THIRD READING
Yes: 47 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/24/2025
THE OKLAHOMA
Yes: 11 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Becomes law without Governor's signature 05/12/2025
5/12/2025SenateSent to Governor
5/5/2025SenateSigned, returned to Senate
5/5/2025HouseEnrolled, to House
5/5/2025SenateReferred for enrollment
5/1/2025SenateSigned, returned to Senate
5/1/2025HouseThird Reading, Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 84 Nays: 0
5/1/2025HouseGeneral Order
5/1/2025HouseCR; Do Pass Health and Human Services Oversight Committee
4/15/2025HousePolicy recommendation to the Health and Human Services Oversight committee; Do Pass Public Health
4/9/2025HouseReferred to Public Health
4/1/2025HouseSecond Reading referred to Health and Human Services Oversight
4/1/2025HouseFirst Reading
3/6/2025HouseEngrossed to House
3/6/2025SenateReferred for engrossment
3/5/2025SenateMeasure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 47 Nays: 0
3/5/2025SenateGeneral Order, Considered
3/5/2025SenatePlaced on General Order
2/26/2025SenateReported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Health and Human Services committee; CR filed
2/24/2025SenateCoauthored by Representative Newton (principal House author)
2/4/2025SenateSecond Reading referred to Health and Human Services
2/4/2025SenateAuthored by Senator Haste
2/3/2025SenateFirst Reading
2/3/2025Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled (final version)
5/5/2025
Floor (House)
4/16/2025
House Committee Report
4/15/2025
House Policy Committee Report
4/9/2025
Engrossed
3/6/2025
Floor (Senate)
2/25/2025
Committee Substitute
2/24/2025
Senate Committee Report
2/24/2025
Introduced
1/16/2025
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