Children and Juvenile Code; group homes; liability insurance coverage; Department of Human Service to promulgate rules; annual form; insurance policy or contract maintained at all times; effective date.
Summary
HB3448 amends Oklahoma’s Children and Juvenile Code to require group homes to carry general liability insurance coverage of at least $100,000 for each occurrence of damage to off-site personal property while a child is in the home’s care. The bill applies this requirement to group homes defined under two separate parts of Title 10A, and it directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) to adopt rules to implement the new requirements.
The bill also requires DHS to create a standard annual form, to be signed and dated by a licensed Oklahoma insurance agent, confirming that the group home has an unexpired and uncancelled policy or contract meeting the statutory minimum. Group homes must keep the completed form on file and maintain the required insurance at all times. In any civil action for covered off-site property damage, the prevailing party would be entitled to attorney fees and costs. The act is set to take effect November 1, 2026.
Impact
HB3448 would add a new insurance compliance requirement for group homes in Oklahoma and create a corresponding administrative rulemaking duty for DHS. It would be codified in Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes, affecting group homes serving children and juveniles by imposing minimum liability coverage, annual verification paperwork, and ongoing maintenance obligations, while also shifting litigation costs through an attorney-fee provision for prevailing parties in covered property-damage cases.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support in the House, passing two committees unanimously and the House floor by a substantial margin (75-13). That voting pattern suggests the measure was generally viewed favorably as a child-welfare and risk-management requirement, with little recorded opposition in committee and only limited resistance on final passage.
Contention
The main policy issue is the added regulatory and financial burden on group homes, which must purchase and continuously maintain at least $100,000 in liability coverage and complete annual certification paperwork. Supporters likely view these requirements as a reasonable safeguard to ensure compensation for off-site property damage caused while children are in care, while any opponents appear to have focused on the cost and compliance obligations imposed on providers. The attorney-fee provision may also be a point of concern because it can increase the stakes of civil disputes over covered damage claims.