Practice of pharmacy; removing certain limitation on appointees to the State Board of Pharmacy. Effective date.
Summary
SB 1037 makes a narrow change to the law governing the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy. The bill keeps the board at six members, including five pharmacist members and one public member, but updates the appointment language for pharmacist members. It preserves the requirement that pharmacist appointees be licensed, in good standing, and have at least five years of active practice in Oklahoma, while also clarifying that the Governor may consider recommendations from pharmacy organizations and other groups or individuals in the state when making appointments.
The bill also modernizes and cleans up statutory wording, including replacing older phrasing with current references to Oklahoma and updating language around the public member’s residency requirement and the board’s appointment process. It retains the existing structure for terms of office, term limits, and the process by which pharmacist candidates are submitted through the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association. The act is set to take effect November 1, 2025.
Impact
If enacted, SB 1037 would amend 59 O.S. 2021, Section 353.3, which governs the composition and appointment process for the State Board of Pharmacy. The practical legal effect is limited to board governance: it does not change pharmacy licensing standards, disciplinary authority, or other substantive pharmacy regulations, but it does broaden the Governor’s discretion to consider additional recommendations when selecting board appointees and removes a more restrictive limitation on who may be considered. The bill would apply to future appointments to the board and would take effect on November 1, 2025.
Sentiment
The available legislative history suggests the bill is procedural and relatively noncontroversial. There are no recorded votes or committee transcripts showing debate, opposition, or amendments, and the bill was referred to the Health and Human Services committee after second reading. The overall tone appears neutral to favorable, with the measure framed as an administrative update to appointment language rather than a substantive policy change.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially sensitive issue is the appointment process for the State Board of Pharmacy, particularly the removal of a limitation on appointees and the Governor’s ability to consider recommendations from a broader range of organizations or individuals. That said, the bill text preserves the core professional qualifications for pharmacist members and does not indicate any recorded opposition from pharmacists, the board, or other stakeholders.
Practice of pharmacy; designating certain drugs as over-the-counter; prohibiting pharmacist or pharmacy from requiring prescription; providing penalties. Effective date.
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Practice of pharmacy; authorizing product fulfillment through central fill pharmacies under certain conditions; authorizing shared services. Effective date.
Practice of medicine; modifying membership of the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision; removing certain limitation on appointees. Effective date.