Transcript Highlights:

• Members, look at all the nurses.
• If you're a nurse or part of the nursing staff, faculty at OU, and all nurses that are here today, would
• I had the honor of speaking to OU nursing students today. They are fabulous.
• OU Nursing School has brand... it's the largest in the state.
• So members, please join me in giving these nursing students a warm Senate welcome.

Bills: SB1534 , SB1473 , SB1379 , SB1743 , SB1769 , SB1195 , SB1245 , SB1420 , SB1945 , SB514 , SB346 , SB1593 , SB1782 , SB1366 , SB1497 , SB366 , SB1895 , SB2048 , SB2005 , SB2006 , SB710 , SB1480 , SB2135 , SB2130 , SCR16 , SB1457 , SB1732 , SB1317 , SB1533

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, received the day’s invocation, introduced the Doctor of the Day and a group of pages, and recognized several visitors in the gallery, including nursing students and Talakawa Day participants. The chamber then took up Senate Concurrent Resolution 16, which honors Oklahoma women and recognizes March as National Women’s History Month. The resolution highlighted figures such as Kate Barnard, Angie Debo, Clara Luper, and Shannon Lucid. It was moved directly to the calendar, read, adopted by voice vote, and the author offered brief closing remarks. The Senate then considered several bills. Senate Bill 1457, extending the sunset of the Construction Industries Board to 2031, passed 40-3 and was also approved as an emergency measure. Senate Bill 1732, which updates fees and licensing fees for the Construction Industries Board to support expanded responsibilities and staffing, passed 35-9. Senate Bill 1317, allowing local school boards to decide whether to recognize a teacher’s earned career status when moving districts, passed 43-0 and was likewise approved as an emergency measure after questions about safeguards for potential bad actors. Senate Bill 1533, a cleanup measure for the Dignity and Burial Act requiring the veteran to have been an Oklahoma resident, passed 43-0. At the end of the session, leaders announced upcoming committee meetings and a weekly devotional. The Senate then adjourned until Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Association of Counties, as well as the nursing home administrator at Grafton County Nursing Home.
• </c> at Grafton County Nursing Home. at Grafton County Nursing Home.
• </c> supports um kids with uh it's a nursing supports um kids with uh it's a nursing facility,<00:11:
• </c> counties is so important their nursing counties is so important their nursing homes<00:19:30.080
• And she told me at that Nursing Home.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• My bill includes education on an antagonist bill by Representative Schumacher and opioid directives for
• It's hard to fully share the impact these grants have had providing education and treatment, especially
• Thankfully, through outreach and education, in 2023, the sexual reproductive health services grantees
• who work there—and to be clear, they are educators—can make more money working at Target and probably
• We don't say it to doctors and nurses.

Transcript Highlights:

• assistants, and nurses.
• We compared Washington to other states using data on the number of home care aides, nursing assistants
• For context, employers for all types of long-term care workers, including nurses and nursing assistants
• assistants, nurses, or any other similar professions.
• For nursing assistants, for nurses, or any other similar profession. Thank you.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on the Restoring Quality Home Care Initiative (I-1163), which created home care aide certification requirements, FBI background checks, and an abuse/neglect registry. Auditors said some requirements likely improve safety, especially background checks and training, but the state lacked pre-2011 data to measure outcomes directly. They also found Washington has a long-term care workforce shortage, though its workforce supply ranks better than many states, and that more stringent entry requirements do not appear to reduce workforce participation compared with other states. The audit’s main concern was that the certification process is slow and burdensome. Auditors reported that most applicants never finish certification, that only about one-third of fiscal year 2025 applicants were certified within the 200-day legal deadline, and that the average time to certification was 463 days. They identified delays between training and testing, limited testing access in some areas, and redundant Department of Health verification of FBI background checks as key causes. The audit recommended streamlining the process by accepting applications later in the process, expanding testing within training programs, and eliminating the redundant background-check verification. Department of Health and Department of Social and Health Services staff largely agreed with the audit’s findings and recommendations. They said they have already made improvements, including moving exams into more than 110 training programs, increasing credentialing staff, and reducing barriers through rule changes. DSHS noted testing is offered in 13 languages. Committee members asked about testing contract incentives, language access, and whether the agencies would seek statutory or budget changes to implement the recommendations. No public testimony was offered, and the meeting adjourned without any vote or formal action by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> education committee, among other things. education committee, among other things.
• </c> mean board of education? mean board of education? &gt;&gt; Excuse<00:26:03.039><c> me.
• </c> to the Maryland Higher Education to the Maryland Higher Education Commission,<00:56:23.040><c> the
• </c> ways and means committee education ways and means committee education program<02:27:52.880><c> of
• </c> Education, student member. Education, student member.

Transcript Highlights:

• . educators. educators.
• </c> Department of Education. Department of Education.
• </c> individual educators. individual educators.
• </c> educational divide. educational divide.
• . education. education.

Bills: HF3119

Committee: House Education Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• of business will be followed today: prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, the introduction of Dr. and or a nurse
• I would like to remind post-secondary education committee members we will meet today at 10:30 in Room

Summary: The House convened, took the roll, heard an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then recognized Dr. Rachel Franklin as Doctor of the Day. Members also held a special presentation honoring the Christian Heritage Academy varsity cheer team for winning national titles in two divisions and grand champion honors. On the floor, House Bill 3044 was presented by Leader West. The bill renews the tax checkoff allowing taxpayers to donate part of their refund to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs equipment and capital improvement program. The House advanced the bill from general order and passed it 95-0. House Resolution 1032, designating February 17, 2026, as Oklahoma Aggregates Day at the Capitol, was also presented and adopted without objection. The remainder of the session consisted largely of announcements and introductions, including recognition of visitors from the aggregates industry, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission Leadership Class, ALS advocates, and several constituent and guest groups. Members also announced upcoming committee meetings, and the House adjourned until Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• managers, an addiction counselor, a human relation counselor, which is basically a social worker, half a nurse
• Education services, temporary to FTEs on the next line. We're still at that three number. Yes.

Committee: House Appropriations - Human Resources Division

Summary: The committee met to review Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation budget items, with Representative Steeman asking for clarification on FTE counts and dollar amounts in several line items. DOCR officials explained that the Hart River Correctional Center request was reduced from 26 new FTEs to 7, focused on pre-opening staffing such as security leadership, HR, staff development, warehouse support, and a dentist and dental assistant to address a long dental waiting list. The MRCC temporary housing unit line was adjusted from 7 FTEs to 12.5 FTEs to add case management, treatment, nursing, and maintenance staff, while pretrial, corrections temporary positions, education services, and maintenance items remained unchanged. The Grand Forks line was reduced from 31.5 FTEs to 4, with the remaining staffing tied to case management and treatment rather than full facility operations, and officials estimated that personnel cost at about $670,000. Members also discussed how the staffing changes would be viewed against the closure or transition of Dakota Women's Correctional and Rehabilitation Center in New England. DOCR said the comparison would not be apples-to-apples because Hart River will expand from a 126-bed to a 304-bed facility with more services, and because Dakota Women's staff are not state employees and therefore not counted as state FTEs. Officials noted anticipated efficiencies through shared services such as warehousing, commissary, laundry, kitchen, medical, and dental support across facilities, but acknowledged those savings would be difficult to quantify. The chair thanked the witnesses, noted the committee would return later to address amendments and the bill, and then recessed the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• application for a ballot to be voted by mail submitted by certain residents of an assisted living facility, nursing
• Members of the Senate Committee on Education K through 16 will reconvene today at 3:15 April 10th in

Bills: SCR22 , SB53 , SB204 , SB266 , SB268 , SB291 , SB292 , SB296 , SB304 , SB305 , SB413 , SB447 , SB455 , SB462 , SB493 , SB504 , SB519 , SB522 , SB532 , SB541 , SB667 , SB670 , SB673 , SB681 , SB687 , SB711 , SB746 , SB765 , SB783 , SB827 , SB850 , SB860 , SB888 , SB897 , SB901 , SB927 , SB955 , SB963 , SB984 , SB989 , SB993 , SB996 , SB1023 , SB1033 , SB1058 , SB1062 , SB1101 , SB1119 , SB1172 , SB1173 , SB1215 , SB1220 , SB1227 , SB1228 , SB1229 , SB1238 , SB1239 , SB1245 , SB1248 , SB1254 , SB1259 , SB1273 , SB1277 , SB1302 , SB1332 , SB1341 , SB1346 , SB1350 , SB1352 , SB1353 , SB1355 , SB1358 , SB1370 , SB1371 , SB1378 , SB1403 , SB1404 , SB1415 , SB1437 , SB1448 , SB1450 , SB1464 , SB1493 , SB1494 , SB1537 , SB1566 , SB1569 , SB1589 , SB1598 , SB1644 , SB1709 , SB1719 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1772 , SB1810 , SB1841 , SB1895 , SB1930 , SB2039 , SB2289 , SB2312 , SCR1 , SCR6 , SCR27 , SCR32 , SB2232

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a nurse.
• I'm a nurse.
• Because in these moments, I'm not just a nurse.
• But before I was a nurse, I was a mother experiencing loss myself.
• When the nursing shifts changed, our new nurse asked if I wanted a photographer to come take photos of

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Welfare met on April 28 with a quorum and took up several Senate bills, beginning with SB 113 on the local health care provider participation program in Calcasieu Parish. The committee adopted a technical amendment and heard that the bill would shift the local sponsor from the parish to the city if needed by a June 1 deadline. After brief discussion and no opposition, SB 113 was reported favorably with amendments. The committee then approved SB 23, which exempts certain assisted living facilities licensed by LDH from the definition of food service establishment, and SB 150, which would allow LDH to scan and electronically store vital records supporting documents and return originals to citizens. SB 221 also advanced after testimony that it would allow EMS providers to be reimbursed by Medicaid for emergency responses where treatment is provided on scene but the patient is not transported. Members discussed that the bill could reduce unnecessary ER use and likely would require some rulemaking, but it was reported favorably. A major portion of the meeting focused on SB 404, a broad vision benefit plan reform bill. Supporters, including optometrists, said the measure would improve transparency, patient choice, and access to eye care by limiting restrictive plan practices; opponents from the vision care plan industry argued it was an unprecedented, provider-driven overhaul that could raise costs and reduce flexibility. After extensive testimony and an agreed amendment clarifying network participation, the committee reported SB 404 favorably with amendments. The committee also reported SB 32 favorably with amendments after emotional testimony from parents and advocates about perinatal bereavement care, cooling devices, and training for hospitals to give grieving families more time and dignity after infant loss. Finally, the committee heard SB 43, which would create a psychedelic-assisted therapy initiative within LDH for clinical research and treatment involving ibogaine and psilocybin, with testimony from veterans, researchers, and advocates describing potential benefits for PTSD, substance use, and traumatic brain injury. The bill was reported favorably with amendments and set to pass a courtesy sheet. The committee then began SB 253, a bill regulating peptides and compounding pharmacies, adopted technical amendments clarifying provider liability, and continued discussion as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a nurse.
• I'm a nurse.
• Because in these moments, I'm not just a nurse.
• But before I was a nurse, I was a mother experiencing loss myself.
• When the nursing shifts changed, our new nurse asked if I wanted a photographer to come take photos of

Bills: SCR37 , SB145 , SB237

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: informed consent, healthcare, medical procedures, patient rights, surgeon general, regulatory review, adult residential care, generators, emergency power, health safety, Louisiana Department of Health, compliance, regulations, child welfare, Department of Children and Family Services, mandatory reporting, abuse prevention, investigative teams, child ombudsman, forensic interviews

Transcript Highlights:

• I have 35 years in nursing and 20 of those as an advanced practice registered nurse, and I live on the
• </c> Council um I have 35 years in nursing Council um I have 35 years in nursing and<00:09:48.720><c>
• um she's very advanced practice nurse um she's very capable<00:10:46.040><c> very</c><00:10:46.279><
• As I stated, I have numerous years of nursing and medical training, and so I feel like I can provide
• </c> Jessica Stevens I am a registered nurse Jessica Stevens I am a registered nurse and<00:16:25.720

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services heard a series of gubernatorial nominations and board appointments, mostly to health-related advisory councils and commissions. Nominees testified briefly about their backgrounds and reasons for serving, including Melanie Lao for the Fuel Tank Advisory Committee; Asana Saragosa Torres and Jessica Stevens for the State Council on Mental Health; several nominees for the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee, including S. Brian, Jacob Pelo, Patrick Winfield Lougher, Dr. An Young, Marin Anka, and Kenneth Faria; Roxanne Row for the Hawaii County Health Planning Council; Lewis Johnson and Susie Schulberg for the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs; Mariah Nicholls and Evan Nakatsuka for the State Rehabilitation Council; and Co Woly for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation board. Testimony in support came from the Department of Health, the Executive Office on Aging, the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, and other individuals and organizations, with several nominees emphasizing lived experience, rural health access, mental health advocacy, EMS experience, or community service. One nomination, GM 522 for Melanie Lao, drew favorable comments about her qualifications and written responses. GM 572, Roxanne Row’s nomination to the Hawaii County Health Planning Council, was the only item that raised concern because the committee had not received her questionnaire answers directly; after questioning, the chair deferred decision-making on that nomination until March 5 pending receipt of the answers. The committee also noted a title correction for GM 548, changing the reference from an advisory board to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee. At the end of the meeting, the committee voted to advise and consent on all nominations except GM 572, which was deferred. The adopted recommendations covered GM 522, 523, 525, 526, 540, 541, 548, 575, 576, 577, 579, 629, 630, 631, and 633. The meeting then adjourned after congratulating the nominees and inviting them to remain for a group photo.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um Um Um And<01:42:32.160><c> educate</c><01:42:32.520><c> this</c><01:42:32.720><c> education</c><01
• degree in nursing education.
• </c><04:53:00.960><c> nursing</c><04:53:01.280><c> education.
• </c><04:53:02.600><c> As</c><04:53:02.760><c> a</c> degree in nursing education.
• As a degree in nursing education.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> two, beginning on line 14, is a nursing two, beginning on line 14, is a nursing compensation<01:
• ,</c><01:20:30.880><c> uh,</c> put for career technical education, uh, put for career technical education
• So, lot of career technical education.
• </c> cuts be made by the college of education cuts be made by the college of education or<01:26:42.800
• </c><01:26:44.080><c> or</c> or to the college of education or or to the college of education or college

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• He said he has pharmacies in Eastern Kentucky and had a nurse practitioner pass away in a road accident
• </c> Kentucky and sadly I had a nurse Kentucky and sadly I had a nurse practitioner<00:07:07.319><c>
• I'm Adia Wisher, Executive Director for Kentucky Right to Life and an RN and OB nurse.
• everyone is prepared to approach nursing everyone is prepared to approach this<00:14:04.720><c> in</
• I really appreciate your work on all of this, and as a former neonatal intensive care nurse, I saw a

Summary: The Health Services Committee met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 389, a cleanup measure related to the CASPER prescription monitoring program. Representative Duval and staff explained that the bill addresses implementation issues the Office of Inspector General encountered and aligns the definition of “practitioner” for in-state and out-of-state providers. The committee took no questions, then approved the bill unanimously and reported it favorably. The committee then heard House Bill 501, which would allow a pharmacist to fill a prescription for a limited period after the prescribing provider has died, so patients can maintain continuity of care. Sponsors and a pharmacist witness said the bill is intended to reduce uncertainty and liability for pharmacists, excludes controlled substances to comply with federal law, and leaves professional judgment with the pharmacist. Members asked about documentation and verification, and the sponsor said the bill applies when the pharmacist knows of the death and that pharmacies would document the situation as they normally do. The committee discussed the issue briefly and passed the bill unanimously with favorable expression. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 414 for discussion only. Representative Tate and Adia Wisher described it as “Love Them Both,” a perinatal palliative care proposal meant to provide wraparound support for women and families facing fatal fetal anomalies or other serious pregnancy complications. Testimony emphasized that the bill would encourage referrals to programs offering medical, emotional, spiritual, financial, and bereavement support, with examples such as Footprints at St. Elizabeth. Members discussed access, referrals, counseling, coverage language, and the role of fathers, and supporters stressed that the services would be optional and intended to broaden support rather than impose penalties. No vote was taken on House Bill 414.

Transcript Highlights:

• Leader, Madam President, if you would please recognize Senator Coleman to introduce the nurse of the
• Senator Coleman, you are recognized to introduce the nurse of the day. Thank you, Madam President.
• Our nurse of the day today comes from Tonkawa, America, Courtney Kapet.
• Her passion for nursing is evident in her daily actions, her leadership, and her unwavering focus on
• Members, if you'd please give a round of applause to our nurse of the day and give her privileges on

Bills: SR34

Transcript Highlights:

• : being somebody that, in my case, is responsible for a $50 million budget, $48 million budget to nursing
• them also um there's a lot of educate them also um there's a lot of stuff<01:40:39.000><c> already</
• Call the nurse. nurse<02:02:32.400><c> all</c><02:02:32.560><c> right</c><02:02:32.920><c> with</c><02
• :02:33.040><c> that</c><02:02:33.360><c> you</c><02:02:33.719><c> your</c> nurse all right with that
• you your nurse all right with that you your fingers<02:02:34.159><c> to</c><02:02:34.280><c> the</c><

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 844 updates Florida law to ensure that education on sickle cell disease is included in both controlled
• Licensed physicians and nurses must complete a one-time, two-hour board-approved continuing education
• Senate Bill 606, drowning prevention education, which passed unanimously through all of its assigned
• Birth educators.
• It tasks the Florida Department of Health with developing standardized educational materials, which at

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence honoring former Senator Charlie Dean. Senators also introduced guests, including family members, church leaders, and visiting students. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar, where several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on Citizens Property Insurance, artificial intelligence, public records, and data centers. The Senate passed a series of bills focused on consumer protection, transportation safety, health, and financial regulation. CS/HB 505 on virtual currency kiosks passed 37-0 after being substituted for SB 198 and amended to adopt Senate language aimed at limiting fraud and setting transaction controls. SB 382 on electric bicycles passed 37-0 after amendment to broaden the task force to micro-mobility devices. SB 844 on sickle cell disease continuing education passed 37-0, requiring certain health professionals to complete training on care management. SB 1014 on municipal utility service outside city limits passed 37-0, and SB 428 on the swimming lesson voucher program passed 36-0 after amendments expanding the program to ages 1 through 7 and adding drowning-prevention education for new parents. The Senate also passed CS/CS/CS/SB 540 on the Office of Financial Regulation, which creates cybersecurity program requirements for certain licensees, expands oversight of some investment advisers, and updates credit union and anti-money-laundering provisions; it passed 36-0. CS/CS/SB 1440 on public records passed 35-1 after technical amendments tied to related cybersecurity exemptions and reporting requirements. SB 1594 on veteran benefit payments to minor clients passed 36-0, directing certain benefits for foster youth toward post-secondary education or aftercare rather than agency reimbursement. At the end of the session, the Rules Chair moved to certify all passed bills to the House and retain postponed bills on the special order calendar, and the Senate adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis, with a focus on health care to agriculture, engineering to education.
• They need discipline, they need education, they need treatment, they need therapy.
• Speaker, there's something about education that is extremely important today.
• I know that we share a commitment to literacy and to education.
• In addition, child care centers and nursing homes are included. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Behavioral Health Services nursing Behavioral Health Services nursing Services<00:43:31.079><c>
• education will run education education education as<01:05:56.640><c> we</c><01:05:56.799><c> wait</c
• </c><01:06:03.480><c> education</c> Savings of consolidating educ education Savings of consolidating
• educ education at<01:06:04.160><c> the</c><01:06:04.400><c> county</c><01:06:04.680><c> level</c><01:
• </c> may have you know done their education may have you know done their education on<01:09:53.560><c

Committee: Senate Education