SB 424

                      An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 424  By: Gillespie and Nice of the
                                          Senate
                                                 and
                                          Hefner, Ranson, Harris,
                                          Roe, Pfeiffer, West
                                          (Tammy), and Osburn of the
                                          House
       An Act relating to community health workers; creating
       the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act; providing
       short title; defining terms; directing establishment
       of certificate; making certification voluntary;
       listing functions of community health worker;
       requiring and prohibiting certain acts by community
       health worker; providing eligibility criteria;
       directing promulgation of certain rules; providing
       for codification; and providing an effective date.
SUBJECT:   Community health workers
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
    SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2063a of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
    This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Oklahoma
Community Health Worker Act”.
    SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2063b of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
   As used in the Oklahoma Community Health Worker Act:
    1. “Certified community health worker” means a community health
worker to whom the State Department of Health has issued a
certificate to practice as a certified community health worker in
this state;
    2. “Community health worker” means a frontline health worker
who has a shared understanding of and is a trusted member of the
community being served; and
   3.   “Department” means the State Department of Health.
    SECTION 3.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2063c of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
    A. The State Department of Health shall establish a certificate
for community health workers. This certification shall be
voluntary.
   B.   A certified community health worker may:
    1. Serve as a liaison between health and social services and
the community to facilitate access to services, to improve the
quality of service delivery, and to maximize the efficiency of
service delivery by coordinating available resources and leveraging
partnerships with private, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations;
    2. Assist individuals in attaining employment, education,
occupational training, or other means of supporting employment and
promoting self-sufficiency;
    3. Assist in identifying and communicating gaps in current
community and health care resources; and
    4. Build individual and community capacity by increasing health
knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as
ENR. S. B. NO. 424  Page 2
outreach, community education, coaching, mentoring, social support,
and advocacy, including efforts within faith-based settings.
    C. In carrying out the functions described in paragraph 1 of
subsection B of this section, community health workers shall
emphasize available resources of private, nonprofit, or faith-based
organizations, and shall not rely solely on public assistance
programs for delivery of services.
    SECTION 4.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2063d of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
    To be eligible for voluntary community health worker
certification, an individual shall:
    1.   Be a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident;
    2.   Be a resident of this state;
    3.   Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
    4. Meet the minimum qualifications for certification
promulgated by the State Commissioner of Health under Section 5 of
this act.
    SECTION 5.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2063e of Title 63, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
    The State Commissioner of Health shall promulgate rules
necessary to implement this act including, but not limited to, rules
that:
    1. Adopt a set of standards for the approval of certified
community health worker initial coursework or curriculum;
    2. Establish examination administration requirements for the
State Department of Health or one or more designees;
    3. Define minimum qualifications for applicants to be
certified; provided, however, the applicant shall be exempt from any
ENR. S. B. NO. 424  Page 3
educational, training, or examination requirements if the applicant
has provided evidence to the State Department of Health of work
experience as a community health worker demonstrating a minimum of
one thousand (1,000) practical hours and a recommendation from a
supervising provider;
    4. Establish the criteria for granting, renewing, denying,
suspending, and revoking a certificate to uphold health standards
and safety;
    5. Prescribe fees for the certified community health worker
examination, initial certification, and certification renewal; and
    6. Implement oversight procedures to ensure compliance with the
provisions of this act, including a complaint and disciplinary
process for violations.
   SECTION 6.   This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
ENR. S. B. NO. 424  Page 4
   Passed the Senate the 26th day of March, 2025.
                                      Presiding Officer of the Senate
   Passed the House of Representatives the 1st day of May, 2025.
                                       Presiding Officer of the House
                                                   of Representatives
                         OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
   Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
   Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
                                     _________________________________
                                     Governor of the State of Oklahoma
                     OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
   Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
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