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HB4176 • 2026

Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.

Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.

Healthcare
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Staires
Last action
2026-02-11
Official status
Referred to Rules
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.

Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.

What This Bill Does

  • Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.
  • Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for HB 4176 (House): Introduced (2/3/2026)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-11 House

    Withdrawn from Civil Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-02-11 House

    Withdrawn from Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee

  3. 2026-02-11 House

    Referred to Rules

  4. 2026-02-03 House

    Second Reading referred to Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight

  5. 2026-02-03 House

    Referred to Civil Judiciary

  6. 2026-02-02 House

    First Reading

  7. 2026-02-02 House

    Authored by Representative Staires

Official Summary Text

Civil procedure; statute of limitations for medical malpractice; extending to three years; effective date.
Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for HB 4176 (House): Introduced (2/3/2026)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Req. No. 15831 Page 1
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

HOUSE BILL 4176 By: Staires

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to civil procedure; amending 76 O.S.
2021, Section 18, which relates to statute of
limitations for medical malpractice; extending
statute of limitations for causes of action arising
on or after certain date; and providing an effective
date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 76 O.S. 2021, Section 18, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 18. An A. For causes of action arising before November
1, 2026, an action for damages for injury or death against any
physician, health care provider, or hospital licensed under the laws
of this state, whether based in tort, breach of contract, or
otherwise, arising out of patient care, shall be brought within two
(2) years of the date the plaintiff knew or should have known,
through the exercise of reasonable diligence, of the existence of
the death, injury, or condition complained of; provided, however,
the minority or incompetency when the cause of action arises will
extend said period of limitation.

Req. No. 15831 Page 2
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B. For causes of action arising on or after November 1, 2026,
an action for damages for injury or death against any physician,
health care provider, or hospital licensed under the laws of this
state, whether based in tort, breach of contract, or otherwise,
arising out of patient care, shall be brought within three (3) years
of the date the plaintiff knew or should have known, through the
exercise of reasonable diligence, of the existence of the death,
injury, or condition complained of; provided, however, the minority
or incompetency when the cause of action arises will extend said
period of limitation.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.

60-2-15831 AQH 12/09/25