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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
SENATE BILL 222 By: Murdock
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to hospitals; creating the Maternity
Care Pilot Program; directing the State Department of
Health to select grant awardee for specified purpose;
listing qualification criteria; directing development
of application process and scoring criteria; limiting
use of grant funds; authorizing promulgation of
rules; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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 3241.21 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Maternity Care Pilot Program,
which shall be administered by the State Department of Health.
Through the pilot program, the Department shall select one hospital
to receive a one-time grant of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00)
to support the addition of labor and delivery services at the
hospital.
B. The hospital selected by the Department shall:
1. Be licensed by the Department;
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2. Be designated as a critical access hospital by the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS);
3. Be organized as a charitable hospital that is exempt from
taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended;
4. Be owned by a municipality, county, or municipal or county
public trust;
5. Have been profitable for the two (2) consecutive years
immediately prior to application for the pilot program;
6. Not currently offer labor and delivery services;
7. Have space available to house a labor and delivery unit; and
8. Have at least one Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) on staff.
C. The Department shall develop an application process and
scoring criteria for evaluating applicants based on the
qualifications specified in subsection B of this section. The
Department shall review applicants and shall select the highest-
scoring hospital for the pilot program grant award.
D. The hospital awarded the pilot program grant under this
section may only use grant funds for:
1. Staffing costs for an obstetrics team including salary and
benefits;
2. Acquisition of essential equipment and supplies including,
but not limited to, medical instruments; and
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3. Educational classes related to maternal and infant health
including, but not limited to, childbirth education, breastfeeding
education, newborn care, and postpartum care.
Grant funds shall not be used for construction or renovation
costs.
E. The State Commissioner of Health may promulgate rules as
necessary to implement this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
60-1-518 DC 12/30/2024 4:50:31 PM