An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 709 By: Rosino of the Senate
and
Roe of the House
An Act relating to the State Commission er of Health;
amending 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1-106, which relates
to qualifications; exempting Commissioner from
certain qualifications under certain conditions;
updating statutory language; directing the State
Commissioner of Health to appoint a Chief Med ical
Officer; creating the position of Chief Medical
Officer; providing qualifications; authorizing
maintenance of clinical practice; establishing duties
of position; providing for codification; and
declaring an emergency .
SUBJECT: State Department of Health
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2021, Section 1-106, is
amended to read as fol lows:
Section 1-106. A. The State Commissioner of Health shall serve
at the pleasure of the State Board of Health Governor, and shall
have skill and experience in public health duties and sanitary
sciences and shall meet at least one of the following
qualifications:
ENR. S. B. NO. 709 Page 2
1. Possession of a Doctor of Medicine Degree and a license to
practice medicine in th is state;
2. Possession of an Osteopathic Med icine Degree and a license
to practice medicine in this state;
3. Possession of a Doctoral degree in Public He alth or Public
Health Administration; or
4. Possession of a Master of Science Degree and a minimum of
five (5) years of supervisory experience i n the administration of
health services.
B. The Commissioner shall be exempt from all qualifications
enumerated in subsection A of this section if the Commissioner
possesses at least a master’s degree and has experience in
management of state agencies or large projects.
C. The Commissioner shall have the following powers and duties,
unless otherwise directed by t he State Board of Health Governor:
1. Have general supervi sion of the health of the citizens of
the state; make investigations, inquiries and st udies concerning the
causes of disease and injury, and especially of epidemics, and the
causes of mortality, an d the effects of localities, employment,
conditions and circumstances on the public health; investi gate
conditions as to health, sanitation and s afety of schools, prisons,
public institutions, mines, public conveyances, camps, places of
group abode, and all buildings and places of public resort, and
recommend, prescribe and enforce such measures of heal th, sanitation
and safety for them as the Comm issioner deems advisable; take such
measures as deemed necessary by the Commissioner to control or
suppress, or to prevent the occurrence or spread of, any
communicable, contagious or infectious disease, and pr ovide for the
segregation and isolation of per sons having or suspected of having
any such disease; designate places of quarantine or isolation;
advise state and local governments on matters pertaining to health,
sanitation and safety; and abate any nuisanc e affecting injuriously
the health of the publ ic or any community. Any health information
or data acquired by the Commissioner from any public agency, which
information or data is otherwise confidential by state or federal
ENR. S. B. NO. 709 Page 3
law, shall remain confidential n otwithstanding the acquisition of
this information by the Commissioner.
2. Be the executive officer and supervise the activities of the
State Department of Health, and act for the Department in all
matters except as may be otherwise provided in this Code; administer
oaths at any hearing or investigat ion conducted pursuant to this
Code; and enforce rules and standards adopted by the State Board of
Health Commissioner. All rules adopted by the State Board of Health
Commissioner are subject to the terms and conditions of the
Administrative Procedures Ac t.
3. Appoint an Assistant State Commissioner of Health and fix
the qualifications, duties and compensation of the Assistant State
Commissioner of Health; and employ, ap point and contract with, and
fix the qualifications, duties and compensation of, such other
assistants, doctors, engineers, attorneys, sanitarians, nurses,
laboratory personnel, administrative, cle rical and technical help,
investigators, aides and other pe rsonnel and help, either on a full -
time, part-time, fee or contractual basis, as shall be deemed by the
Commissioner necessary, expedient, convenient or appropriate to the
performance or carrying o ut of any of the purposes, objectives or
provisions of this Code, or to assist the Commissioner in the
performance of official duties and functio ns.
4. Cause investigations, inquiries and inspections to be made,
and hold hearings and issue orders pursuant to the provisions of the
Administrative Procedures Act, to enforce and make effective the
provisions of this Code, and all rules and standards a dopted by the
State Board of Health Commissioner pursuant to law and the
Commissioner or the representative of the Commissioner shall have
the right of access to any prem ises for such purpose at any
reasonable time, upon presentation of identification.
5. Authorize persons in the State Department of Health to
conduct investigations, inqui ries and hearings, and to perform other
acts that the Commissioner is authorized or r equired to conduct or
perform personally.
6. Except as otherwise provided by law, all civil and criminal
proceedings under this Code shall be initiated and prosecuted by the
district attorney wher e the violation takes place.
ENR. S. B. NO. 709 Page 4
7. Issue subpoenas for the at tendance of witnesses and the
production of books and records at any hearing to be con ducted by
the Commissioner or the State Board of Health; and if a person
disobeys any such subpoena, or refuses to give evidence before, or
to allow books and records to be examined by, the Commissioner or
the Board after such person is directed to do so, the Commissioner
may file a contempt proceeding in the district court of the county
in which the premises invol ved are situated, or, if no premises are
involved, of the county in which such person resides or ha s a
principal place of business, and a judge o f such court, after a
trial de novo, may punish the offending person for contempt.
8. Unless otherwise require d by the terms of a federal grant,
sell, exchange or otherw ise dispose of personal property that ha s
been acquired by the State Department of Hea lth, or any of its
components, when such property becomes obsolete or is no longer
needed; any money derived th erefrom shall be deposited in the Public
Health Special Fund.
9. Sell films, educational materials , biological products and
other items produced by the State Department of Health; and all
proceeds therefrom shall be deposited in the Public Health Special
Fund.
10. Revoke or cancel, or suspend for any period up t o one (1)
year, any license or permit is sued under or pursuant to this Code,
or by the Commissioner, when the Commissioner determines that ground
therefor as prescribed by this Code exists, or that the holder of
such license or permit has violated any law, or any of the
provisions of this Code, or any rules or standards of the State
Board of Health Commissioner filed with the Secretary of State, but
the Commissioner shall first afford t he holder an opportunity to
show cause why the license or permit should not be revoked, canceled
or suspended, notice of such opportunity to be given by certi fied
United States Mail to the holder of the license or permit at the
last-known address of such h older.
11. Accept, use, disburse and administer grants, allotments,
gifts, devises, bequests, appropriations an d other monies and
property offered or given t o the State Department of Health, or any
ENR. S. B. NO. 709 Page 5
component or agency thereof, by any agency of the federal
government, or any corporation or individual.
12. Be the official agen cy of the State of Oklahoma in all
matters relating to public health which require or authorize
cooperation of the State of Oklahoma with the federal government or
any agency thereof; coordinate the activities of the State
Department of Health with those o f the federal government or any
department or agency thereof, and with other states, o n matters
pertaining to public health, and enter into agreements for such
purpose, and may accept, use, disburse and administer, for the
office of the Commissioner or for the State Department of Health,
for any purpose designated and on the terms and condi tions thereof,
grants of money, personnel and property from the federal government
or any department or agency thereof, or from any state or state
agency, or from any oth er source, to promote and carry on in th is
state any program relating to the public he alth or the control of
disease, and enter into agreements for such purposes.
13. The State Commis sioner of Health may appoint commissioned
peace officers, certified by t he Council on Law Enforcement
Education and Training, to investigate violations of the Public
Health Code and to provide security to Department facilities.
14. Pursuant to Section 2 of this act, the State Commissioner
of Health shall appoint a Chief Medica l Officer who reports directly
to the State Commissioner of Health .
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-106.4 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Chief Medical Officer shall serve at the discretion and
pleasure of the State Commissioner of Health.
B. The Chief Medical Officer must:
1. Be a resident of the State of Oklahoma; and
2. Be licensed and in good standing as a medi cal doctor or
doctor of osteopathy in Oklahoma.
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C. With the approval of the State Commissioner of Health, the
Chief Medical Officer may maintain a clinical practice to re tain
expertise and remain current in his or her specialized field.
D. The Chief Medical Officer may:
1. Advise the Commissioner and agency staff in all matters
related to public health and effective delivery of public health
services;
2. Provide professional judg ment, medical and public health
guidance to the Commissioner a nd other department leadership to
ensure that health policy and program resource allocation decisions
are medically appropriate, that timely prevention actions are taken ,
and that policy reflects sound medical and public health principles
and priorities;
3. Actively participate in the development of the agency
strategic goals and the state public he alth improvement plan; and
4. Perform other duties as assigned by the Commissioner.
SECTION 3. It being immediately n ecessary 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.
ENR. S. B. NO. 709 Page 7
Passed the Senate the 25th day of April, 2022.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 20th day of April, 2022.
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 S tate 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: _______________________________ __