Oklahoma 2023 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1688 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 03/23/2023

                     
 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 1688 	By: McEntire of the House 
 
   and 
 
  Haste of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to health information; creating the 
Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiati ve Act of 
2023; amending Section 1, Chapter 250, O.S.L. 2022 
(63 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 1 -132.1), which relates 
to the Office of the State Coordinator for Health 
Information Exchange ; broadening powers and duties of 
the Office; amending 63 O.S. 2021, Sec tion 1-133, as 
amended by Section 2, Chapter 250, O.S.L. 2022 (63 
O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 1 -133), which relates to 
state-designated entity for health information 
exchange; modifying time p eriod of certain 
requirement; modifying a nd adding certain exemptio ns; 
stating legislative intent and purpose of act; 
defining terms; creating the Oklahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative ; providing for governance and 
administration of the initiative; directing 
implementation of sustainabilit y plan; requiring 
submitting entity to submit certain information to 
state-designated entity; allowing voluntary 
submission of certain information by certain health 
benefit plan, person, or entity; mandating complian ce 
with certain requirements; providing for 
confidentiality, privac y, and security of ce rtain 
data; listing circumstances under whic h certain data 
may be made available ; prohibiting certain use or 
disclosure of data; authorizing certain penalties; 
providing for certain remittance or mitigation o f 
penalties; specifying all owed use of certain f unds; 
requiring submission of public health data for 
integration into the initiative; requiring assignment 
of unique identifier; amending 51 O.S. 2021, Section 
24A.3, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 402 , 
O.S.L. 2022 (51 O.S. Supp . 2022, Section 24A.3 ),   
 
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which relates to the Oklahoma Open Records Act; 
modifying certain definition ; providing for 
codification; 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 Statute s as Section 1-134.1 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
Sections 4 through 10 of this act shall be known and may be 
cited as the "Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Ini tiative Act of 
2023". 
SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     Section 1, Chapter 250, O.S.L. 
2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 1 -132.1), is amended to read as 
follows: 
Section 1-132.1 A.  There is hereby created the O ffice of the 
State Coordinator for Health Information Exchange within the 
Oklahoma Health Care Authority. 
B.  The Office shall have the power and duty to oversee: 
1.  Oversee the state-designated entity for health information 
exchange, as described under pursuant to Section 1-133 of Title 63 
of the Oklahoma Statutes this title; and 
2.  For the purpose of implementing the Oklahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative Act of 2023:   
 
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a. collect, validate, analyze, and present health data, 
including claims data, 
b. assess penalties for noncomplia nce with the Oklahoma 
Health Care Transparency Initiative Act of 2023, 
c. establish policies and procedures necessary for the 
administration and oversight of the Oklahoma Health 
Care Transparency Initiative including p rocedures for 
the collection, processing, storag e, analysis, use, 
and release of data, 
d. identify and explore the key health care issues, 
questions, and problems that may be improved through 
more transparent information including, but not 
limited to, data required to be disclosed to patients 
related to provider relationships or affiliations with 
payers and providers, financial interests in health 
care businesses, and payments or items of any value 
given to providers from pharmaceutical or medical 
device manufacturers or agents thereof , and 
e. provide a biennial report to the Legislature on the 
operations of the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency 
Initiative. 
C.  The Office shall consist of the State Coordinator for Hea lth 
Information Exchange, who shall be ap pointed by and serve at the 
pleasure of the Administr ator of the Authority, and such other   
 
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employees of the Authority as the Administrator may assign to the 
Office. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     63 O.S. 2021, Section 1 -133, as 
amended by Section 2, Chapter 250, O.S.L. 2022 (63 O.S. Supp. 20 22, 
Section 1-133), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 1-133. A.  As used in this section: 
1.  "Health information exchange " means the electronic movement 
of health-related information among organiz ations according to 
nationally recognized standards f or purposes including, but not 
limited to, payment, treatment, and administration; and 
2.  "Health information exchange organization " means an entity 
whose primary business activity is health information exchange and 
which is governed by its stakeholders. 
B.  The State of Oklahoma: 
1.  Shall designate a health information exchange organization 
as the state-designated entity for health information exchange; 
2.  Shall establish a transition plan to ensure c ontinued 
operation of the health information exchange ; and 
3.  May temporarily serve as the state-designated entity as part 
of the transition plan described in paragraph 2 of this subsection. 
C.  Beginning July 1, 2023, all 1.  All health care providers as 
defined by the rules promulgated by the Oklahoma Hea lth Care 
Authority Board and who are licensed by and located in this state 
shall report data to and utilize the state -designated entity.  The   
 
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Office of the State Coordinator for Health Information Exchan ge 
shall begin implementation of this requirement on or before July 1, 
2023. 
2.  The Office of the State Coordinator for Health Information 
Exchange may, as provided by rules promulgated by the Board, allow 
exemptions from the requirement provided by paragraph 1 of this 
subsection on the basis of : 
a. financial hardship, 
b. size of the practice, or 
c. technological capability of a, 
d. type of health care provider , or 
e. such other bases as may be provided by rules 
promulgated by the Board. 
D.  1.  A person who participates in the services or information 
provided by the state-designated entity shall not be liable in any 
action for damages or costs of any nature that result solely from 
the person's use or failure to use information or data from the 
state-designated entity that was entered or retrieved under relev ant 
state or federal privacy laws, rules, regulations, or policies 
including, but not limited to, the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996. 
2.  A person shall not be subject to ant itrust or unfair 
competition liability based on parti cipation with the state-
designated entity as long as the participation provides an essential   
 
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governmental function for the public health and safety and enjoys 
state action immunity. 
E.  A person who prov ides information and data to the state -
designated entity retains a property right in the information or 
data, but grants to the other participants or subscribers a 
nonexclusive license to retrieve and use that information or data 
under relevant state or fe deral privacy laws, rules, regulations, or 
policies including, but not limited to, the Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. 
F.  Patient-specific protected health information sha ll only be 
disclosed in compliance with relevant state or federal privacy laws, 
rules, regulations, or polic ies including, but not limited to, the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. 
G.  The Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board sha ll promulgate 
rules to implement the provisions of this section. 
SECTION 4.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.2 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, rea ds as follows: 
A.  It is the intent of the Legislature to create and maintain 
an informative source of healt h care information to support 
consumers, researchers, and policymakers in health care decisions 
within this state. 
B. The purpose of the Oklahoma Hea lth Care Transparency 
Initiative Act of 2023 is to:   
 
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1.  Create the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative; 
2. Establish governance of the Oklahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative; 
3. Provide authority to collect health care information from 
insurance carriers and other entities; and 
4.  Establish appropriate methods for collecting, maintaining, 
and reporting health care information including privacy and security 
safeguards. 
SECTION 5.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.3 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
As used in the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act 
of 2023: 
1.  "Board" means the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board; 
2.  "Claims data" means information included in an 
institutional, professional, or pharmacy claim or equivalent 
information transaction for a covered individual including the 
amount paid to a provider of hea lth care services plus any amount 
owed by the covered individual; 
3.  "Covered individual" means a natural person who is a 
resident of this state and is eligible to receive medical, dental, 
or pharmaceutical benefits under any policy, contract, certificate, 
evidence of coverage, rider, binder, or endorsement that provides 
for or describes coverage;   
 
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4.  "Direct personal identifiers " means information relating to 
a covered individual that contains primary or obvious identifiers, 
such as the individual 's name, street address, email address, 
telephone number, or Social Security number.  Direct personal 
identifiers shall not include geographic or demographic informatio n 
that would not allow the identification of a covered individual; 
5.  "Enrollment data" means demographic information and other 
identifying information relating to covered individuals including 
direct personal identifiers; 
6.  "Office" means the Office of the State Coordinator for 
Health Information Exchange created under Section 1 -132.1 of Title 
63 of the Oklahoma Statutes; 
7.  "Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative " means an 
initiative to create a database including ongoing all -payer claims 
database projects that receive and store data from a submitting 
entity relating to medical, dental, pha rmaceutical, and other 
insurance claims information, unique identifiers, and geographic and 
demographic information for covered individuals as permitted in the 
Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act of 2023, and 
provider files, for the purposes of the Okl ahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative Act of 2023; 
8. "Protected health information " means health information as 
protected by the Health Insurance Porta bility and Accountability Act 
of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191;   
 
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9.  "Provider" means an individual or entity licensed by the 
state to provide health care services; 
10. "State-designated entity for health information exchange" 
or "state-designated entity" means the health information exchange 
organization designated by the State of Oklahoma as the state-
designated entity for health information exchange under Section 1-
133 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes; 
11. a. "Submitting entity" means: 
(1) an entity that provides health or dental 
insurance or a health or dental benefit plan in 
the state including but not limited to an 
insurance company, medical services plan, managed 
care organization, hospital plan, hos pital 
medical service corporation, health maintenanc e 
organization, or fraternal benefit society, 
provided that the entity has covered individuals 
and the entity had at least two thousand (2,000) 
covered individuals in the previous calendar 
year, 
(2) a health benefit plan offered or administered by 
or on behalf of the state or an agency or 
instrumentality of the state in cluding but not 
limited to benefits administered by a managed   
 
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care organization, notwithstanding the number of 
covered individuals in the p revious year, 
(3) a health benefit plan offered or a dministered by 
or on behalf of the federal government with the 
agreement of the federal government, 
(4) the Workers' Compensation Commission, 
(5) any other entity providing a plan of health 
insurance or health benefits subject to state 
insurance regulation , or a third-party 
administrator; provided, that the entity has 
covered individuals and the entity had at least 
two thousand (2,000) covered individuals in the 
previous calendar year, 
(6) a health benefit plan subject to the Employee 
Retirement Income Secu rity Act of 1974, Pub. L . 
No. 93-406, and that is fully insured, 
(7) a risk-based provider organization licensed by 
the Insurance Department, and 
(8) any entity that contracts with the Department of 
Corrections to provide medical, dental, or 
pharmaceutical care to inmates. 
b. A submitting entity shall not include: 
(1) an entity that provides health insurance or a 
health benefit plan that is accident -only,   
 
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specified disease, hospital indemnity, long -term 
care, disability income, or other supplemental 
benefit coverage, 
(2) an employee of a welfare benefit plan as defined 
by federal law that is also a trust established 
pursuant to collective bargaining subject to the 
Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, Pub. L. 
No. 80-101, 
(3) a health benefit plan subject t o the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, Pub. L. 
No. 93-406, that is self-funded, 
(4) a Medicare supplemental policy as defined by 42 
C.F.R., Section 403.205, or 
(5) a pharmacy benefits mana ger; and 
12. "Unique identifier" means any identifier that is guaranteed 
to be unique among all identifiers for covered individuals but does 
not include direct personal identifiers. 
SECTION 6.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be cod ified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-134.4 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  Beginning July 1, 2024 , there is hereby created the Oklahoma 
Health Care Transparency Initiative, which shall be govern ed by the 
Office of the State Coordinator for Health Information Exchange .   
 
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B. The Office shall be the administrator of the Oklahoma Health 
Care Transparency Initiative and shall, in collaboration with the 
state-designated entity for health information exc hange, develop and 
implement a sustainability plan subject to data use and disclo sure 
requirements of the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act 
of 2023 and any rules promulgated by the Oklahoma Health Care 
Authority Board under the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency 
Initiative Act of 2023. 
SECTION 7.     NEW LAW     A new secti on of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.5 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A. No later than July 1, 2024, and thereafter in a frequ ency 
specified in rules promulgated by the Okla homa Health Care Authority 
Board, a submitting entity shall submit claims data, unique 
identifiers, and geographic and demographic information for covered 
individuals as permitted in the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency 
Initiative Act of 2023, and provider files t o the state-designated 
entity for health information exchange in accordance with standards 
and procedures promulgated by the Board. 
B.  1.  A health benefit plan, person, o r entity excluded from 
the definition of submitting entity as provided by Section 5 of this 
act shall not be subject to the requirements of subsection A of this 
section, but may voluntarily submit claims data, unique identifiers, 
and geographic and demogra phic information for covered individuals   
 
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as permitted in the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act 
of 2023, and provider files to the state-designated entity in 
accordance with standards and procedures promulgated by the Board. 
2.  To the extent the exc luded health benefit plan, person, or 
entity voluntarily submits data described in th is subsection to the 
state-designated entity, the health benefit plan, person, or entity 
shall comply with all requirements of the Oklahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative Act of 2023, other than subsection A of this 
section, including, but not limited to, compliance with applicable 
state and federal data privacy and security law s. 
C.  Data submitted pursuant to this section shall be treated as 
confidential and shall be exempt fr om disclosure as a record under 
the Oklahoma Open Records Act as defined in Section 24A.3 of Title 
51 of the Oklahoma Statutes and are not subject to subpoena except 
to the extent provided in the Oklahoma Insurance Code. 
D.  The collection, storage, and re lease of data and other 
information pursuant to this section is subject to applicable state 
and federal data privacy and security law. 
E.  The Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act of 2023 
shall not be construed to supersede, limit, a mend, or abrogate any 
data privacy or security law, rule, or policy. 
SECTION 8.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.6 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:   
 
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A. Data in the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative 
shall, to the extent authorize d by rules promulgated by the Oklahoma 
Health Care Authority Board, be available: 
1.  When disclosed in a form and manner that ensures th e privacy 
and security of protected health information as required by state 
and federal laws, as a resource to insurers , employers, purchasers 
of health care, researchers, state agencies, and health care 
providers to allow for assessment of health care utilization, 
expenditures, and performance in this state including , but not 
limited to, as a resource for hospital community health needs 
assessments; and 
2.  To state programs regarding health care quality and costs 
for use in improving health care in the state, subject to rules 
prescribed by the Board conforming to state and federal privacy laws 
or limiting access to limited -use data sets. 
B.  Data in the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative 
shall not be used to disclose trade secrets of submitting entitie s, 
and shall be used or disclosed only in compliance with applicable 
state and federal data privacy and security la w and in compliance 
with the policies established by the Board or the state-designated 
entity for health information exchange . 
C.  Notwithstanding any other section of law, the Oklahoma 
Health Care Transparency Initiative shall not publicly disclose any 
data that contains direct personal identifiers.   
 
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SECTION 9.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.7 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  Except for state or federal agencies that are submitting 
entities, a submitting entity that fails to submit data as required 
by the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative Act of 2023 or 
the rules promulgated by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board 
may be subject to a penalty. 
B.  The Board shall adopt a schedule of penalties not to exceed 
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per day for e ach day the violation 
occurs, to be determined by the severity of the violation. 
C.  A penalty imposed under this section m ay be remitted or 
mitigated upon such terms and conditions as the Board considers 
proper and consistent with public health and safety. 
D.  A penalty remitted under this section shall be used to fund 
operations of the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative. 
SECTION 10.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1 -134.8 of Title 63, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A.  The State Department of Health shal l submit all public 
health data and vital statistics data collected by the Department 
pursuant to Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes to the state-
designated entity for health information exchange for integration 
into the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency Initiative database   
 
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created pursuant to Section 6 of this act including, but not limited 
to, data collected regarding hospital discharge and emergency 
department records for the uninsured, birth and death records, and 
disease registry data. 
B.  The data submitted pursuant to subsection A of this sec tion 
shall be assigned a unique identifier and may be used in accordance 
with the purposes of the Oklahoma Health Care Transparency 
Initiative and the rules promulgated pursuant to the Oklahoma Health 
Care Transparency Initiative Act of 2023. 
SECTION 11.     AMENDATORY     51 O.S. 2021, Section 24A.3, as 
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 402, O.S.L. 2022 (51 O.S. Supp. 
2022, Section 24A.3), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 24A.3  As used in the Oklahoma Open Records Act: 
1.  "Record" means all documents including, but not limited to, 
any book, paper, photograph, microfilm, data files created by or 
used with computer software, computer tape, disk, record, sound 
recording, film recording, video record or other material regardless 
of physical form or characteristic, created by, received by, under 
the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession 
of public officials, public bodies or their representatives in 
connection with the transacti on of public business, the expenditure 
of public funds or the administering of public property.  "Record" 
does not mean: 
a. computer software,   
 
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b. nongovernment personal effects, 
c. unless public disclosure is required by other laws or 
regulations, vehicle movement records of the Oklahoma 
Transportation Authority obtained in c onnection with 
the Authority's electronic toll collection system, 
d. personal financial information, credit reports or 
other financial data obtained by or submitted to a 
public body for the purpose of evaluating credit 
worthiness, obtaining a license, perm it or for the 
purpose of becoming qualified to contract with a 
public body, 
e. any digital audio/video recordings of the toll 
collection and safeguarding activities of the Oklahoma 
Transportation Authority, 
f. any personal information provided by a guest a t any 
facility owned or operated by the Oklahoma Tourism and 
Recreation Department to obtain any service at the 
facility or by a purchaser of a product sold by or 
through the Oklahoma T ourism and Recreation 
Department, 
g. a Department of Defense Form 214 ( DD Form 214) filed 
with a county clerk including any DD Form 214 filed 
before July 1, 2002,   
 
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h. except as provided for in Section 2 -110 of Title 47 of 
the Oklahoma Statutes, 
(1) any record in connection with a Motor Vehicle 
Report issued by the Department o f Public Safety, 
as prescribed in Section 6 -117 of Title 47 of the 
Oklahoma Statutes, or 
(2) personal information within driver records, as 
defined by the Driver 's Privacy Protection Ac t, 
18 United States Code, Sections 2721 thro ugh 
2725, which are stored and maintained by the 
Department of Public Safety, or 
i. any portion of any document or information provided to 
an agency or entity of the state or a political 
subdivision to obtain lic ensure under the laws of this 
state or a political subdivision that con tains an 
applicant's personal address, personal phone number, 
personal electronic mail address or other contact 
information.  Provided, however, lists of persons 
licensed, the existence of a license of a person, or a 
business or commercial address, or othe r business or 
commercial information disclosable under state law 
submitted with an application for licensure shall be 
public record, or   
 
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j. data submitted under the Oklahoma Health Care 
Transparency Initiative Act of 2023; 
2.  "Public body" shall include, but not be limited to, any 
office, department, board, bureau, commission, agen cy, trusteeship, 
authority, council, committee, trust or any entity created by a 
trust, county, city, villag e, town, township, district, school 
district, fair board, court, executi ve office, advisory group, task 
force, study group or any subdivision thereo f, supported in whole or 
in part by public funds or entrusted with the expenditure of public 
funds or administering or operating public property, and all 
committees, or subcommitte es thereof.  Except for the records 
required by Section 24A.4 of this title, "public body" does not mean 
judges, justices, the Council on Judicial Complaints, the 
Legislature or legisl ators.  "Public body" shall not include an 
organization that is exempt f rom federal income tax under Section 
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 19 86, as amended, and 
whose sole beneficiary is a college or university , or an affiliated 
entity of the college or university, that is a member of The 
Oklahoma State System of H igher Education.  Such organization shall 
not receive direct appropriations from the Oklahoma Legislature.  
The following persons shall not be eligible to serve as a voting 
member of the governing board of the organization: 
a. a member, officer, or employe e of the Oklahoma State 
Regents for Higher Education,   
 
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b. a member of the board of regents or other governing 
board of the college or university that is the sole 
beneficiary of the orga nization, or 
c. an officer or employee of the college or university 
that is the sole beneficiary of the organization; 
3.  "Public office" means the physical location where public 
bodies conduct business or keep records; 
4.  "Public official" means any official or employee of a ny 
public body as defined herein; and 
5.  "Law enforcement agency" means any public body charged with 
enforcing state or local crimi nal laws and initiating criminal 
prosecutions including, but not limited to, police departments, 
county sheriffs, the Depart ment of Public Safety, the Oklahoma State 
Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, the Alcoholic 
Beverage Laws Enforcement C ommission, and the Oklahoma State Bureau 
of Investigation. 
SECTION 12.  It being immediately necessary for th e preservation 
of the public peace, health or safet y, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall tak e effect and 
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.   
 
ENGR. H. B. NO. 1688 	Page 21  1 
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Passed the House of Representati ves the 22nd day of March, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives 
 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate