Req. No. 10910 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) HOUSE BILL 2754 By: Caldwell (Trey) AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to public health; creating the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Act of 2025; establishi ng the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program; defining terms; providing for administration of program by State Department of Health; establishing purpose; providing procedures, criteria, and limitations for program; authorizing the prom ulgations of rules and procedures; creating the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Revolving Fund; establishing revolving fund characteristics; providing budgeting and expenditure procedures and limitations; providing an effective da te; 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 1-299A of Title 63, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Act of 2025 ". B. There is hereby established the Oklahoma Rural Hospital s Funding Assistance Grant Program. Req. No. 10910 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C. As used in the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Act of 2025: "Adequated medical care facilities " means facilities that: 1. Would meet or meets the eligibility of a federally qualified critical access hospital; 2. Are located in a town or municipality with fewer than five thousand (5,000) popu lation according to the most recent Federal Decennial Census; and 3. Is owned by a public trust organized under the laws of this state or by a town or municipality of this state. D. The State Department of Health shall administer the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program to support the state purpose of ensuring the health and safety of the residents of the state by facilitating adequate access to health care s ervices in rural areas of the state. Such grant program shall embody the following procedures, criteria, and limitations: 1. The Department shall develop a rubric of analysis and accompanying application process to identify and prioritize rural areas for grant funding, where such populations are disproportionately impacted from accessing adequate medical care facilities, due to distance; 2. No grant amount shall be awarded by the Department under the provisions of this act that would exceed the cumulativ e total of funds directed for deposit to the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Req. No. 10910 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Assistance Grant Program Revolving Fund created by Section 2 of this act. E. The State Department of Health is hereby authorized to adopt rules and procedures as necessary to ca rry out the provisions of this act. SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-299B of Title 63, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund for the State Department of He alth to be designated the "Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of all monies directed for deposit to the fund by law. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the State Department of Health in accordance with the provisions provided in Section 1 of this act. Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025. SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby Req. No. 10910 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 declared to exist, by reason whereof this ac t shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approv al. 60-1-10910 JM 01/15/25