ENGR. H. B. NO. 2754 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 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 2754 By: Caldwell (Trey) and Pae of the House and Alvord of the Senate An Act relating to public health; creating the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding Assistance Grant Program Act of 2025; establishing the Oklahoma Rur al 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 promulgations 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 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 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 Gra nt Program. ENGR. H. B. NO. 2754 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: "Adequate 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) population 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 sha ll 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 services 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 cumulative total of funds directed for deposit to the Oklahoma Rural Hospitals Funding ENGR. H. B. NO. 2754 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 c arry 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 Health 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 direc ted 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 provide d 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 ENGR. H. B. NO. 2754 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 a ct shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2025. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Passed the Senate the ________ day of ________, 2025. Presiding Officer of the Sen ate