1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) | | | 3|HOUSE BILL 3976 By: Caldwell (Trey) | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to hospitals; creating the Rural and | | Small Hospital Grant Program; determining uses for | 8| the funds; requiring matching funds; allowing for | | rules to be promulgated; creating the Rural and Small | 9| Hospital Grant Revolving Fund; establishing revolving | | fund characteristics; deeming funds appropriated; | 10| providing expenditure and budgeting requirements and | | limitations; providing for codification; and | 11| providing an effective date. | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 15| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 16|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3320 of Title 63, unless there | | | 17|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 18| There is hereby created, at the Oklahoma State Department of | | | 19|Health, the Rural and Small Hospital Grant Program. The grant | | | 20|program shall benefit rural or small hospitals to help with | | | 21|infrastructure, equipment, or technology needs such hospitals may | | | 22|have in opening a facility or to keep a facility open. Hospitals | | | 23|applying shall have at least twenty percent (20%) matching funds | | | 24|towards the project, and those funds may be in-kind donations. The | | | Req. No. 14192 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|Department may promulgate rules for the grant program. The | | | 2|Department shall use funds in the Rural and Small Hospital Grant | | | 3|Revolving Fund created in subsection B of this act to fund the | | | 4|program. | | | 5| B. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving | | | 6|fund for the Oklahoma State Department of Health to be designated | | | 7|the "Rural and Small Hospital Grant Revolving Fund". The fund shall | | | 8|be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and | | | 9|shall consist of all monies directed for deposit to the fund by law. | | | 10| All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby | | | 11|appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Department for | | | 12|the purpose of the Rural and Small Hospital Grant Program. | | | 13|Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants issued by | | | 14|the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with | | | 15|the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for | | | 16|approval and payment. | | | 17| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026. | | | 18| | | | 19| 60-2-14192 JM 01/11/26 | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 14192 Page 2