1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) | | | 3|SENATE BILL 1902 By: Jett | | | 4| | | | 5| AS INTRODUCED | | | 6| An Act relating to professions and occupations; | | creating the Oklahoma Professional Self-Determination | 7| Act; stating purpose and intent; granting certain | | exclusive powers to specified agencies; requiring | 8| development and implementation of certain state | | examinations; requiring certain agencies to accept | 9| state examinations; prohibiting sole reliance on | | national examinations; authorizing certain fees; | 10| providing certain construction; prohibiting certain | | acts penalizing lawful expression of opinion; | 11| directing promulgation of rules; providing for | | noncodification; providing for codification; and | 12| providing an effective date. | | | 13| | | | 14|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 15| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be | | | 16|codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows: | | | 17| A. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be known and may be cited | | | 18|as the "Oklahoma Professional Self-Determination Act". | | | 19| B. The purpose of this act is to create state-issued licensing | | | 20|paths for professional licenses that do not require national | | | 21|certification. | | | 22| C. It is the intent of the Legislature to: | | | 23| 1. Reassert Oklahoma's sovereign authority to set professional | | | 24|standards for professional licensees; | | | Req. No. 3242 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 2. Protect licensees from retaliation or censorship by | | | 2|nongovernmental entities; and | | | 3| 3. Preserve public safety competency standards through | | | 4|state-controlled testing and continuing education requirements. | | | 5| SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 6|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6021 of Title 59, unless there | | | 7|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 8| A. Each licensure board of this state shall have the exclusive | | | 9|power and authority to: | | | 10| 1. Determine the qualifications and fitness of all applicants | | | 11|and licensees under its jurisdiction; and | | | 12| 2. Impose disciplinary action against licensees under its | | | 13|jurisdiction. | | | 14| B. Each licensure board of this state shall, no later than one | | | 15|(1) year after the effective date of this act, develop and implement | | | 16|a state examination for its profession or professions in accordance | | | 17|with national standards. The state examination shall be accepted by | | | 18|the licensure board as a substitute for any national examinations | | | 19|approved by the board. Licensure boards shall not rely solely on | | | 20|national examinations or standards for assessment of applicants. | | | 21| C. Each licensure board may fix and adjust fees as necessary to | | | 22|cover the costs associated with development and implementation of a | | | 23|state examination. | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 3242 Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to eliminate any | | | 2|current pathways to licensure or to prevent reciprocal licensure. | | | 3| E. A licensure board shall not impose any disciplinary action, | | | 4|take action against a licensee or applicant, or discriminate against | | | 5|a licensee or applicant based on the licensee's or applicant's | | | 6|lawful expression of opinion about medical policy or practice, | | | 7|unless such speech violates the Health Insurance Portability and | | | 8|Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) or other patient privacy laws. | | | 9| F. Each licensure board shall promulgate rules as necessary to | | | 10|implement this section. | | | 11| SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 12|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-2505.4 of Title 63, unless | | | 13|there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 14| A. The State Department of Health shall have the exclusive | | | 15|power and authority to: | | | 16| 1. Determine the qualifications and fitness of all licensed | | | 17|emergency medical personnel and applicants; and | | | 18| 2. Impose disciplinary action against licensed emergency | | | 19|medical personnel. | | | 20| B. The Department shall, no later than one (1) year after the | | | 21|effective date of this act, develop and implement a state written | | | 22|examination and a state psychomotor examination for emergency | | | 23|medical personnel aligned with national education standards for | | | 24|emergency medical services (EMS). The state examinations shall be | | | Req. No. 3242 Page 3 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|accepted by the Department to qualify for licensure, provided that | | | 2|the applicant has successfully completed an accredited EMS education | | | 3|program. The Department shall not rely solely on national | | | 4|examinations or standards for assessment of applicants. | | | 5| C. The State Commissioner of Health may fix and adjust fees as | | | 6|necessary to cover the costs associated with development and | | | 7|implementation of the state examinations. | | | 8| D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to eliminate any | | | 9|current pathways to licensure or prevent reciprocal licensure for | | | 10|emergency medical personnel. | | | 11| E. The Department shall not impose any disciplinary action, | | | 12|take action against licensed emergency medical personnel or | | | 13|applicants, or discriminate against a licensee or applicant, | | | 14|including based on the licensee's or applicant's lawful expression | | | 15|of opinion about medical policy or practice, unless such speech | | | 16|violates the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of | | | 17|1996 (HIPAA) or other patient privacy laws. | | | 18| F. The Commissioner shall promulgate rules as necessary to | | | 19|implement this section. | | | 20| SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026. | | | 21| | | | 22| 60-2-3242 DC 1/15/2026 9:53:56 AM | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 3242 Page 4