An act relating to hospitals, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

3 HOUSE BILL 3976                 By: Caldwell (Trey)

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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.

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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

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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.

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19  60-2-14192      JM    01/11/26

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