The bill amends the Administrative Workers Compensation Act by updating definitions and eliminating certain provisions within Section 2 of 85A O.S. 2021. Key changes include clarifying terms such as "actually dependent," "carrier," "case management," and "case manager," which now specify the qualifications and roles of individuals involved in managing workers' compensation cases. The definition of "employee" has been refined to exclude certain categories of workers, particularly those in agriculture with a gross annual payroll below a specified threshold, and to clarify the status of various types of workers, including volunteers and owner-operators. Additionally, the bill introduces new legal language to ensure consistent references to "the Administrative Workers Compensation Act" throughout the text, replacing previous references to "this act."

Furthermore, the bill emphasizes the importance of medical evidence in establishing compensable injuries and outlines conditions under which benefits may be denied, particularly in cases involving substance use or preexisting conditions. It specifies that findings of major cause must be established by a preponderance of the evidence and clarifies that a workplace not being a major cause of an injury does not affect the exclusive remedy provisions of the Act. The criteria for evaluating permanent disability are detailed, including the use of the Sixth Edition of the American Medical Association Guides, and it establishes that medical opinions must be stated with a reasonable degree of medical certainty. The bill is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.