House Bill No. 2584, introduced by Hilbert, amends the Oklahoma Pharmacy Act and the Physician Assistant Act to enhance the roles and responsibilities of physician assistants (PAs) in the state. Key changes include increasing the membership of the Physician Assistant Committee from seven to nine members and establishing clearer requirements for practice agreements. The bill allows PAs with over 6,240 hours of experience to practice without supervision, while those with fewer hours must operate under a delegating physician's supervision. It also clarifies the authority of PAs to prescribe controlled substances and outlines the filing requirements for practice agreements. Additionally, the bill specifies that pharmacists may dispense prescriptions for controlled substances only if prescribed by an advanced practice nurse or a PA licensed in Oklahoma and supervised by an Oklahoma-licensed practitioner.

The legislation further modifies the definition of "practitioner" by removing the reference to "physician assistant" and replacing it with "an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor or osteopathic physician, or a physician assistant." This change aims to expand the roles of healthcare providers in managing controlled substances. The bill also introduces new definitions related to drug paraphernalia and emphasizes the importance of patient-provider agreements in opioid therapy. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the operational scope of physician assistants while ensuring compliance with existing medical regulations, and it includes an emergency clause for immediate effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
House Committee Substitute: 59-519.11, 59-521.4
Floor (House): 59-519.11, 59-521.4
Floor (Senate): 59-353.1, 59-519.11
Engrossed: 59-519.11
Amended And Engrossed: 59-353.1, 59-519.11
Enrolled (final version): 59-353.1, 59-519.11
Sub Committee OR Policy Committee Recommendations (House) Policy Committee Recommendation: 59-519.11, 59-521.4