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Senator Julie Daniels and Representative Wendi Stearman appeared on Capitol Call Powered by Phillips 66 on Friday to bring us up to date with the legislative session in Oklahoma City.

 

Senator Daniels had a couple of her bills pass the Senate this passed week including  the Consumer Protection Bill which takes aim at surprise medical bills and the financial devastation that can follow.

 

Under the provisions of Senate Bill 548, Sen. Daniels said a health care provider would be prohibited from reporting a healthcare debt to a credit bureau or pursue collection activities unless a good faith estimate of the cost of the procedure of care was presented before the service was provided. She said the aftermath of health care can be financially devastating to people because they had no idea they were going to be hit with these bills before the care was provided.

 

The measure moved to the House for further consideration.

 

Representative Wedi Stearman--a fierce proponent of individual rights-- shared her happiness that Gov. Stitt, via executive order, is lifting COVID-19 restrictions. 

 

Stearman also shared an update on similar bills in the House from the past week including those invilving emergency powers saying that several Republican legislators (including herself) have introduced bills aimed at telling Oklahoma’s governor what he can, and more specifically, what he cannot do in emergency situations.

 

They say the bills are intended to strengthen the state’s system of political checks and balances and prevent the governor from violating Oklahomans’ rights, regardless of the circumstances.