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Bill

SB 1653

Professions and occupations; enacting the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. Effective date.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by John Haste and 1 co-sponsor

Oklahoma joins interstate occupational therapy licensure compact, allowing licensed therapists to practice across member states under single license while maintaining regulatory oversight.

CR; Do Pass Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1653

Legislative bill overview

SB 1653 enacts Oklahoma's participation in the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, an interstate agreement that allows licensed occupational therapists to practice across state lines under a single compact license. The bill establishes regulatory frameworks for reciprocal recognition of occupational therapy licenses among participating states, streamlining the licensing process for practitioners who work across multiple states.

Why is this important

Healthcare worker mobility directly affects service availability and patient access to care, particularly in rural areas and border regions where practitioners often serve multiple states. For occupational therapists, licensing compacts reduce administrative costs and regulatory delays while maintaining professional standards through uniform minimum requirements. This impacts therapy job markets, healthcare facility staffing flexibility, and patient wait times for rehabilitation services.

Potential points of contention

  • Interstate reciprocity concerns: Some states may resist uniform standards, fearing lower-quality practitioners or loss of state regulatory autonomy and revenue from individual licensing fees
  • Accountability questions: Determining which state's disciplinary board holds authority over multi-state practitioners and handling complaints across state lines could create regulatory gaps or conflicts
  • Professional standards variation: Defining baseline competencies acceptable across all compact states may dilute existing Oklahoma standards if other states maintain lower requirements

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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