State Rep. Roe files bill allowing COVID patients to designate visitor

Roe Files Bill Allowing COVID Patients to Designate Visitor

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, has filed legislation to require medical entities to allow visitation to COVID-19 patients, even when the patient is in isolation from the public and other patients. 

House Bill 3313 allows a patient with COVID-19 to designate an individual with full visitation rights. The individual may be required by the hospital to comply with certain requirements, including signing an acknowledgment-of-risks document, receiving a health screening from staff or wearing personal protective equipment. 

“Many Oklahomans have had to endure the horrible heartbreak of not being with a loved one while they were hospitalized with COVID-19,” Roe said. “This adds stress and trauma onto an already fraught situation.”

Roe said she has heard from constituents who were either not allowed to visit a loved one or were not allowed to receive a guest while hospitalized for COVID-19.

“Hospitalized Oklahomans have the right to visitation regardless of their health issues,” Roe said. “Not seeing anybody besides their nurses and doctors takes a severe toll on a patient’s mental health.”

Roe added, "I firmly believe that human touch is essential to the healing process."​

Roe has been a registered nurse for 39 years and a nurse practitioner for 22 years. She currently chairs the House Public Health Committee. ​

The hospital may revoke visitation rights to individuals if they fail to follow safety protocols or visitation policies.

If an individual’s right is revoked, the patient may designate a new individual. Individuals who have been suspended from visitation shall be reviewed every 30 days for reinstatement.

Last year, the Legislature approved the No Patient Left Alone Act to allow patients to designate a visitor to have unrestricted visitation, but Roe said facilities have not been complying. The legislation, House Bill 2687, did not include any kind of enforcement mechanism.​

HB3313 also allows any person to bring a civil action against anybody who isolates a COVID-19 patient without visitation rights, knowingly aids in the isolation of a patient or intends to isolate or aid in the isolation. 

The bill has an emergency clause allowing it to take effect immediately upon becoming law. 

HB3313 is available for consideration in the upcoming legislative session, which begins Monday, Feb. 7.

Rep. Cynthia Roe, a Republican, serves House District 42 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Her district includes portions of Garvin and McClain counties. 

Stitt taps former State Rep. Lisa Billy for Sec'y of Native American Affairs

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT ANNOUNCES SECRETARY OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS

Oklahoma City, Okla. (January 30, 2019) – Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Lisa J. Billy as Secretary of Native American Affairs, a cabinet position that will require Senate confirmation.

“Lisa has been a consistent and faithful representative for the people of Oklahoma, from her time serving in the Oklahoma Legislature to her role today in the Chickasaw Nation Legislature,” said Gov. Stitt. “She will bring her hard-work ethic and wealth of experience to the table in order to serve as an advisor to my administration and help foster strong partnerships between our tribal governments and the State of Oklahoma.”

Lisa J. Billy currently serves in the Chickasaw Nation Legislature, a seat she has held since 2016. She previously served in the Chickasaw Nation Legislature from 1996 to 2002. Billy also served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004 to 2016 representing District 42. During her time in the Legislature, Billy held various leadership roles including Floor Leader from 2014 to 2016, Deputy Whip from 2004 to 2008, and Vice Chair of the Republican Caucus from 2006 to 2008. She formed the Native America Caucus in the Oklahoma Legislature in 2006 and has been recognized for her work on prison reformation policies. Billy holds a B.A. from Northeastern State University and an M.Ed from the University of Oklahoma.

“I have known Lisa for over 30 years. She is an articulate, bright, visionary, young woman who has served the state well in the legislature and her tribe well in its legislature. I think she will make an excellent representative of the governor with the tribes and will represent the tribes well to the governor.” – Neal McCaleb, Ambassador for the Chickasaw Nation and former Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs under President George W. Bush

“Lisa Billy is absolutely the best possible choice for an Oklahoman to represent all of the tribes in the state. She has the right education, the right temperament, and the respect of all of the tribes. We’re delighted that the governor has chosen such a wonderful representative.” – John Berrey, Chairman of the Quapaw Tribe

“Lisa is an amazing representative of our native people here in Oklahoma. She is very open to working with native people and non-native people to move the state forward, as seen during her time in the Oklahoma legislature. She began the Native American Caucus when we were elected to the House of Representatives in 2004, and she welcomed not only members of the tribes, but all Oklahomans to participate in the meetings, fostering collaboration between the tribes and the state of Oklahoma. She will serve our state well as the Secretary of Native American Affairs.” – Dr. Lee Denney, USDA Oklahoma State Director of Rural Development and Former Speaker Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma House of Representatives