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HB 1523OKLAHOMASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Oklahoma Department of Education Directed to Create Student Telehealth Mental Health Pilot Program under HB 1523

Original title: Schools; student mental health; State Department of Education to create a school-based telehealth pilot program; request for proposals; definitions; optional school district participation; reporting to the Legislature; requiring the Department to seek funding; effective date; emergency.

Last action · February 19, 2025: Referred to Common Education

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 1523 requires the State Department of Education to establish a school-based telehealth pilot program by contracting with a single telehealth provider to offer mental health care to students in participating school districts. The measure mandates that participating districts offer these services at no cost to students while prohibiting districts from using the program to replace existing in-school support staff.

Why it matters

Participating school districts gain a no-cost telehealth platform and mental health provider network, while uninsured students and families receive mental health services and cost-sharing reimbursements free of charge starting July 1, 2025.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

State Department of Education

The Department is mandated to create, contract, evaluate, and report on the school-based telehealth pilot program.

Directly affected

Students enrolled in participating school districts

Students gain access to telehealth mental health services free of charge or cost-sharing if uninsured or participating.

Directly affected

School districts

School districts are given the option to participate by contracting with the provider, and must adhere to compliance and reporting rules.

Directly affected

Educational student service providers

Existing school nurses, psychologists, social workers, and counselors are protected from having their daily student support supplanted by the pilot program.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays for the telehealth services under this pilot program?
The selected telehealth provider must supply the equipment, platform, and staff at no cost to the school district, provide services free to uninsured students, and waive or reimburse all cost-sharing for students and families. Program funds pay an annual of up to $22.00 per student and cover one-time fixed establishment and evaluation costs.
Can school districts replace their existing school counselors with this telehealth program?
No. Participating school districts are explicitly prohibited from using the telehealth mental health care services to daily student support provided by existing educational student service providers such as school nurses, educational psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors.
When does the pilot program report its results to the Legislature?
The State Department of Education must report the evaluation results of the pilot program to legislative committees with jurisdiction over education finance, education policy, and health finance and policy by January 15, 2027.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

Coverage by outlet perspective1 article
Center 1
Blind spot - only covered by center outlets
C

Can Illinois’ newest state agency improve early childhood services? Officials hope so.

WBEZ ChicagoJul 1, 2026

Illinois has consolidated early childhood services, including daycare and preschool programs, under a single new state agency. The Department of Early Childhood aims to simplify access for families by replacing a fragmented system previously managed by three separate state departments.

Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

11 actions
  1. Feb 19, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Common Education
  2. Feb 19, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Education Oversight
  3. Feb 19, 2025HouseCommittee
    Withdrawn from Appropriations and Budget Committee
  4. Feb 19, 2025HouseCommittee
    Withdrawn from Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee Committee
  5. Feb 11, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee
  6. Feb 10, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to Appropriations and Budget
Show 5 earlier actions
  1. Feb 10, 2025HouseCommittee
    Withdrawn from Rules Committee
  2. Feb 6, 2025House
    Remove Representative Lowe (Dick) as principal House author and substitute with Representative Provenzano
  3. Feb 4, 2025HouseCommittee
    Second Reading referred to Rules
  4. Feb 3, 2025House
    Authored by Representative Lowe (Dick)
  5. Feb 3, 2025HouseIntroduced
    First Reading

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Mandatory Telehealth Integration

The bill marks a formal statutory shift by directing the State Department of Education to contract with an external provider for standardized school-based telehealth mental health services.

State Department of Education

Connected Entities

Department of Human Services, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Department of Corrections and 8 more
OrganizationDepartment of Human Services“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
OrganizationOklahoma State Regents for Higher Education“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Corrections“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
OrganizationState Department of Education“Mandated to create and evaluate the school-based telehealth pilot program.”Map →
OrganizationState Department of Health“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
PersonLowe (Dick)“Primary author of House Bill 1523.”Map →
OrganizationOklahoma Health Care Authority“Administers state-purchased or state-subsidized health care programs.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Veterans Affairs“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
PersonInsurance Commissioner“Exercises jurisdiction over health carriers.”Map →
OrganizationState Board of Education“Administers state health care programs.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services“Administers state health care programs.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.oklegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz35
    Current news / social attention level

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