Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill that would have permitted certain nurse practitioners to prescribe medicine without physician supervision, according to a March 29 report by CBS affiliate news9.com.
Senate Bill 458 aimed to expand access to healthcare throughout Oklahoma, particularly in areas with a shortage of physicians.
The bill would allow advanced practice registered nurses who meet certain criteria to apply for the authority to prescribe without a physician.
Gov. Stitt acknowledged the issues that rural healthcare facilities are facing, but asked the legislature to explore other options.
"I'd also ask that the Legislature explore other ways to attract frontline healthcare workers to rural communities across the state," he said in his veto letter. "A tax credit for qualifying practitioners in rural areas of the state is one such idea. For these reasons, I have vetoed SB 458."
Diane Heaton, MD, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, also dismissed the bill, claiming that it could cause more rural nurses to relocate to urban areas.