Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-1-1919

Violations - Exemptions.

A. Any employee or agent of a public agency or any

representative of a community legal services program or any member

of a nonprofit community supported agency which provides health or

social services to the elderly, or any member of a church group,

association of older persons or community service club which

provides volunteers for service to nursing home residents shall be

permitted access at reasonable hours, which shall be 10:00 a.m. to

8:00 p.m., to any individual resident of any facility, if the

purpose of such agency, program or organization includes rendering

assistance to residents without charge, but only if there is neither

a commercial purpose nor affect to such access and if the purpose is

to do any of the following:

1. Visit, talk with and make personal, social and legal

services available to all residents;

2. Inform residents of their rights and entitlements and their

corresponding obligations, under federal and state laws, by means of

educational materials and discussions in groups and with individual

residents;

3. Assist residents in asserting their legal rights regarding

claims for public assistance, medical assistance and Social Security

benefits, as well as in all other matters in which residents are

aggrieved. Assistance may include counseling and litigation; or

4. Engage in other methods of asserting, advising and

representing residents so as to extend to them full enjoyment of

their rights.

B. All persons entering a facility under this section shall

promptly notify appropriate facility personnel of their presence.

They shall, upon request, produce identification to establish their

identity. No such person shall enter the immediate living area of

any resident without first identifying himself and then receiving

permission from the resident to enter. The rights of other

residents present in the room shall be respected. A resident may

terminate at any time a visit by a person having access to the

resident's living area under this section.

C. This section shall not limit the power of the Department or

other public agency otherwise permitted or required by law to enter

and inspect a facility.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety Page 705

D. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the

administrator of a facility may refuse access to the facility to any

person if the presence of that person in the facility would be

injurious to the health and safety of a resident or would threaten

the security of the property of a resident or the facility, or if

the person seeks access to the facility for commercial purposes. Any

person refused access to a facility may within ten (10) days request

a hearing. In that proceeding, the burden of proof as to the right

of the facility to refuse access under this section shall be on the

facility.

E. This section shall not apply to any inspection team of the

Department or any other agency.