Representative Arturo Alonso Sandoval

D

District 89

Hi, I’m Arturo Alonso Sandoval and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 89th District.


representative

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Oct 15, 2024
Recent Posts

Pae, Alonso-Sandoval Host Study on Rural Healthcare Challenges

Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, and Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, hosted an interim study on healthcare challenges facing rural Oklahomans before the House Public Health Committee on Thursday, Oct. 10.  "A strong healthcare system is the backbone of a healthy economy, but when we fail to invest in rural healthcare, we fail our fellow Oklahomans," Pae said. "Without providing the right resources today, rural hospitals will continue to close their doors. These difficulties won't just go away if we ignore the problem or resolve themselves unless we take targeted investment and action."  "This interim study shed light on our current healthcare challenges and the immediate steps we can take to make a significant difference next session," Alonso-Sandoval said. "As a representative of an urban district, I've seen how parts of our cities face healthcare access issues similar to our rural communities. It's clear that addressing the lack of healthcare resources is crucial for all Oklahomans, no matter where they live. This study emphasized the importance in providing comprehensive solutions that ensure quality healthcare is accessible to every Oklahoman." According to the Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA), in 2023, Oklahoma's healthcare spending per capita was $9,444, whereas the U.S. healthcare spending per capita was $10,191.  When speaking on operational challenges hospitals face, Rich Rasmussen, president and CEO of OHA, said total expenses were $2 billion higher in 2023 than pre-pandemic. He attributed this increase to rising labor costs, including contract labor expenses, as well as growing prices of utilities, drugs and supplies.  "The majority of hospitals dipped into their reserves to be able to cover operating costs," Rasmussen said.  Sean McAvoy, executive director of Primary Care Services for Comanche County Hospital Authority, said there are several reasons why providers may choose not to go to rural areas.  McAvoy said many rural areas lack facilities that meet healthcare standards, requiring new construction of healthcare facilities, as well as having a smaller workforce to recruit from, leading many healthcare providers to recruit new hires, which can be costly. Additionally, McAvoy said, rural areas with fewer employees mean fewer people with employer-sponsored healthcare, which typically pays better rates to healthcare providers.  McAvoy said transportation presents a challenge in rural areas, especially for older adults, but telemedicine is an increasingly valuable tool to address certain healthcare concerns. He also pointed to mobile clinics as a good option to expand care in rural areas quickly, although he said they typically have high operational costs.  Melissa Alvillar, the chief nursing officer at Comanche County Memorial Hospital, said Oklahoma is ranked 49th nationally in healthcare outcomes.  "Hospitals such as ours are willing to grow and willing to add beds to facilitate the care that the rural environment needs, but we need the financial help to support that," Alvillar said. She said healthcare providers need support from lawmakers to deliver the care Oklahomans deserve.  "We have the ability to be higher in healthcare than 49th," Alvillar said.  She told attendees it's hard to get people to join or stay in the healthcare workforce given the increase in physical assaults and threats against healthcare providers and, as a result, the cost of staff pay and benefits to retain employees is "through the roof," further stressing hospitals' and clinics' budgets.  Dr. Mark Woodring, vice chair of the Board of Rural Health Association of Oklahoma, highlighted the recent groundbreaking of a new rural hospital in Tillman County. Since the 2016 closure of Memorial Hospital and Physician Group in Frederick, residents have driven between 30 minutes to an hour to receive hospital-level care. The new hospital is funded in part by the Legislature's appropriation of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  According to the most recent data, Woodring said, "Most of Oklahoma is a health professional shortage area." One suggestion he offered to improve rural health outcomes was creating a healthcare rural opportunity zone pilot program or offering state income tax exemptions or credits to providers who relocate.  "It's creating maybe an additional incentive not to go into a specialty that's going to pay them more," Woodring said. "They know that certainly primary care, while competitive is not paying as much as a maybe a cardiologist or an orthopedic surgeon."

Feb 20, 2024
Recent Posts

House Committee Passes Numerous AI Regulation Bills

The Oklahoma House Government Modernization and Technology Committee passed numerous artificial intelligence (AI) regulation bills on Tuesday.  House Bill 3453, authored by Rep. Jeff Boatman, R-Tulsa, would establish the Oklahoma Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights, which defines "artificial intelligence" and "real person." The bill also outlines eight ways Oklahomans are entitled to information about the use of AI, such as the right to know when they're interacting with an AI engine rather than a real person and the right to opt out of their data being used in an AI model.  "In the age of AI, transparency is paramount," said Boatman, who chairs the committee. "The Oklahoma Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights empowers Oklahomans and ensures citizens have the right to understand AI interactions and protect their privacy and data."  House Bill 3577, authored by Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, establishes the Artificial Intelligence Utilization Review Act. The measure would require healthcare insurance companies to disclose any use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms in their utilization review process to healthcare providers, covered persons and the general public. The disclosure must be made on the insurer's website, and the company is required to submit the algorithms and training data sets to the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Additionally, specialists participating in utilization reviews using AI algorithms must document individual clinical records before making denial decisions.  "AI is still new and it's no doubt still flawed to some degree," Pae said. "By mandating disclosure and documentation, we can better safeguard against potential biases within AI systems in healthcare decisions."  In October, Pae and Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, led an interim study on the ethical, legal and societal implications of AI implementation, including privacy, bias and algorithmic transparency.  During Tuesday's meeting, Alonso-Sandoval passed legislation prohibiting the use of deepfakes during elections. House Bill 3825 prohibits the dissemination of deceptive deepfake media within 90 days of an election, except when a clear disclosure is provided. The measure provides definitions of synthetic media and deceptive and fraudulent deepfake. Violators may face penalties, but exceptions exist for news broadcasts, publications and satire. Alonso-Sandoval also passed House Bill 3828, which requires the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and the Administrative Office of the Courts to inventory all systems that use AI by Dec. 31, 2024 and each following year. State agencies that do not use OMES must inventory their own systems and post the inventory list on their website. The bill also would require assessments of agencies' AI systems to ensure the systems do not discriminate. "Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of our day-to-day lives, touching everything from our personal routines to our statewide systems," Alonso-Sandoval said. "Recognizing the advantages and acknowledging the challenges that AI presents, I remain committed to bipartisan collaboration to position Oklahoma as a leader in this field. Our state has made great strides in integrating AI responsibly, always with the welfare of our citizens as the guiding principle. HB3828 and HB3825 reflect our dedication to transparency in AI adoption, granting Oklahomans the clear right to know when they are interacting with AI-driven platforms or viewing AI-generated content while also ensuring they are properly vetted for potential bias and discrimination." All four bills passed the committee unanimously and are now available to be considered on the House floor. Earlier this month, the House Judiciary – Criminal Committee approved House Bill 3073 by Rep. Neil Hays, R-Checotah, which criminalizes publishing or distributing digitized representations of another individual's name, image, voice or likeness without their written consent and with the intent to harm. HB3073 is also eligible to be heard on the House floor.

Oct 9, 2023
Recent Posts

Alonso-Sandoval, Pae Organize Study on Artificial Intelligence

A bipartisan study on the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) will be held at the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 10. Reps. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, and Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, will lead the study, which will explore the potential impact of AI on Oklahoma's economy, job market and workforce development. The study will also evaluate the ethical, legal and societal implications of AI implementation, including privacy, bias and algorithmic transparency. "Moore's Law underscores the exponential pace of technological advancement, a phenomenon that poses challenges for us, particularly in the realm of public policy," said Alonso-Sandoval. "In light of the recent proliferation of AI technologies to the general public, it becomes imperative to grasp how this multifaceted technology, spanning areas such as generative AI and facial recognition, will reshape our communities' interactions with the world. These developments present an array of opportunities and challenges. "I'm enthusiastic about adopting a bipartisan approach to address this issue, collaborating with Representative Daniel Pae. Together, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of how we can navigate the AI landscape, positioning Oklahoma at the forefront of this technological revolution while ensuring equitable progress for all." "AI is going to be one of the most important policy issues we address as lawmakers in the 21st century," said Pae. "This technology is going to profoundly change how we live, so we need to be proactive in terms of what parameters are placed around it. I’m excited to work with my friend Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval and collaborate in a bipartisan manner to develop long-term sustainable ideas." Speakers include: Madeline Mitchell, advisory senior manager of AI at Deloitte, who will explain generative AI and how to operationalize AI responsibly; Ken Parker, co-founder and CEO at NextThought, who will discuss the potential benefits and concerns of AI; Robin Roberson, senior vice president and head of platform partnerships at Eberl Claims Services; Scott Klosoky, partner at Future Point of View (FPOV); and Josh Snavely, cybersecurity/privacy, risk and security attorney at McAfee & Taft, who will all speak to the practical applications of AI and how it could be utilized by society; Dr. Rose Shao, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, will explore different applications of AI technologies in healthcare settings; and Pennsylvania State Rep. Tarik Khan of House District 194, a family nurse practitioner who coauthored legislation to regulate the use of AI algorithms in health insurance claims processes. The study is slated for 1:30 p.m. and will be held before the House Government Modernization and Technology Committee, as well as live-streamed on the House website.