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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 1036 By: Rosecrants
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to veterans; creating the Veteran
Suicide Prevention Task Force; setting end date for
task force; providing for task force membership;
specifying deadline for task force appo intments;
providing for certain coordination in appointing task
force members; establishing deadline for task force
organizational meeting; providing for selection of
chair and vice chair; pr oviding for task force
duties; setting quorum requirement; subjecting task
force to Oklahoma Open Meeting Act; prohibiting
compensation and reimbursement for task force
members; providing for staffing an d administrative
support of task force; directing su bmission of a
report of findings and recommendations; providing for
noncodification.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created until November 30, 202 4, the Veteran
Suicide Prevention Task Force to study and make recommendations
regarding the causes and prevention of suicides among veterans in
the state.
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B. The task force shall be comprised of nine (9) members to be
appointed as follows:
1. One member who is a veteran appointed by the Oklahoma
Veterans Commission;
2. One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives;
3. One member appointed by the Minority L eader of the House of
Representatives;
4. One member appointed by the President Pro Tempor e of the
Senate;
5. One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
6. One member who is a veteran appointed by the Commissioner of
the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Services;
7. One member employed by the Oklahoma State Department of
Health appointed by the Commissioner of Health;
8. One member employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs appointed by the Executive Director of t he Oklahoma
Department of Veterans Affairs ; and
9. One member who is a veteran app ointed by the Governor.
C. Appointments to the task force shall be made within sixty
(60) days after the effective date of this act. The appointing
authorities shall coord inate their appointments so that diversity of
gender, race, and geographical areas are reflective of the makeup of
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this state. To the extent practicable, the appointing authorities
shall appoint a veteran to serve on the task force.
D. The task force shall conduct an organizational meeting not
later than November 1, 2023. A chair and vice chair shall be
selected to serve by the membership of the task force at the
organizational meeting. The task force may meet as often as may be
required to perform the duties imposed upon it.
E. The task force shall organiz e and prioritize its objectives.
The task force may coordinate, communicat e, and collaborate with
state and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and
private health care entities, and state educational institutions
regarding issues associate d with veteran suicide.
F. A quorum of the task force shall be requ ired to approve any
final action of the task force. For purposes of this section, five
(5) members shall constitute a quorum.
G. The meetings of the task force sha ll be subject to the
Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.
H. Members of the task force shall receive no compensation or
travel reimbursement.
I. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs and the House of
Representatives shall provide staff and adminis trative support for
the task force.
J. The task force shall su bmit a report of its findings and
recommendations no later than November 30, 2024, to the Speaker of
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the House of Representatives , President Pro Tempore of the Senate ,
and Governor.
59-1-5946 EK 01/05/23