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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1036 By: Rosecrants, Pae, Waldron,
Menz, Hefner, Ranson, and
West (Josh) of the House
and
Kidd of the Senate
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 o f
chair and vice chair; providing 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 submission 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 appoint ed by the Minority Leader 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 the 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 coordinate their appointments to reflect the best
interests of veterans of this state. To the extent practicable, the
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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 t ask force. For purposes of this section, five
(5) members shall constitute a quorum.
G. The meetings of the task force shall 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 administrative 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.
Passed the House of Representatives the 20th day of March, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate