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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 2385 By: Kannady
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to soldiers and sailors; amending 72
O.S. 2021, Section 63.2 , which relates to the
Oklahoma Veterans Commis sion; modifying appointment
process for Commission members; deleting outdated
appointment dates; specifying members serve at the
pleasure of their appointing authority; providing for
removal or replacement without cause; prohibiting
members from voting on certain issues; providing for
retention of current members ; directing vacancies to
be appointed by their appointing authori ty; and
providing an effecti ve date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 63.2, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 63.2 A. The Oklahoma Veterans Commission shall consist
of nine (9) members all of whom shall be honorably discharged
veterans; provided, one of the members shall be a ve teran of the
Vietnam Conflict and two shall be veterans of the Persian Gulf Wars.
The members shall be selected in the following manner:
1. The state executive board or committees of the veterans '
organizations named in this section shall each submit t o the
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Governor its respective appointing authority a list of five persons
qualified to serve as members of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission.
All appointments shall be broadly representative of the veterans of
this state in terms of age, gender, and race o r ethnicity. The list
shall be submitted to the Governor appointing authority not later
than three (3) months prior to the expiration of the terms of office
of the members of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission .;
2. The Governor shall name one member from each of the
following Veterans' groups: the American Legion; the Veterans o f
Foreign Wars; the Disabled American Veterans; the Paralyzed Veterans
of America; and one at-large member;
3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall name one
member from the Military Order of the Purple Heart ; and one at-large
member; and
4. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall name one
member of the National Guard Association of Oklahoma and one at-
large member. The members representing the American Legion a nd the
Paralyzed Veterans of America s hall take office no later than July
1, 2015. The members representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars and
the Military Order of the Purple Heart shall take office no later
than July 1, 2016. The members representing the Disabled American
Veterans and the National Guard Association of Oklahoma shall take
office no later than July 1, 2017. The Governor shall also appoint
three members at large.
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B. The executive officer of each veterans ' organization
operating within this state shall, on or before January 1 of th e
year in which the organization 's appointee's term expires, submit to
the Secretary of State, the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of
the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a copy
of the performance audit and the financial audit of the organization
for the immediately preceding fiscal year of the organization. Such
audits shall be conducted in accordance with auditing standards
generally accepted in the United States and shall clearly show the
total paid membership of the organizat ion and shall be certified to
by a certified public accountant. Failure to comply with this
section shall render the organization ineligible to submit a nominee
to the Governor appointing authority.
C. The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the
Governor with advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve at
the pleasure of the Governor their appointing authority and may be
removed or replaced without cause . When a vacancy on the Oklahoma
Veterans Commission occurs, the organization which is represented by
the vacant position shall submit a list of five names to the
Governor. The Governor their appointing authority and the
appointing authority shall choose a replacement from that list. No
person shall be appointed by the Governor to the Commission who is
related by affinity or consanguinity within the third degree to any
person employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Any
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member of the Commission shall be prohibited from voting on any
issue in which the member has a direct financial interest. Before
any member appointed as provided herein shall enter upon his or her
duties as a member of the Commission, he or she shall take and
subscribe to the oath of office as required by the Con stitution of
this state.
D. Present members of the Commission shall may continue in
office, subject to the appointing authority, until the expiration of
their terms and until their successors are appointed and enter upon
the duties of their offices. Appo intments shall be made for a
three-year period. Any vacancy on the Commission resulting from any
cause shall be filled by appointm ent by the Governor respective
appointing authority for the remainder of the term as provided in
this section.
E. No member of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission shall be
employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs during the
time of his or her service on the Oklahoma Veterans Com mission nor
shall any person who served as a member of the Oklahoma Veterans
Commission be employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs subsequent to his or her service on the Commission for a
period of two (2) years.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
59-1-6651 EK 12/15/22