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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 15, 2023
SENATE BILL NO. 479 By: Stanley
An Act relating to soldiers and sailors; amending 26
O.S. 2021, Section 14-137, which relates to Uniform
Military and Overseas Voters Act ; modifying
definition; amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section 2, which
relates to certain defi nition; modifying definition;
updating statutory references; updating statutory
language; and providing an effe ctive date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE O F OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 26 O.S. 2021, Section 14-137, is
amended to read as follows:
As used in the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act:
1. “Covered voter” means:
a. a uniformed-service voter or an overseas voter who is
registered to vote in this state,
b. a uniformed-service voter defined in subparagraph a of
paragraph 9 of this section, whose voti ng residence is
in this state and who otherwise satisfies this state’s
voter eligibility requirements,
c. an overseas voter who, before leaving the United
States, was last eligible to vote in this state and,
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except for a state residency requirement, otherw ise
satisfies this state ’s voter eligibility requirements,
d. an overseas voter who, before leaving the United
States, would have been last elig ible to vote in this
state had the voter then been of voting age and ,
except for a state residency requirement, otherwise
satisfies this state ’s voter eligibility requirement s,
or
e. an overseas voter who was born outside the United
States, is not describe d in subparagraph c or d of
this paragraph, and, except for a state residency
requirement, otherwise satisfies this state’s voter
eligibility requirements, if:
(1) the last place where a parent or legal guardian
of the voter was, or under this act the Uniform
Military and Overseas Voters Act would have been,
eligible to vote before leaving the United States
is within this state, and
(2) the voter has not prev iously registered to vote
in any other state;
2. “Dependent” means an individual recognized as a de pendent by
a uniformed service;
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3. “Federal postcard application ” means the application
prescribed under Section 101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas
Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff(b)(2);
4. “Federal write-in absentee ballot” means the ballot
described in Section 103 of the Uniformed and Ove rseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act, 42 U.S.C. Se ction 1973ff-2;
5. “Military-overseas ballot” means:
a. a federal write-in absentee ballot,
b. a ballot specifically prepared or distributed f or use
by a covered voter in accordance with this act Section
14-136 et seq. of this title, or
c. a ballot cast by a covered voter in accordance with
this act the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act ;
6. “Overseas voter” means a United States citizen who is
outside the United States;
7. “State” means a state of the United States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin I slands, or any
territory or insular possession s ubject to the jurisdiction of the
United States;
8. “Uniformed service” means:
a. active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard of
the United States,
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b. the Merchant Marine Marines, the commissioned corps of
the Public Health Service, or the commiss ioned corps
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
of the United States, or
c. the National Guard a nd state militia;
9. “Uniformed-service voter” means an individual wh o is
qualified to vote and is:
a. a member of the active or reserve com ponents of the
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or
Coast Guard of the United States who is on acti ve
duty,
b. a member of the Merchant Marine Marines, the
commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or
the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration of the United States,
c. a member on activated status of the National Guard or
state militia, or
d. a spouse or dependent of a member referred to in this
paragraph; and
10. “United States”, used in the territorial sense, means the
several states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United
States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession
subject to the jurisdi ction of the United States.
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SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 2, is
amended to read as follows:
The words “ex-service person”, “veteran”, or “war veteran” used
in this act Section 1 et seq. of this title shall be construed to
mean any person who:
1. Has served the full obligation for active duty, Reserve or
National Guard service in the military uniformed service as defined
in Section 14-137 of Title 26 of the Oklahoma Statutes , or received
an early discharge for a medical condition, hardship, or reduction
in force; and
2. Has been separated or discharged from suc h service honorably
or under honorable conditions.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
February 15, 2023 - DO PASS