An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 479 By: Stanley and Jett of the
Senate
and
West (Josh) of the House
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.
SUBJECT: Space Force
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF 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 over seas 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,
ENR. S. B. NO. 479 Page 2
c. an overseas voter who, before leaving the United
States, was last eligible to vote in this state and,
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 eligible 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 o utside the United
States, is not described 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 dependent by
a uniformed service;
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,
ENR. S. B. NO. 479 Page 3
b. a ballot specifically prepared or distributed for 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,
b. 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, or
c. the National Guard a nd state militia;
9. “Uniformed-service voter” means an individual wh o is
qualified to vote an d is:
a. a member of the active or reserve components 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 Hea lth Service, or
the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration of the United States,
ENR. S. B. NO. 479 Page 4
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.
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 ac tive 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 such service honorably
or under honorable conditions.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
ENR. S. B. NO. 479 Page 5
Passed the Senate the 7th day of March, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 19th day of April, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this _______ _____________
day of _____________ ______, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _______________________________ __
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _____ ____
day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this _______ ___
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _______________________________ __