Req. No. 2331 Page 1 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
SENATE BILL 1384 By: Stanley
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Veterans Com mission;
amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section 63.2 , which relates to
members of the Commission; eliminating certain
limitations on membership; modifying procedures for
appointment of members representing veterans ’
organizations; modifying qualifications of at -large
members; decreasing re quired number of appointee
submissions; modifying information req uired to be
submitted by veterans ’ organization; establishing
certain appointment procedure in case of
noncompliance by veterans ’ organizations; specifying
and modifying certain procedures for filling of
vacancies; clarifying language; and declaring an
emergency.
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 veteran
of the Vietnam Conflict and two shall be veterans of the Persian
Gulf Wars. The members shall be selected in the following manner:
The state executive board or committees of the veterans ’
Req. No. 2331 Page 2 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
organizations named in this section shall ea ch submit to the
Governor a list of five persons qualified to serve as members of the
Oklahoma Veterans Co mmission. The members of the Commission shall
be appointed by the Governor with advice and consent of the Senate,
and shall serve at the p leasure of the Governor. All appointments
shall be broadly representative of the veterans of this state in
terms of age, gender, and race or ethnicity. The list shall be
submitted to the Governor not later than three (3) months prior to
the expiration of the terms of office of the members of the Oklahoma
Veterans Commission. The Governor sh all name one member from eac h
of the following Veterans’ groups: the American Legion; t he
Veterans of Foreign Wars; the Disabled American Veterans; the
Paralyzed Veterans of America; the Military Order of the Purple
Heart; and the National Guard Association of Oklahoma. The members
representing the American Legion and the Paralyzed Veterans of
America shall 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 o ffice no later than July 1, 2016. The
members representing the Disabled American Vetera ns and the National
Guard Association of Oklahoma shall take office no later th an July
1, 2017.
B. 1. Except as provided by paragraph 3 of subsection C of
this section, the Governor shall appoint s ix of the members from
lists of names provided by the executive officer of each the
Req. No. 2331 Page 3 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
following veterans’ organizations in accordance with paragraph 1 of
subsection C of this section :
a. the American Legion,
b. the Veterans of Foreign War s of the United States ,
c. the Disabled American Veterans,
d. the Paralyzed Veterans of America,
e. the Military Order of the Purple Heart , and
f. the National Guard Association of Oklahoma .
2. The Governor shall also appoint three members at large , at
least one of whom shall have completed their military service on or
after September 11, 2001.
The executive office r of each veterans’ organization operating
within this state shall, on or before January 1 of th e year in which
C. Appointments to the Commission for the six members
representing veterans’ organizations shall be made as prescribed by
this subsection.
1. Not later than three (3) months prior to the expiration of
the term of the organization’s appointee’s term expires appointee,
the executive officer of the organization shall:
a. submit to the Governor a list of three persons
qualified to serve as members of the Commission, and
b. submit to the Secretary of State, the Governor, the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker
of the House of Repr esentatives a copy of the
Req. No. 2331 Page 4 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
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 c learly show
the total paid membership of the organization and
shall be certified to by a certified public accoun tant
the following:
(1) a certificate of goo d standing issued by the
Secretary of State,
(2) a copy of the organization ’s state and federal
tax returns for the immediately preceding tax
year including but not limited to the federal
Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax
(Form 990), and
(3) a statement that describes the mission of the
organization and the services provided by the
organization, and estimates to the best of the
executive officer’s knowledge the total number of
veterans the organization served in the preceding
calendar year.
Failure 2. For each veterans’ organization that complies with
paragraph 1 of this subsect ion, the Governor shall ap point a member
Req. No. 2331 Page 5 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
to the Commission from the l ist of names provided by the
organization.
3. If the organization fails to comply with this section shall
render the organization ineligible to submit a nominee to the
Governor. The members of the Commission shall be appointe d by the
Governor with advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve at
the pleasure of the Governor paragraph 1 of this subsection, the
Governor may appoint a member at large in lieu of a member
representing the particular organization for the duration of the
term. At the conclusion of the term, the appointment shall rev ert
to an appointee representing the particular organization, subject to
the requirements and process provided by this subsection .
D. Any vacancy on the Commission resulting from any cause shall
be filled by appointment by the Governor for the remainder of the
term as provided in this subsection.
1. When a vacancy of one of the three at-large members on the
Commission occurs, the Governor shall promptly appoint a member at
large to fill the vacancy.
2. When a vacancy of one of the six members representing
veterans’ organizations on the Oklahoma Veterans Commission occurs,
the executive officer of the organization which is represented by
the vacant position shall , not later than thir ty (30) days after the
vacancy occurs, submit a list of five three names of qualified
persons to the Governor and shall submit to the designated entities
Req. No. 2331 Page 6 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
all other information required by paragraph 1 of s ubsection C of
this section. The
3. For each veterans’ organization that complies with paragraph
2 of this subsection, the Governor shall choose a replacement f rom
that the list provided by the organization . If the organization
fails to comply with paragraph 2 of this subsection, the Governor
may appoint a member at large in lieu of a member representing the
particular organization for the remainder of the unexpired term. At
the conclusion of the term, the appointment shall revert to an
appointee representing the particular organization, subject to the
requirements and process provided by subsection C of this section.
E. Current members of the Commission shall continue in office
until the expiration of their terms and until their successors are
appointed and enter upon the duties of their offices.
F. Appointments shall be made for a three-year period. No
member shall serve for more than two (2) consecutive full terms .
G. 1. No person shall be appointed by the Governor who is
related by affinity or co nsanguinity within the third degree to any
person employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
2. Before any member app ointed as provided herein shal l enter
upon his or her duties as a member of th e Commission, he or she
shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as required by the
Constitution of this state.
Req. No. 2331 Page 7 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Present members of the Commission sh all continue in office until
the expiration of their terms and until their successors are
appointed and enter upon the duties of their offices. App ointments
shall be made for a three -year period. Any vacancy on the
Commission resulting from any cause sha ll be filled by appointm ent
by the Governor for the re mainder of the term as provided in this
section.
3. No member of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission shall be
employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Department
during the time of his or her service on the Oklahoma Veterans
Commission nor shall any person who served as a member of the
Oklahoma Veterans Commission be employed by the Oklahoma Department
of Veterans Affairs Department subsequent to his or her s ervice on
the Commission for a period of two (2) years.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergenc y is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereo f this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and af ter its passage and approval.
59-2-2331 DC 12/15/2023 1:10:30 PM