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ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 1707 By: Hamilton and Gollihare of
the Senate
and
Kannady of the House
An Act relating to State Veterans Homes; establishing
State Veterans Home at Sallisaw; directing assumption
of certain operations; amending 72 O.S. 2 021, Section
222, which relates to the Oklahoma Department of
Veterans Affairs Revolving Fund; conforming and
updating language; amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section
229, as amended by Section 16, Chapter 83, O.S.L.
2022 (72 O.S. Supp. 2023 , Section 229), which relates
to State Veterans Home at Talihina; directing
transfer of operations upon certain date; removing
obsolete language; modifying statutory reference;
amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section 229.1, as amended by
Section 17, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2022 (72 O.S. Supp .
2023, Section 229.1), which relates to authority to
plan, develop, and construct Oklahoma veterans
facilities; specifying facility to assume certain
operations; modifying requirements for location of
facilities; broadening allowed uses of certain
proceeds; amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section 240 , as
amended by Section 18, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2022 (72
O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 240), which relates to petty
cash funds; conforming language; providing for
codification; and declaring an emergency .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 229.2 of Title 72, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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A. There is hereby established, in addition to the other State
Veterans Homes established under this title, the State Veterans Home
at Sallisaw, Oklahoma, on the site determined by the Oklahoma
Veterans Commission under subsections C and D of Sect ion 229.1 of
Title 72 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
B. The State Veterans Home at Sallisaw shall assume operations
of the State Veterans Home at Talihina, Oklahoma, established under
Section 229 of Title 72 of the Oklahoma Statutes, upon the date
determined by the Commission unde r such section.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 222, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 222. A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury
a revolving fund for the Oklahoma Department of V eterans Affairs to
be known as the Oklahoma “Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs
Revolving Fund Fund”. The revolving fund shall consist of all funds
and monies received by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs,
its constituent institutions, and/or , the Oklahoma Veterans
Commission, from any gifts, contributions, bequests, individual
reimbursements except as otherwise provided by law, and other
sources of revenue, for the care or support of war veterans
discharged other than under dishonorable con ditions, who have bee n
admitted and cared for at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs Centers, at Ardmore, Claremore, Clinton, Lawton/Ft. Sill,
Norman, Sulphur or Talihina Sallisaw. Provided, no grants-in-aid,
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reimbursements, or other revenue from the United States gov ernment
or any instrumentality of the United States government shall be
deposited in the fund. Provided further, nothing contained herein
prohibits the establishment and utilization of special agency
accounts by the Oklahoma Departmen t of Veterans Affairs and its
constituent institutions, as may be approved by the Special Agency
Account Board Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services, for receipt and disbursement of the personal funds of
Veteran Center patients and members and/or for rec eipt and
disbursement of charitable contributions and donations for use by
and for patients and members.
B. The revolving fund herein created shall be used by the
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for the care of war
veterans discharged other than under dishonorable conditions, in
Veterans Centers, to pay the general operating expenses of the
Veterans Centers, including the payment of salaries and wages of
officials and employees, to pay for the employee safety programs and
incentive awards provided for in Section 63.10a of this title, and
to remodel, repair, construct, build additions, modernize, or add
improvements of domiciliary or hospital buildings necessary for the
care of veterans, including tuberculosis, mentally il l or
neuropsychiatric patients, but not excluding others; and
architectural plans, specifications, or other costs pertinent
thereto.
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C. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs may transfer
monies from the revolving fund created in this section to the W.V.C.
Revolving Fund in the State Treasury.
D. All expenditures from the revolving fund shall be made upon
warrants issued by the State Treasurer based upon claims approved by
the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, as provided by law, and
filed with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services for approval and payment.
SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 229, as
amended by Section 16, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2022 (72 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 229), is amended to read as fo llows:
Section 229. A. Until operations are transferred pursuant to
subsection B of this section, there is hereby established, in
addition to the other State Veterans Homes established by Sections
221 and 226 of this title, the State Veterans Home at Tal ihina,
Oklahoma, on the site of the Oklahoma State Sanatorium, Talihina,
Oklahoma. All persons serving as employees of the Oklahoma State
Sanatorium under the provisions of the State Merit System of
Personnel Administration shall continue to serve as empl oyees of the
State Veterans Home at Talihina, provided that such employees remain
in the classified service. All employees hired by the State
Veterans Home at Talihina on or after July 1, 1975, shall be under
the Oklahoma Merit System of Personnel Adminis tration, except one
manager, one principal assistant or deputy, one private secretary,
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part-time physicians and other professional personnel engaged in
clinical and consultant services. The average number of full -time-
equivalent employees utilized in the total operation of the State
Veterans Home, Talihina, shall not exceed one hundred fifty -three
(153) during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976. The buildings,
equipment and land under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma State
Sanatorium, Talihina, are here by transferred to the State Veterans
Home, Talihina.
B. Upon a date to be determined by the Oklahoma Veterans
Commission, operations of the State Veterans Home at Talihina
established under this section shall be transferred to the State
Veterans Home at Sallisaw, Oklahoma, established under Section 1 of
this act.
SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 229.1, as
amended by Section 17, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2022 (72 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 229.1), is amended to read as follows:
Section 229.1. A. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs
is authorized to plan, develop and construct two long -term care
facilities for the following purposes:
1. To assume the operations of the State Veterans Home
established in Talihina pursuant t o Section 229 of this title . In
accordance with Section 229 of this title and Section 1 of this act,
the facility to assume operations of the State Veterans Home at
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Talihina shall be the State Veterans Home at Sallisaw, Oklahoma,
established under Section 1 of this act; and
2. To replace the State Veterans Home established in Ardmore
pursuant to Section 221 of this title.
B. For the two long -term care facilities authorized in
subsection A of this section, the Department may construct new
facilities or refurbish any existing facilities on property
currently owned by this state or on property purchased or donated
from other sources including but not limited to private owners,
tribal entities or other governmental or municipal entities.
C. 1. The location of the facility referenced in paragraph 1
of subsection A of this section shall be subject only to such
geographical constraints as are imposed by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs to preserve and continue recognition
and certification of th e facility as a State Veterans Home located
within or near the corporate limits of the City of Sallisaw .
2. The facility referenced in paragraph 2 of subsection A of
this section shall be located within the corporate limits of the
city City of Ardmore or within five (5) miles of the corporate
limits of the city City of Ardmore.
D. The locations and sites of the two facilities referenced in
subsection A of this section shall be determined by the Oklahoma
Veterans Commission, subject to such geographical co nstraints as are
imposed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for
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certification as a State Veterans Home . The Oklahoma Veterans
Commission may consider any and all criteria which, in its sole
discretion, further the int erests of Oklahoma ve terans.
E. The project constituting the construction of the
replacement, long-term care facility for the Ardmore Veterans Home
shall be exempt from the requirements of Sections 9030 through
9030.8 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
F. The proceeds rec eived from the sale of the State Veterans
Home in Talihina, along with all associated real and personal
property, shall belong to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans
Affairs and shall be used for any one or more of the following
purposes:
1. To purchase land upon which the replacement, long -term care
facility for the Ardmore Veterans Home will be located;
2. To purchase any other personal property needed for the
construction and furnishing of the replacement, long -term care
facility for the Ardmore Vetera ns Home; and
3. To fund operations of the State Veterans Home at Sallisaw;
and
4. To complete the state match for a grant offered under the
State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program of the United States
Department of Veterans Af fairs.
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SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 240, as
amended by Section 18, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2022 (72 O.S. Supp. 2023,
Section 240), is amended to read as follows:
Section 240. There is hereby created a petty cash fund at the
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, at the State Veterans Home,
Ardmore, Oklahoma, at the State Veterans Home, Clinton, Oklahoma, at
the State Veterans Home, Sulphur, Oklahoma, at the State Veterans
Home, Talihina Sallisaw, Oklahoma, at the State Veterans Home,
Norman, Oklahoma, at the State Veterans Home, Claremore, Oklahoma,
and at the State Veterans Home, Lawton/Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. The
Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and the
Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs are
authorized to fix the maximum amount of these petty cash funds and
the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services
shall prescribe the rules and procedures for the administration of
these petty cash funds.
SECTION 6. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Passed the Senate the 14th day of March, 2024.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2024.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives