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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1537 By: Pugh
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Veterans Commission;
7 amending 72 O.S. 2021, Section 63.2, as amended by
8 Section 1, Chapter 29, O.S.L. 2024 (72 O.S. Supp.
8 2025, Section 63.2), which relates to members of
9 commission, requirements, and appointment; updating
9 statutory language; modifying appointment procedures
10 for Commission members; updating statutory
10 references; and providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 72 O.S. 2021, Section 63.2, as
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15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 29, O.S.L. 2024 (72 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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16 Section 63.2), is amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 63.2. A. The Oklahoma Veterans Commission shall
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18 consist of nine (9) members, all of whom shall be honorably
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19 discharged veterans. The members of the Commission shall be
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20 appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate
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21 and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. All appointments
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22 shall be broadly representative of the veterans of this state in
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23 terms of age, gender, and race or ethnicity.
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1 B. 1. Except as provided by paragraph 3 2 of subsection C of
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2 this section, the Governor shall appoint six of the members from
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3 lists of names provided by the executive officer of each of the
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4 following veterans' organizations in accordance with paragraph 1 of
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5 subsection C of this section:
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6 a. the American Legion,
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7 b. the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States,
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8 c. the Disabled American Veterans,
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9 d. the Paralyzed Veterans of America,
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10 e. the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and
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11 f. the National Guard Association of Oklahoma.
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12 2. The Governor shall also appoint three members at large, at
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13 least one of whom shall have completed his or her military service
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14 on or after September 11, 2001.
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15 C. Appointments to the Commission for the six members
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16 representing veterans' organizations shall be made as prescribed by
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17 this subsection.
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18 1. On or before March 1 of the year in which the term of the
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19 organization's appointee expires, the executive officer of the
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20 organization shall submit to the Governor the following:
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21 a. a list of three persons qualified to serve as members
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22 of the Commission,
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23 b. a certificate of good standing for the organization
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24 issued by the Secretary of State,
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Req. No. 2250 Page 2
1 c. a copy of the organization's state and federal tax
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2 returns for the immediately preceding tax year
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3 including but not limited to the federal Return of
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4 Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), and
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5 d. a statement that describes the mission of the
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6 organization and the services provided by the
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7 organization and estimates to the best of the
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8 executive officer's knowledge the total number of
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9 veterans the organization served in the preceding
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10 calendar year.; and
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11 2. For each veterans' organization that complies with paragraph
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12 1 of this subsection provides a list pursuant to paragraph 1 of this
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13 subsection, the Governor shall appoint a member to the Commission
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14 from the from such list of names provided by the organization.
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15 3. If the an organization fails to comply with provide a list
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16 pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection, the Governor may shall
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17 appoint a member at large in lieu of a member representing the
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18 particular such organization for the duration of the term. At the
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19 conclusion of the term, the appointment shall revert to an appointee
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20 representing the particular organization, subject to the
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21 requirements and process provided by this subsection.
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22 D. Any vacancy on the Commission resulting from any cause shall
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23 be filled by appointment by the Governor for the remainder of the
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24 term as provided by this subsection. follows:
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Req. No. 2250 Page 3
1 1. When a vacancy of one of the three at-large members on the
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2 Commission occurs, the Governor shall promptly appoint a member at
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3 large to fill the vacancy.; and
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4 2. When a vacancy of one of the six members representing
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5 veterans' organizations on the Commission occurs, the executive
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6 officer of the organization represented by the vacant position
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7 shall, not later than thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurs,
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8 submit a list of three names of qualified persons and all other
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9 information required by paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section
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10 to the Governor.
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11 3. For each veterans' organization that complies with provides
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12 a list pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection, the Governor
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13 shall choose a replacement from the list provided by the such
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14 organization. If the such organization fails to comply with provide
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15 a list pursuant to paragraph 2 of this subsection, the Governor may
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16 shall appoint a member at large in lieu of a member representing the
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17 particular such organization for the remainder of the unexpired
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18 term. At the conclusion of the term, the appointment shall revert
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19 to an appointee representing the particular organization, subject to
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20 the requirements and process provided by subsection C of this
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21 section.
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22 E. Current members of the Commission shall continue in office
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23 until the expiration of their terms and until their successors are
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24 appointed and enter upon the duties of their offices.
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Req. No. 2250 Page 4
1 F. Appointments shall be made for terms of three (3) years.
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2 Terms shall begin and expire on July 1 of the respective years. No
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3 member shall serve for more than two consecutive full terms.
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4 G. 1. No person shall be appointed by the Governor who is
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5 related by affinity or consanguinity within the third degree to any
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6 person employed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
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7 2. Before any member appointed as provided herein shall enter
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8 upon his or her duties as a member of the Commission, he or she
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9 shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as required by the
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10 Oklahoma Constitution of this state.
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11 3. No member of the Commission shall be employed by the
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12 Department during the time of his or her service on the Commission,
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13 nor shall any person who served as a member of the Commission be
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14 employed by the Department subsequent to his or her service on the
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15 Commission for a period of two (2) years.
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16 H. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person whose
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17 nomination has been submitted to the Legislature to fill a vacancy
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18 on the Commission that existed as of the effective date of this act
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19 April 18, 2024, may be appointed to the Commission on an acting or
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20 interim basis, may assume the duties of the office, and may receive
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21 any compensation or travel reimbursement allowed by law for the
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22 position pending confirmation by the Senate if the term of the
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23 former member whose position is vacant has expired as of the
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1 effective date of this act April 18, 2024, and if the nominee meets
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2 the qualifications prescribed by this section.
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3 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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Req. No. 2250 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.