Oklahoma § 72-422 - Oklahoma Women Veterans Program

§ 72-422. Oklahoma Women Veterans Program

A. In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 72. Soldiers and Sailors

1. "Department" means the Oklahoma Department of Veterans

Affairs;

2. "Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the

Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs;

3. "Program" means the Oklahoma Women Veterans Program; and

4. "Woman veteran" means a woman who served on active duty in

the armed forces of the United States or in the Oklahoma National

Guard on federal active duty under Title 10 U.S.C., and was

discharged or released from that service under conditions other than

dishonorable.

B. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs shall establish

the Oklahoma Women Veterans Program. The program shall be housed

within the office of the Executive Director. The mission of the

program shall be to ensure that women veterans in the State of

Oklahoma have equitable access to federal and state veterans'

benefits and services. The Executive Director shall designate a

women veterans coordinator for the State of Oklahoma.

1. The program shall:

a.

provide assistance to the women veterans of the state

as provided by this section,

b.

perform outreach functions to improve the awareness of

women veterans regarding eligibility for federal and

state veterans' benefits and services,

c.

assess the needs of women veterans with respect to

benefits and services,

d.

review programs, research projects, and other

initiatives designed to address the needs of the women

veterans of the state,

e.

make recommendations to the Executive Director

regarding the improvement of benefits and services to

women veterans, and

f.

incorporate issues concerning women veterans in

Department planning regarding veterans' benefits and

services.

2. The program shall advocate for women veterans and work to

increase public awareness about the gender-specific needs of women

veterans. The program shall recommend legislative initiatives and

the development of policies on the local, state and national levels

to address the issues affecting women veterans. The program shall

collaborate with federal, state, county and municipal governments

and with private organizations that provide services to women

veterans.

The program shall monitor and research issues relating to women

veterans. The program shall disseminate information regarding

opportunities for women veterans throughout the network of entities

with which the program collaborates.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 72. Soldiers and Sailors

Through conferences, seminars and training workshops with

federal, state, county and municipal governments and with private

organizations, the program shall provide guidance and direction to

women veterans who are applying for grants, benefits or services.

The program shall provide facilities and staff as appropriate in

support of the program.

C. On behalf of the program, the Department may:

1. Accept and spend funds:

a.

appropriated to the Department for the operation of

the program, and

b.

received from other sources, including donations and

grants; and

2. Provide matching grants to assist in the implementation of

the program's goals and objectives.

D. Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, the

Department shall submit to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,

Oklahoma Veterans Commission and the Legislature a report on women

veterans in this state.

The report may be delivered electronically, and shall:

1. Estimate the number of women veterans in this state;

2. Report the number of women veterans who contact the

Department for assistance;

3. Identify the unique problems faced by women veterans; and

4. Recommend policy proposals, initiatives and funding levels

to address the problems identified.

E. The Oklahoma Veterans Commission is authorized to promulgate

rules to implement the provisions of this section.

Added by Laws 2018, c. 132, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2018.