Veterans (Veteran Healthcare)

SB 530 authorizes the Oklahoma Veterans Commission to create the ODVA Foundation, a private nonprofit organization designed to raise private funds for veterans' programs. The foundation will collect donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations to support educational, training, and empowerment initiatives for Oklahoma veterans, reservists, and their families - supplementing, not replacing, state funding for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Key provisions include requiring the foundation to operate charitably, secure tax-exempt status, maintain auditable financial records (excluding donor names), and prohibit ODVA employees from voting on its board. This bill establishes a structured mechanism for private fundraising to enhance veteran services without altering existing state budget allocations.

SB 1336 creates the Oklahoma Veterans Higher Education Access Act, providing tuition waivers for eligible veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 60% or higher. It covers 50% to 100% of undergraduate tuition/fees at public universities or 50% to 100% of tuition at technology centers, based on disability rating (e.g., 60% disability = 50% waiver; 100% disability = 100% waiver). Veterans must first use all available federal education benefits, and waivers apply only to required courses (max 150 credits) or career programs (max 3 years), excluding textbooks or housing. The state must annually fund these waivers through legislative appropriations, subject to budget availability.