A. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs shall establish a program to provide assistance for the proper interment or cremation of honorably discharged indigent veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The program shall aid in obtaining any available burial benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or through private organizations. The program shall provide for a burial grant for any indigent veteran or any person who qualifies for reimbursement as determined by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, for unpaid expenses directly resulting from interment or cremation. Maximum reimbursement shall not exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per indigent veteran application.
B. Eligibility requirements for the program shall be as follows:
1. The deceased shall be a veteran as defined by Section 2 of this title;
2. No one shall have claimed the remains of the deceased Veteran;
3. The veteran shall have died in Oklahoma;
4. The veteran shall not have been in the custody of the Department of Corrections at the time of death;
5. The applicant shall provide documentation establishing the burial location of the deceased veteran's remains in a cemetery or the location where the deceased veteran's cremains have been permanently placed; and
6. The applicant shall provide documentation establishing that the deceased veteran received a proper memorial headstone or marker at the place of his or her interment as provided for in Section 2306 of Title 38 of the United States Code or that a memorial headstone or marker meeting the same physical standards for size, material, composition, placement and informational content was provided in the event the deceased veteran did not qualify under the provisions of Section 2306 of Title 38 of the United States Code.
C. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs or his or her designee shall make final approval of Indigent Veteran Burial Applications, shall determine whether the deceased meets eligibility criteria and may approve funds to reimburse the costs of interment or cremation.
D. Reimbursement shall be paid from the Indigent Veteran Burial Revolving Fund. If there are insufficient resources in the Indigent Veteran Burial Revolving Fund, payment shall be made from the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Revolving Fund.
Once funds are available in the Indigent Veteran Burial Revolving Fund, the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs may be reimbursed for payments made from the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Revolving Fund.
E. Application processes for the implementation of this program shall be developed by the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
F. Rules for the implementation of this program shall be promulgated by the Oklahoma Veterans Commission.
Added by Laws 2016, c. 394, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017. Amended by Laws 2019, c. 165, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.
Structure Oklahoma Statutes
Title 72. Soldiers and Sailors
§72-2. "Ex-service person", "veteran", and "war veteran" defined.
§72-5. Veterans to whom provisions available.
§72-6. Nontransferability of privileges - Penalty.
§72-6-1. Impersonating member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces - Punishment.
§72-6-2. Wearing uniform of the United States Armed Forces or Public Health Service - Punishment.
§72-7. State-operated parks and museum admission.
§72-22. Duties of county clerk - Violation a misdemeanor.
§72-31a. State Veterans' Cemetery System.
§72-34. Interment or cremation assistance for indigent veterans.
§72-35. K-I-A Reinterment Fund.
§72-36. Short title - Dignity in Burial Act.
§72-48. Leave of absence during active or inactive duty or service - Public employees.
§72-48.1. Leave of absence during active service - Private sector employees.
§72-48.2. Extension of professional license during active duty.
§72-49.1. Removal of disability of minority.
§72-50.1. Powers of military officers.
§72-50.2. Rank of officer - Spouse's acknowledgment - Authentication - Acknowledgment before notary.
§72-50.21. Qualifications of recipients.
§72-50.22. Procedure for applications and approval.
§72-50.23. Design - Payment of cost.
§72-50.24. Korean Conflict Medallion Program.
§72-50.25. Oklahoma Legislative Medal of Honor.
§72-50.26. Oklahoma Gold Star Medal.
§72-63.1. Commission and Department created - Cabinet-level status - Composition - Administration.
§72-63.2. Members of Commission - Filing copy of audits by veterans' organizations.
§72-63.3. Powers and duties of Commission - Travel expenses.
§72-63.5. Collections from patients and members for care and maintenance.
§72-63.5a. Authorization through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and Medicare Services.
§72-63.6. Workers' compensation for certain employees of State War Veterans Home Facilities.
§72-63.7. Requirements for administrative personnel.
§72-63.7A. Classification of certain positions to Merit System of Personnel Administration.
§72-63.8. Administration of various departments, agencies and funds.
§72-63.9. Muskogee and Tulsa Claims Offices - Managers and assistant managers.
§72-63.10. Employee training programs - Funding - Salary, tuition, and subsistence contracts.
§72-63.10a. Department of Veterans Affairs on-the-job employee safety program.
§72-63.11. State flag for certain deceased national guard members and peace officers.
§72-63.11a. State flag for death of soldiers - Letter of condolence.
§72-63.12. Lease and/or loan agreement for hospital or health care facilities improvements.
§72-63.13. Power to be exercised in conjunction with local public trust.
§72-63.14. Payment of certain bonds.
§72-63.15. Cooperative agreements with local public trusts.
§72-63.17. Limits on expenditure for capital projects.
§72-63.18A. Department of Veterans Affairs - Unclassified positions and personnel.
§72-63.20. Deposit of proceeds.
§72-63.21. Certified volunteers - Provision of meals for services rendered.
§72-63.22. Preference for veteran vendors.
§72-64. Certain positions to remain exempt or unclassified.
§72-65.1. Department directed to proceed on certain projects.
§72-67.11. W.V.C. Revolving Fund.
§72-67.13. Expenditures and loans from fund.
§72-67.13a. War veterans defined - Retirement benefits.
§72-67.13b. Benefits for persons serving after January 31, 1955.
§72-68.2. Contracts with educational institutions for establishment of training courses.
§72-191. Short title - Veterans Volunteer Guardianship Act.
§72-192. Guardianship created under prior law.
§72-193. Appointment as guardian – Procedure - Duties.
§72-194. Requirements for subject and guardian.
§72-196. Guardian as fiduciary.
§72-197. Treatment in institution - Commitment - Transfer.
§72-202. Management and control.
§72-221. Establishment - Site - Purpose - Administration and control.
§72-221.1. State Veterans Home at Norman - Operation and administration - Legal description.
§72-221.3. Competitive bidding for provision of supplies and services under Medicare Part B.
§72-221.4. Purchase of products available through General Services Administration contracts.
§72-221.5. Individual purchasing entity.
§72-223. Acceptance of Act of Congress – Participation in per diem grant program.
§72-223.1. Employer-based nurse aide training programs.
§72-226. State Veterans Home at Clinton - Establishment – Employees – Legal description.
§72-229. State Veterans Home at Talihina - Establishment - Employees.
§72-229.1. Authority to plan, develop and construct Oklahoma veterans facilities.
§72-241. State Accrediting Agency - Members - Contracts with federal agencies.
§72-242. Officers - Rules and regulations - Qualifications and duties of staff.
§72-302. Tuition-free career and technology education - Exception.
§72-303. Eligibility of veterans.
§72-305. Eligibility of descendants of servicemen.
§72-307. Benefits prohibited in certain instances.
§72-352. Compilation, evaluation and distribution of information.
§72-353. Identity of veteran not to be disclosed - Exception - Statistical information.
§72-354. Privileges and immunities.
§72-355. Attorney General to represent veterans in certain class actions.
§72-357. Referral and screening functions to be discontinued under certain conditions.
§72-362. Compilation, evaluation and distribution of information.
§72-363. Privileges and immunities.
§72-404. Reporting names of employed special disabled veterans.
§72-410. Oklahoma Veteran Housing Program Act.
§72-411. Oklahoma Veteran Housing Program Revolving Fund.
§72-412. Special housing grant program for disabled veterans.
§72-421. Oklahoma Veterans Registry.
§72-422. Oklahoma Women Veterans Program.
§72-440. Acceptance of gifts, donations, bequests, grants or contracts.