For Immediate Release: May 9, 2012
Sen. Steve Russell
Bills to protect rights of veterans sent to Governor
Two important veterans bills will soon be on their
way to the Governor’s desk after the Senate gave them overwhelming
approval Tuesday. Sen.
Steve Russell authored Senate Bills 1951 and 1905, which address
concerns related to military divorces and health care.
“These are common sense measures that protect the rights
of veterans and I’m pleased that we were able to get them
through the process,” said Russell, Chair of the Senate
Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. “I’m looking
forward to the Governor signing these measures so our brave men
and women can begin seeing the benefits of these bills.”
SB 1951 creates the Wounded Warrior Protection Act. The measure
protects the Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and SMC
(Special Monthly Compensation) of wounded soldiers in divorce
proceedings by deeming a portion of the CRSC or SMC as separate
property, not divisible as a marital asset or community property.
The bill also would prohibit alimony payments, whether designated
for support or for property division, to be based on CRSC or SMC.
The new law will go into effect as soon as it is signed by the
Governor.
“For years, we’ve seen wounded soldiers’ benefits
placed at risk to garnishment due to legal settlements, be it
divorce, lawsuits or whatever. This law will ensure that Oklahoma
statutes clearly protect the compensation given for war injuries,”
said Russell, R-Oklahoma City. “A nation that cannot care
for its wounded veterans has no respect for liberty.”
SB 1905 would prohibit employers from requiring employees who
are military retirees and have been provided with health coverage
through a federal plan to participate in employer-sponsored health
insurance coverage if the plan requires a contribution from the
individuals. Once signed, the bill will become effective November
1, 2012.
“Career service members gave decades of their
lives to earn benefits such as military health care that are theirs
by right of their sacrifice. I think it’s a travesty that
any employer would forcefully require these veterans to participate
in company healthcare plans and ignore the benefits that they
have already earned through their sweat, sacrifice and sometimes
blood,” said Russell. “This law ensures that career
veterans will be able to enjoy the healthcare their sacrifice
provided them and prohibits employers from heartlessly and needlessly
taking money out of veterans’ pockets by requiring them
to participate in a healthcare plan when they already have one.”
