A trio of bills were unanimously approved Thursday by the full Senate in an effort to improve services at the state’s seven veterans centers. Sen. Frank Simpson, the measures’ author and chairman of the Senate Veterans Committee, said the bills are in response to issues brought forth during the Senate Veterans Committee interim study of ODVA this fall.
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Members of the Oklahoma Veterans Council, a coalition of Oklahoma veterans’ organizations, met at the State Capitol with Sen. Frank Simpson Monday to discuss Senate Bill 467. The measure would abolish the War Veterans Commission, which is the governing body of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.
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The Senate unanimously approved legislation Wednesday to protect the rights of veterans who are deployed. Senate Bill 466, by Sen. Frank Simpson, would not allow a soldier’s deployment time to be used against them in legal actions.
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Cities that want to ban smoking in municipal parks would have the legal authority to do so under a measure approved by the State Senate on Wednesday. Members voted 44 to 1 in favor of Senate Bill 501 authored by Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer. The legislation would give local governments the authority to ban smoking on any property they own or operate, including municipal parks and sports complexes.
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Legislation giving communities local control over smoking in public parks and municipal facilities has been signed into law. Gov. Mary Fallen signed Senate Bill 501, by Sen. Frank Simpson and Rep. Pat Ownbey, on Monday. The measure also places Fallin’s Executive Order prohibiting the use of all tobacco products in state-owned or leased buildings, land and vehicles into state law.
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On Wednesday, the Senate gave final approval to a measure that will improve services at the state’s seven veteran centers by providing more educational and training opportunities to center staff. Senate Bill 228, by Sen. Frank Simpson, will create the Quality Workforce for Oklahoma’s Heroes Act authorizing the Oklahoma Department of Veteran’s Affairs (ODVA) to contract with accredited institutions to establish education and training programs for positions critical to the quality of care of veterans residing with ODVA institutions.
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Staff at Oklahoma’s veterans centers will soon have access to more educational and training opportunities thanks to legislation signed late Tuesday by Governor Fallin. Sen. Frank Simpson said his Senate Bill 228, creating the Quality Workforce for Oklahoma’s Heroes Act, will help substantially improve services at the centers.
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This fall, the Senate Veterans Committee will be conducting three interim studies on issues affecting Oklahoma’s veterans. The studies were requested by the committee’s chairman, Sen. Frank Simpson, who has dedicated his time in the legislature to improving state services for veterans.
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There are currently approximately 340,000 veterans in Oklahoma. Of those, almost 78,000 are considered peacetime veterans and are not eligible for admission to the state’s veterans’ centers. The Senate Veterans Committee held their first meeting Monday to study the disparity in eligibility and how it can be addressed. read more.

Over the past several months, Sen. Frank Simpson and Representatives Pat Ownbey and Tommy Hardin have been working diligently with the Governor’s staff, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA), and the War Veterans Commission to develop a plan to accommodate those veterans at the state’s seven centers who choose to smoke. The issue arose after Gov. Fallin banned smoking on all state property, including the state’s veterans centers, on February 6, 2012 with executive order 2012-01.
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