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We had a productive week finishing the passage of bills out of committee. Of the 2,600 House Bills eligible to be heard in committees before the deadline, 505 House Bills and House Joint Resolutions successfully passed committee.

I am pleased to announce that Senate Bill 1215 passed the House floor and has been signed into law by the governor. This bill eliminates the registration deadline of Nov. 1, 2023, for Oklahoma veterans to register on the veteran's registry.

The primary objective of this bill is to protect qualifying disabled veterans who receive the sales tax exemption before Nov. 1, 2020, from losing their exemption status due to failure to meet the registration deadline.

To provide some context, a few years ago, it was discovered that Oklahoma's record of having 100% veterans was almost twice as high as the record maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which raised concerns about possible fraud.

Therefore, the Oklahoma Department of Veteran Affairs requested that a veterans registry be enacted through legislation. Their request was granted when Senate Bill 415 was signed into law in 2021.

Numerous 100% disabled veterans were unaware of the new deadline of Nov. 1, 2023, causing them to miss the chance to register and receive their annual sales tax exemption.

To address this issue, the House and Senate worked together to ensure that this bill would be sent to the governor's desk as soon as possible. I believe that Oklahoma veterans with a 100% disability rating should receive the tax benefits they urgently need, especially given the current challenging economic environment.

Senate Bill 1215 had an emergency clause. The governor signed it this week, removing the July 1, 2023, deadline, allowing any 100% permanently disabled veterans or their surviving spouses to be eligible for their annual sales tax exemption.

Some veterans and surviving spouses previously denied by the Oklahoma Tax Commission will automatically receive new cards. If veterans or surviving spouses submitted registry verification letters to the Oklahoma Tax Commission but were unable to receive new Exemption Cards due to missing the registration deadline of July 1, 2023, or if they filed a protest or requested a hearing in response to the denial letter for new Exemption Cards, no further action is required.

To register with the Oklahoma Veterans Registry, individuals can visit registry.odva.ok.gov/registration. If you are a veteran or a surviving spouse and have any questions regarding this registration, please do not hesitate to contact my office. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

It is such an honor and privilege to represent you at the State Capitol. I want to encourage any constituent with questions or concerns regarding legislation to reach out to my office at (405) 557-7358 or at john.kane@okhouse.gov.

John Kane, a Republican, serves House District 11 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Tulsa and Washington counties.