A. The Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized to construct, establish, administer, operate and maintain a State Veterans' Cemetery System. The State Veterans' Cemetery System shall consist of one or more cemeteries to serve veterans, spouses and eligible dependents of veterans of the State of Oklahoma.

B. The Department may:

1. Employ staff to operate the cemetery system;

2. Purchase equipment and supplies necessary for the operation and support of the cemetery system; and

3. Charge a fee for each interment of an eligible spouse or dependent of a veteran.

C. The Department shall:

1. Promulgate appropriate guidelines, rules, or regulations for determining eligibility for burial, instituting standards for the cemeteries, and setting burial charges to be assessed for the burial of spouses and eligible dependents;

2. Develop plans and programs which will provide for initial establishment of sites to meet the greatest need and provide for their orderly expansion;

3. Establish accounts as are necessary to the orderly administration of the cemetery system;

4. Make applications to federal agencies such as the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and receive federal funding as is available to establish, construct, operate and maintain this cemetery system; and

5. Accept donations of real or personal property for the construction, establishment, operation and maintenance of the State Veterans' Cemetery System.

D. The Department may seek, accept and expend private, state and federal funds for the establishment, construction, maintenance, administration and operation of the cemetery system as provided in this section. The Department may accept land, on behalf of the state, or may utilize land owned by the Department for the establishment of a veterans' cemetery.

Added by Laws 2017, c. , § , eff. Nov. 1, 2017. Amended by Laws 2017, c. 227, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.