The Oklahoma Veterans Commission shall consist of nine (9) members. At least eight (8) members shall be honorably discharged veterans; provided, three of the members shall be veterans of the Vietnam Conflict and one shall be a veteran of the Persian Gulf Wars. The members shall be selected in the following manner: The state executive board or committees of the veterans' organizations named in this section shall each submit to the Governor of Oklahoma a list of five (5) persons qualified to serve as members of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission. The list shall be submitted to the Governor not later than three (3) months prior to the expiration of the terms of office of the members of the Oklahoma Veterans Commission. The Governor shall name one member from each of the following Veterans' groups: the American Legion; the Veterans of Foreign wars; the Disabled American Veterans; the Paralyzed Veterans of America; the Military Order of the Purple Heart; and the National Guard Association of Oklahoma. The members representing the American Legion and the Paralyzed Veterans of America shall take office no later than July 1, 2015. The members representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Order of the Purple Heart shall take office no later than July 1, 2016. The members representing the Disabled American Veterans and the Oklahoma National Guard shall take office no later than July 1, 2017. The Governor shall also appoint three members at large, one of whom may be a nonveteran and shall have a family member residing in a state veteran center, one to be appointed 2015, one to be appointed in 2016, and one to be appointed in 2017.

The executive officer of each veterans' organization operating within the State of Oklahoma shall, on or before January 1 of the year in which the organization's appointee's term expires, submit to the Secretary of State, the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a copy of the performance audit and the financial audit of the organization for the immediately preceding fiscal year of the organization. Such audits shall be conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States and shall clearly show the total paid membership of the organization and shall be certified to by a certified public accountant. Failure to comply with this section shall render the organization ineligible to submit a nominee to the Governor. The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor with advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. When a vacancy on the Oklahoma Veterans Commission occurs, the organization which is represented by the vacant position shall submit a list of five (5) names to the Governor. The Governor shall choose a replacement from that list.

Before any member appointed as provided herein shall enter upon his or her duties as a member of the Commission, he or she shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as required by the Constitution of this state.

Present members of the Commission shall continue in office until the expiration of their terms and until their successors are appointed and enter upon the duties of their offices. Appointments shall be made for a three-year period. Any vacancy on the Commission resulting from any cause shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the remainder of the term as provided in this section.

Added by Laws 1947, p. 579, § 2, emerg. eff. April 24, 1947. Amended by Laws 1970, c. 100, § 1, emerg. eff. March 30, 1970; Laws 1970, c. 142, § 1, emerg. eff. April 7, 1970; Laws 1970, c. 254, § 6, emerg. eff. April 21, 1970; Laws 1976, c. 10, § 1, emerg. eff. Feb. 16, 1976; Laws 1981, c. 169, § 2, emerg. eff. May 13, 1981; Laws 1985, c. 295, § 3, emerg. eff. July 24, 1985; Laws 2014, c. 68, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2014, c. 212, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2014, c. 262, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.