OKLAHOMA CITY – In a move to stop the fraudulent use of the sales tax exemption extended to Oklahoma’s 100% disabled veterans and their spouses, Senate Bill 415 was endorsed Monday by the state Senate.
The measure is authored by Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, a Navy veteran who serves as chairman of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
“According to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, Oklahoma has approximately 32,000 military tax-exempt certificates, but the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs shows 16,000 fully disabled veterans, which is concerning and disheartening,” Simpson said.
“This exemption is provided for our state’s heroes who risked life and limb for our country, yet others are fraudulently claiming the benefit – dishonoring these heroes’ sacrifice and stealing tax revenue from their local communities,” he said. “I encourage all Oklahoma veterans to sign up under the Oklahoma Veterans Registry to help us in protecting this important benefit.”
SB 415 authorizes the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) to disclose taxpayer information for 100% service-disabled veterans to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA), who will in turn verify eligibility for the exemption to the OTC. To remain eligible for the exemption, qualifying veterans must register with the Oklahoma Veterans Registry at https://registry.odva.ok.gov/registration.
Comanche County had 3,709 totally disabled military veterans as of Sept. 1, 2020 – second in number only to Oklahoma County – tax records showed.
SB 415 moved across the Capitol rotunda to the House of Representatives, where it is sponsored by Rep. Tommy Hardin, R-Madill.