The Senate gave unanimous approval to legislation to honor Oklahoma’s fallen military by helping their surviving spouses.

Sen. Chris Kidd, R-Waurika, is the author of Senate Bill 1670, which would extend the sales tax exemption granted to the unremarried surviving spouses of 100% disabled veterans to the spouses of those killed in the line of duty.

“Oklahoma has a proud military heritage. We are blessed to have so many brave men and women who have fought to defend freedom all over the world,” Kidd said. “While nothing we can say or do can ever truly express our gratitude or acknowledgments for those patriots who make the ultimate sacrifice, we want to do all we can to honor them while also helping their spouses. This will ensure the widowed of those Oklahomans who are killed in action will also receive the sales tax exemption given to the surviving spouses of fully disabled veterans.”

According to the Gold Star Wives of America, a Congressionally chartered organization founded in 1945 for those who have lost a spouse to a military-related cause of death, there are nearly 10,000 active duty and service-connected surviving spouses in Oklahoma.

SB 1670 will now be sent to the House where Rep. Toni Hasenback, R-Elgin, is carrying the measure.