Oklahoma’s Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee is moving a plan for opening a new veterans’ home in Sallisaw.

Kellyville Republican Sen. Todd Gollihare introduced SB 1707, which would allow the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to sell the now-closed veterans’ home in Talihina and use the proceeds to on its replacement in Sallisaw later this year.

The bill comes months after the veteran’s affairs department decided to close the Talihina home last October because it was spending $500,000 per month keeping it open.

Sens. Jack Stewart, R-Yukon, and Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, asked when the Sallisaw veteran home is expected to open and how selling the Talihina home would help move the process along.

Greg Slavonic, who is the executive director of the veterans affairs department and was present at the meeting to answer questions, said the department hopes to sell the Talihina home for $4 million.

“If we don't sell the home, say by the 1st of April, instead of incurring that $80,000 a month expense ODVA is incurring, my intent at that point, would be to turn the property over to OMES and let them manage the home at that point,” Slavonic said.

He said The Choctaw Nation is the most likely buyer, but there is at least one more party interested.

The $4 million price tag on the Talihina property is roughly the same amount the department already has budgeted to open the new home just 90 minutes north, Slavonic said. If Talihina sells he plans to not have to use budgeted taxpayer money.

Regardless if a sale occurs, Slavonic said the Sallisaw home is planned to open closer to the end of the year.

The measure passed its committee hearing with a 7-3 vote and now moves on to the full Senate.