Bill aims to help unemployed veterans

TULSA - Sergeant Shane Hannaford returned home after seven tours of duty in Iraq and was unemployed for six months before starting his own business to make ends meet.

"We went over seas, some volunteered to go, some were told to go, did it with pride. They went over there, fought for Tulsa; all we're asking for is when we come back that you give us a chance and we'll prove you right," Hannaford said.

A new bill is making its way through the capitol now which would offer incentives to companies for hiring veterans.

Representative Eric Proctor hopes HB1064 will assist unemployed veterans by requiring companies to have at least ten percent of military veterans as their new hires in order to receive investment from the State of Oklahoma as part of the Quality Jobs Act.

"There are few higher duties we have as citizens than to ensure that those who protect our liberty are themselves able to provide for their families when they return home," Proctor said.

One out of four unemployed Oklahomans is a veteran.