10march94....4841h
HOUSE BILL - FINAL VERSION
1994 SESSION 3986B
94-2621
10/01
HOUSE BILL 1356-FN
AN ACT relative to the duties of the members and the director of the state veterans council.
SPONSORS: Rep. Lessard, Hills 23
COMMITTEE: Public Protection and Veterans Affairs
ANALYSIS
This bill:
(1) Adds new duties for the members and the director of the state veterans council.
(2) Amends the purpose statement for the members and the director of the state veterans council.
(3) Changes the name of the state veterans' needs committee to the state veterans' advisory committee.
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EXPLANATION: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears in [brackets].
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
10march94....4841h
CHAPTER 41
HOUSE BILL - FINAL VERSION
3986B
94-2621
10/01
HB 1356-FN
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the year of Our Lord
One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four
AN ACT
relative to the duties of the members and the
director of the state veterans council.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives in General Court convened:
41:1 State Veterans Council Established; Duties. Amend RSA 115:1 to read as follows:
115:1 Council Established.
I. There shall be a state veterans council of 3 members to be appointed by the governor and council, each of whom shall be veterans of any war in which the United States has been engaged and a citizen of the state. Of the first appointments [hereunder] under this section one shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, one for a term of 2 years, one for a term of one year and thereafter each shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. Each member of the council shall hold office until [his] a successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in the council shall be filled by the governor and council for the unexpired term.
II. The members of the council shall meet not less than semi-annually to review activities of the state veterans council and provide guidance to the director of the state veterans council on the adequacy and delivery of council programs. The council may designate one of its members to serve as liaison to the state veterans advisory committee.
41:2 Duties of Director. Amend RSA 115:4 to read as follows:
115:4 Director of Veterans Council.
I. [Said] The council shall, with the approval of the governor and council, appoint a director of the state veterans council, who shall be an honorably [discharged] separated veteran of a war in which the United States was engaged. [He] The director shall serve during the pleasure of the council and shall perform [such] the duties [as the council shall determine] listed in paragraph II.
II. The director of the council shall:
(a) Supervise the activities of a statewide service delivery structure which assists veterans and family members in identifying eligibility for veterans' benefits, filing claims, coordinating benefits with other state and federal agencies, and reviewing claims decisions for appeals or waivers of unfavorable decisions.
(b) Identify and develop legislative proposals to improve delivery of services, review and monitor legislation introduced by others, testify at hearings and prepare legislative fiscal note work sheets. The director shall coordinate, implement, and administer programs mandated by the legislature.
(c) Prepare the agency budget and administer and monitor expenditures for the council.
(d) Develop, interact and coordinate agency programs in conjunction with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs as well as other federal, state, local, and private organizations.
(e) Represent the council at various state and national conventions, conferences and public functions and provide supervision to the agency's public relations program.
(f) Perform such other duties as the council shall determine.
41:3 Duties of State Veterans Council; Reference Change. Amend RSA 115:6 to read as follows:
115:6 Duties. The state veterans council shall assist veterans who are residents of this state or their dependents to secure all benefits or preferences to which they may be entitled under any state or federal laws
or regulations. [Said] The council shall employ such assistance as may be necessary, within the limits of the appropriation made therefor, subject to the [regulations] rules of the state [personnel commission] division of personnel.
41:4 Reference Changed to Department of Veterans Affairs. Amend RSA 115:7 to read as follows:
115:7 Copies of Public Records. When a copy of any public record is required by the [veterans administration] Department of Veterans Affairs to be used in determining the eligibility of any person to participate in benefits made available by the [veterans administration] Department of Veterans Affairs, the official custodian of such public record shall without charge provide the applicant for such benefits or any person acting on his behalf or the authorized representative of the [veterans administration] Department of Veterans Affairs with a certified copy of such record; provided, however, that in any case where the copy is made by a town clerk whose official income is derived in part or entirely from fees a charge for services hereunder shall be made and the town shall reimburse the clerk for [said] the charges.
41:5 Purpose of Aid for Veterans Program Amended. Amend RSA 115-A:1 to read as follows:
115-A:1 Purpose. To [provide continuing financial aid to] address the needs of the veterans and their dependents or survivors in the state and to continue, when required, bonuses previously paid from the Vietnam veterans' bonus fund, the general court deems it in the best interest of the state to establish a program for these causes.
41:6 Definitions; Reference Changed. Amend RSA 115-A:2, VI to read as follows:
VI. "State veterans' [needs] advisory committee" means a committee consisting of the following representatives of these veterans' organizations: one each from the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of World War I of the USA, Inc., Military Order of the Purple Heart, New Hampshire Chapter of American Ex-POW's, and Vietnam Veterans of America, and 2 New Hampshire female
veterans to be selected by majority vote of the other members of the committee, with the advice of the presidents of the auxiliaries of these organizations. The state veterans council may designate one member of the council to serve as liaison to the advisory committee.
41:7 Definitions; Reference Changed. Amend RSA 115-A:2, VIII to read as follows:
VIII. "Veterans' program" means any legitimate veterans' program which may, from time to time, be established in the state, as determined by the state veterans' [needs] advisory committee and approved by the legislative fiscal committee.
41:8 Reference Changed to State Veterans' Advisory Committee. Amend RSA 115-A:8 to read as follows:
115-A:8 State Veterans' [Needs] Advisory Committee. Each member of the state veterans' [needs] advisory committee shall serve a 2-year term of office from the date of [his] the member's appointment, and may be reappointed. The committee members shall choose a chairman, vice-chairman and a secretary from their committee membership.
41:9 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: April 28, 1994
Effective: June 27, 1994
LBAO
LSR 94-2621
11/17/93
FISCAL NOTE for an act relative to the duties of the members and the Director of the State Veterans Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The State Veterans Council has determined this bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county and local revenues and expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Council states this bill provides a statement of purpose for the council and a name for the agency part of the Council, delineates duties of the Director, and changes the name of the State Veterans Needs Committtee. It will have no fiscal impact.