2002 SESSION

02-2464

05/01

HOUSE BILL 1453

COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Extends the reporting date for the status of veterans study committee to November 1, 2002.

II. Amends the membership and reporting requirements for the state veterans' advisory committee.

III. Changes references to the armed forces to the uniformed forces.

This bill is a request of the study committee established in 2001, 27.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02-2464

05/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Two

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

76:1 Reporting Date Extended. Amend 2001, 27:5 to read as follows:

27:5 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate president, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, [2001] 2002.

76:2 Aid for Veterans' Programs; Definitions; Armed Forces Changed to Uniformed Forces. Amend RSA 115-A:2, II to read as follows:

II. "[Armed] Uniformed forces of the United States" means the army, navy, air force, marine corps, coast guard, and any women's auxiliary services to such forces, the members of which are subject to and under military law.

76:3 Aid for Veterans' Programs; Definition of State Veterans' Advisory Committee. Amend RSA 115-A:2, VI to read as follows:

VI. "State veterans' 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.]

(a) Two members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be from the state-federal relations and veterans affairs committee, appointed by the speaker.

(b) Two members of the senate, one of whom shall be from the public affairs committee, appointed by the senate president.

(c) Ten representatives of the various veterans' organizations in the state of New Hampshire.

76:4 Aid for Veterans' Programs; Qualifications for Bonus; Reference Change. Amend RSA 115-A:3 to read as follows:

115-A:3 Qualifications for Bonus. Each person who actively served for a total period of 90 days or more in any capacity as a member of the [armed] uniformed forces of the United States between August 5, 1964, and August 15, 1973, or who served in the Vietnam area at any time between July 1, 1958, and August 5, 1964, and earned the Vietnam service medal or the armed forces expeditionary medal; and who was discharged, released or has a certificate of service therefrom, under honorable conditions, or who is missing in action; and who at the time he entered such active military service was a bona fide resident of New Hampshire shall be entitled to the benefits of the bonus payable under RSA 115-A:5.

76:5 Aid for Veterans' Programs; State Veterans' Advisory Committee; Reporting Requirement Added. Amend RSA 115-A:8 to read as follows:

115-A:8 State Veterans' [Needs] Advisory Committee. Each non-legislative member of the state veterans' advisory committee shall serve a 2-year term of office from the date of the member's appointment, and may be reappointed. Legislative members of the committee shall serve a term coterminous with their term in office. The committee members shall choose a chairman, vice-chairman, and a secretary from their committee membership. The committee shall issue biannual reports of its actions, findings, and recommendations on May 1 and November 1 of each year to the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, the governor and council, and all veterans' organizations in the state.

76:6 Aid for Veterans' Programs; Persian Gulf War Service Bonus Payments; Qualifications for Bonus; Reference Change. Amend RSA 115-A:9 to read as follows:

115-A:9 Qualifications for Bonus. Each person who actively served in any capacity as a member of the [armed] uniformed forces of the United States on or after August 2, 1990 and on or before November 30, 1995, and who earned the Southwest Asia Service Medal (SASM); and who was discharged, released or has a certificate of service therefrom, under honorable conditions, or who is missing in action or who was killed in action; and who at the time of entry on such active service, and at the time of such service was a bona fide resident of this state shall be entitled to the benefits provided under this subdivision. A person shall demonstrate bona fide residency under this section through such person's home of record at time of entry as listed on a DD Form 214 or a written verification from a town or city clerk that such person was a resident of a New Hampshire town or city at the time of active service. No individual who has received a Persian Gulf War bonus payment from another state shall be qualified to receive the benefits provided under this subdivision.

76:7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: May 1, 2002)

(Effective Date: June 30, 2002)