SF 512 (LSB 1275SV (2) 88)

SENATE FILE 512

BY  COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1065)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to military and veterans benefits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 35A.13, subsection 4, paragraph a, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  The minimum balance of the trust fund required prior to expenditure of moneys from the trust fund is five million dollars. Once the minimum balance is reached, the interest and earnings on the fund and the first five six hundred thousand dollars transferred each fiscal year pursuant to section 99G.39 from the lottery fund to the trust fund are appropriated to the commission to be used to achieve the purposes of subsection 6 of this section. Moneys appropriated to the commission that remain unobligated or unexpended at the end of each fiscal year shall revert to the trust fund. It is the intent of the general assembly that the balance in the trust fund reach fifty million dollars.
    Sec. 2.  Section 35A.13, Code 2019, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  6A.  a.  Notwithstanding subsection 6 of this section, the commission shall transfer one hundred thousand dollars of the moneys appropriated pursuant to this section each fiscal year to the injured veterans trust fund established pursuant to section 35A.14. However, if the balance of the injured veterans trust fund remaining on June 30 of a fiscal year is one million dollars or more, no moneys shall be transferred pursuant to this paragraph in a succeeding fiscal year until the balance of the injured veterans trust fund remaining on June 30 of a fiscal year is below seven hundred thousand dollars.
    Sec. 3.  Section 35A.14, subsection 4, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  Moneys appropriated to or received by the department for providing injured veterans grants under this section may be expended for grants of up to ten thousand dollars to a veteran who is seriously injured or very seriously injured, as defined in the most recently published United States department of defense joint publication 1-02, to provide financial assistance to the veteran so that family members of the veteran may be with the veteran during the veteran’s recovery from an injury received in the line of duty in a combat zone or in a zone where the veteran was receiving hazardous duty pay outside the United States after September 11, 2001.
    Sec. 4.  Section 35A.14, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Proof of continued medical care or rehabilitation services may include any reasonably reliable documentation showing that the veteran is receiving continued medical or rehabilitative care as a result of qualifying injuries. Proof that the injury occurred in the line of duty shall be made based upon the circumstances of the injury known at the time of evacuation from the combat zone or zone in which the veteran was receiving hazardous duty pay place where the veteran was injured.
    Sec. 5.  Section 272C.4, Code 2019, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  12A.  a.  Establish procedures by January 1, 2020, to expedite the licensing of an individual who is licensed in a similar profession or occupation in another state and who is the spouse of an active duty member of the military forces of the United States.
   b.  If the board determines that the professional or occupational licensing requirements of the state where the spouse is licensed are substantially equivalent to the licensing requirements of this state, the procedures shall require the expedited licensing of the spouse in this state.
   c.  If the board determines that the professional or occupational licensing requirements of the state where the spouse is licensed are not substantially equivalent to the professional or occupational licensing requirements of this state, the procedures shall allow the provisional licensing of the spouse for a period of time deemed necessary by the board to obtain a substantial equivalent to the licensing requirements of this state. The board shall advise the spouse of required education or training necessary to obtain a substantial equivalent to the professional or occupational licensing requirements of this state, and the procedures shall provide for licensing of an individual who has, pursuant to this paragraph, obtained a substantial equivalent to the licensing requirements of this state.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   Currently, under Code section 35A.14, the injured veterans grant program provides grants to veterans recovering from an injury received in the line of duty in a combat zone or in a zone where the veteran was receiving hazardous duty pay after September 11, 2001. This bill eliminates the requirement that the veteran be injured in a combat zone or zone where the veteran is receiving hazardous duty pay in order to qualify for the program, but requires the veteran be injured in the line of duty outside the United States.
   Under Code section 99G.39, $2.5 million in lottery revenues are transferred each fiscal year to the veterans trust fund. The bill amends Code section 35A.13(4)(a) and provides that $600,000 of the moneys received by the veterans trust fund pursuant to Code section 99G.39 are to be appropriated to the commission of veterans affairs. The bill provides that the commission of veterans affairs shall transfer $100,000 of the moneys appropriated to the commission pursuant to Code section 35A.13(4)(a) to the injured veterans trust fund established pursuant to Code section 35A.14 each fiscal year. However, if the balance of the injured veterans trust fund remaining on June 30 of a fiscal year is $1 million or more, no moneys are transferred in a succeeding fiscal year until the balance of the injured veterans trust fund remaining on June 30 of a fiscal year is below $700,000.
   The bill also establishes an expedited licensing process for spouses of active duty members of the United States military who are stationed in Iowa pursuant to military orders. Code section 272C.4 is amended to provide that licensing boards establish procedures by January 1, 2020, to expedite the licensing of an individual who is licensed in a similar profession or occupation in another state and who is the spouse of an active duty member of the military forces of the United States. Provisional licensing procedures are also required to be established.