Senate File 2124 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON VETERANS
                                           AFFAIRS

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3090)


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to authorized expenditures from the veterans
  2    trust fund and providing for emergency rulemaking authority.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5893SV 82
  5 ec/nh/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 35A.13, subsection 7, paragraphs a, d,
  1  2 and e, Code Supplement 2007, are amended to read as follows:
  1  3    a.  Travel expenses for wounded veterans, and their
  1  4 spouses, directly related to follow=up medical care.
  1  5    d.  Expenses related to nursing facility or at=home care
  1  6 the purchase of durable medical equipment or services to allow
  1  7 veterans to remain in their homes.
  1  8    e.  Benefits provided to children of disabled or deceased
  1  9 veterans Expenses related to hearing care, dental care, vision
  1 10 care, or prescription drugs.
  1 11    Sec. 2.  Section 35A.13, subsection 7, Code Supplement
  1 12 2007, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
  1 13    NEW PARAGRAPH.  i.  Expenses related to ambulance and
  1 14 emergency room services for veterans who are trauma patients.
  1 15    NEW PARAGRAPH.  j.  Emergency expenses related to vehicle
  1 16 repair, housing repair, or temporary housing assistance.
  1 17    Sec. 3.  Section 35A.13, Code Supplement 2007, is amended
  1 18 by adding the following new subsection:
  1 19    NEW SUBSECTION.  10.  The department may adopt emergency
  1 20 rules under section 17A.4, subsection 2, and section 17A.5,
  1 21 subsection 2, paragraph "b", to implement the provisions of
  1 22 this section and the rules shall be effective immediately upon
  1 23 filing unless a later date is specified in the rules.  Any
  1 24 rules adopted in accordance with this subsection shall also be
  1 25 published as a notice of intended action as provided in
  1 26 section 17A.4.
  1 27                           EXPLANATION
  1 28    This bill concerns the veterans trust fund.
  1 29    The bill modifies what expenses may be paid from moneys in
  1 30 the veterans trust fund.  The bill provides that travel
  1 31 expenses of spouses of wounded veterans may be paid if the
  1 32 travel is related to follow=up care for the veteran.  The bill
  1 33 eliminates as a permissible expenditure from the trust fund
  1 34 expenses related to nursing facility care and provides that
  1 35 at=home expenses for veterans are payable from the fund if the
  2  1 expenses are for the purchase of durable medical equipment or
  2  2 services to allow a veteran to remain in their home.  The bill
  2  3 also eliminates as a permissible expenditure from the trust
  2  4 fund benefits provided to children of disabled or deceased
  2  5 veterans.  The bill provides that expenses related to hearing
  2  6 care, dental care, vision care, prescription drugs, and
  2  7 ambulance and emergency room services for veterans who are
  2  8 trauma patients are permissible expenditures from the trust
  2  9 fund.  The bill also permits emergency expenses related to
  2 10 vehicle repair, housing repair, or temporary housing
  2 11 assistance.
  2 12    The bill also authorizes the department of veterans affairs
  2 13 to adopt emergency rules to implement the provisions of the
  2 14 veterans trust fund.
  2 15 LSB 5893SV 82
  2 16 ec/nh/5