Senate Study Bill 3090 SENATE FILE BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS BILL BY CHAIRPERSON BEALL) 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 5893SC 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 tonursing facility or at=home care1 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 veteransExpenses 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 5893SC 82 2 16 ec/nh/5