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Senate
File
2282
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
2282
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
VETERANS
AFFAIRS
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SSB
3079)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
veterans
services
and
making
appropriations.
1
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
2
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Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
35.4
Power
of
attorney.
1
The
provisions
of
this
chapter
and
chapters
35A,
35B,
2
35C,
and
35D
do
not
limit
the
ability
of
a
veterans’
service
3
organization
recognized
pursuant
to
38
C.F.R.
§14.628(c)
to
4
represent
a
veteran
in
the
United
States
department
of
veterans
5
affairs
benefit
claims
process
or
to
be
granted
the
power
of
6
attorney
for
a
veteran
with
the
United
States
department
of
7
veterans
affairs.
A
veteran
may
grant
a
veterans’
service
8
organization
that
is
recognized
pursuant
to
38
C.F.R.
9
§14.628(c)
power
of
attorney
for
the
purposes
of
filing
claims
10
with
the
United
States
department
of
veterans
affairs.
11
Sec.
2.
Section
35A.5,
subsection
6,
paragraph
b,
12
subparagraph
(2),
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
13
(2)
All
funds
moneys
received
by
the
department
for
the
14
purposes
established
in
subparagraph
(1)
shall
be
deposited
15
in
the
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs
training
veterans
16
services
excellence
training
program
and
administration
account
17
established
in
section
35A.16,
subsection
4
.
18
Sec.
3.
Section
35A.5,
subsection
9,
Code
2026,
is
amended
19
to
read
as
follows:
20
9.
Verify
each
executive
director
and
administrator
of
a
21
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs
is
fully
qualified
to
work
22
in
the
person’s
position.
Qualifications
include
but
are
not
23
limited
to
has
all
of
the
following
credentials
:
24
a.
The
person
has
obtained
certification
that
is
federally
25
required
for
the
executive
director’s
or
administrator’s
26
position
within
twelve
months
of
beginning
the
person’s
27
employment.
28
b.
The
person
has
obtained
a
personal
identification
29
verification
card
necessary
to
access
the
veterans
benefits
30
management
system
within
twelve
months
of
beginning
the
31
person’s
employment.
32
c.
The
person
maintains
certification
that
is
federally
33
required
for
the
executive
director’s
or
administrator’s
34
position.
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d.
The
person
maintains
an
active
personal
identification
1
verification
card
and
has
access
to
the
veterans
benefits
2
management
system.
3
e.
The
person
is
proficient
in
the
use
of
electronic
4
mail,
general
computer
use,
and
use
of
the
internet
to
access
5
information
regarding
facilities,
benefits,
and
services
6
available
to
veterans
and
their
families
in
compliance
with
7
education
and
training
standards
established
by
the
commandant
.
8
Sec.
4.
Section
35A.5,
Code
2026,
is
amended
by
adding
the
9
following
new
subsections:
10
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
16A.
Establish
and
maintain
a
statewide
11
standardized
electronic
claim
system
to
be
used
by
county
12
veterans
service
offices
for
submission
of
all
United
States
13
department
of
veterans
affairs
claims.
14
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
16B.
Communicate
county
veterans
service
15
office
performance
metrics
to
county
commissions
of
veteran
16
affairs
and
boards
of
supervisors
through
quarterly
reports.
17
Sec.
5.
Section
35A.13,
subsection
5,
paragraph
e,
Code
18
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
19
e.
Notwithstanding
paragraphs
“a”
,
“b”
,
and
“c”
,
moneys
20
transferred
under
subsection
6
to
the
county
commission
of
21
veteran
affairs
training
veterans
services
excellence
training
22
program
and
administration
account
shall
be
expended
as
23
provided
in
section
35A.16
.
24
Sec.
6.
Section
35A.13,
subsection
6,
Code
2026,
is
amended
25
to
read
as
follows:
26
6.
For
the
fiscal
year
beginning
July
1,
2024
2026
,
and
27
for
each
subsequent
fiscal
year,
there
is
transferred
to
the
28
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs
training
veterans
services
29
excellence
training
program
and
administration
account
of
30
the
county
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
veterans
services
31
excellence
fund
created
in
section
35A.16
,
from
the
moneys
32
transferred
pursuant
to
section
99G.39
from
the
lottery
fund
to
33
the
veterans
trust
fund,
three
hundred
thousand
dollars.
34
Sec.
7.
Section
35A.16,
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
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follows:
1
35A.16
County
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
veterans
2
services
excellence
fund
——
appropriation.
3
1.
a.
A
county
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
veterans
4
services
excellence
fund
is
created
within
the
state
treasury
5
under
the
control
of
the
department.
The
fund
shall
consist
of
6
appropriations
made
to
the
fund
and
any
other
moneys
available
7
to
and
obtained
or
accepted
by
the
department
from
the
federal
8
government
or
private
sources
for
deposit
in
the
fund.
Moneys
9
in
the
fund
are
appropriated
to
the
department
to
be
used
to
10
incentivize
counties
to
effectively
increase
veteran
outreach
11
and
efficiency
in
the
application
for
individual
federal
12
veteran
compensation.
13
b.
There
is
appropriated
from
the
general
fund
of
the
state
14
to
the
department,
for
the
fiscal
year
beginning
July
1,
2009
15
2026
,
and
for
each
subsequent
fiscal
year,
the
sum
of
nine
16
hundred
ninety
thousand
dollars
to
be
credited
to
the
county
17
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
veterans
services
excellence
18
fund.
19
2.
Notwithstanding
section
12C.7
,
interest
or
earnings
on
20
moneys
in
the
county
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
fund
shall
21
be
credited
to
the
county
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
fund.
22
Notwithstanding
section
8.33
,
moneys
remaining
in
the
county
23
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
fund
at
the
end
of
a
fiscal
year
24
shall
not
revert
to
the
general
fund
of
the
state
.
25
3.
a.
If
sufficient
moneys
are
available,
the
department
26
shall
annually
allocate
ten
thousand
dollars
make
allocations
27
from
the
fund
to
each
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs,
or
28
to
each
county
sharing
the
services
of
an
executive
director
29
or
administrator
pursuant
to
chapter
28E
,
to
.
For
the
fiscal
30
year
beginning
July
1,
2026,
the
department
shall
allocate
31
moneys
equally
to
each
qualifying
county.
For
the
fiscal
year
32
beginning
July
1,
2027,
and
each
subsequent
fiscal
year,
the
33
department
shall
allocate
moneys
based
on
performance
criteria
34
determined
by
the
department.
The
moneys
shall
be
used
to
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provide
services
to
veterans
pursuant
to
section
35B.6
and
1
provide
for
and
maintain
accreditation
in
accordance
with
2
the
policies
and
procedures
of
the
department
and
the
United
3
States
department
of
veterans
affairs.
Each
county
receiving
4
an
allocation
shall
annually
report
on
expenditure
of
the
5
allocation
in
on
a
form
agreed
to
provided
by
the
department
6
and
county
representatives
.
7
b.
If
a
county
fails
to
be
in
compliance
with
the
8
requirements
of
section
35B.6
on
June
30
of
each
fiscal
year,
9
all
moneys
received
by
the
county
pursuant
to
this
subsection
10
during
that
fiscal
year
shall
be
reimbursed
to
the
county
11
commissions
of
veteran
affairs
fund.
12
c.
Moneys
distributed
to
a
county
under
this
subsection
13
shall
be
used
to
supplement
and
not
supplant
any
existing
14
funding
provided
by
the
county
or
received
by
the
county
from
15
any
other
source.
The
department
shall
adopt
a
maintenance
16
of
effort
requirement
for
moneys
distributed
under
this
17
subsection
.
18
4.
A
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs
veterans
services
19
excellence
training
program
and
administration
account
shall
20
be
is
established
within
the
county
commissions
of
veteran
21
affairs
fund.
Any
moneys
remaining
in
the
fund
after
the
22
allocations
under
subsection
3
shall
be
credited
to
the
account
23
and
are
appropriated
to
the
department
to
fund
the
county
24
commission
of
veteran
affairs
training
program
under
section
25
35A.5,
subsection
6
,
and
training
for
department
personnel.
26
In
addition,
from
the
moneys
transferred
to
the
account
27
from
the
veterans
trust
fund
created
in
section
35A.13
,
the
28
department
shall
annually
allocate
three
thousand
dollars
to
29
each
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs,
or
to
each
county
30
sharing
the
services
of
an
executive
director
or
administrator
31
pursuant
to
chapter
28E
,
to
be
used
for
national
training
32
and
related
expenses
of
county
veteran
service
officers
and
33
appropriate
staff.
Moneys
in
the
account
are
appropriated
34
to
the
department
to
provide
training
and
support
for
county
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commissions
of
veteran
affairs,
including
but
not
limited
to
1
a
statewide
standardized
electronic
claim
system
for
county
2
submissions
of
claims
to
the
United
States
department
of
3
veterans
affairs
and
education
and
training
for
county
veterans
4
service
officers.
5
Sec.
8.
Section
35B.6,
subsection
1,
paragraph
d,
Code
2026,
6
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
7
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(4)
Utilize
the
statewide
standardized
8
electronic
claim
system
authorized
and
provided
by
the
9
department
of
veterans
affairs
to
file
all
claims
for
United
10
States
department
of
veterans
affairs
benefits.
11
Sec.
9.
Section
35B.7,
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
12
follows:
13
35B.7
Meetings
——
report
——
budget.
14
The
commission
shall
meet
monthly
and
at
other
times
as
15
necessary.
At
the
monthly
meeting
,
the
commission
shall
16
determine
who
are
is
entitled
to
county
benefits
and
the
17
probable
amount
required
to
be
expended.
The
commission
shall
18
also
review
quarterly
performance
reports
generated
by
the
19
department
of
veterans
affairs
to
assess
the
effectiveness
20
of
delivery
of
federal
benefits.
The
commission
shall
meet
21
annually
to
prepare
an
estimated
budget
for
all
expenditures
22
to
be
made
in
the
next
fiscal
year
and
certify
the
budget
to
23
the
board
of
supervisors.
The
board
may
approve
or
reduce
the
24
budget
for
valid
reasons
shown
and
entered
of
record
and
the
25
board’s
decision
is
final.
26
Sec.
10.
Section
99G.39,
subsection
3,
Code
2026,
is
amended
27
to
read
as
follows:
28
3.
Two
million
five
hundred
thousand
dollars
in
lottery
29
revenues
shall
be
transferred
each
fiscal
year
to
the
veterans
30
trust
fund
established
pursuant
to
section
35A.13
prior
to
31
deposit
of
the
lottery
revenues
in
the
general
fund
of
the
32
state
pursuant
to
section
99G.40
.
However,
if
the
balance
33
of
the
veterans
trust
fund
is
fifty
million
dollars
or
more,
34
the
moneys
shall
be
are
appropriated
to
the
department
of
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veterans
affairs
for
distribution
,
with
the
first
three
hundred
1
thousand
dollars
transferred
to
the
county
veterans
services
2
excellence
training
program
and
administration
account
created
3
in
section
35A.16,
and
the
remainder
allocated
to
county
4
directors
of
veteran
affairs
,
with
fifty
percent
of
the
moneys
5
to
be
distributed
equally
to
each
county
and
fifty
percent
of
6
the
moneys
to
be
distributed
to
each
county
based
upon
the
7
population
of
veterans
in
the
county,
so
long
as
the
moneys
8
distributed
to
a
county
do
not
supplant
moneys
appropriated
by
9
that
county
for
the
county
director
of
veteran
affairs.
10
EXPLANATION
11
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
12
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
13
This
bill
provides
that
the
provisions
of
Code
chapters
35,
14
35A,
35B,
35C,
and
35D
do
not
limit
the
ability
of
a
veterans’
15
service
organization
to
represent
a
veteran
in
the
United
16
States
department
of
veterans
affairs
benefit
claims
process
17
or
to
be
granted
power
of
attorney
by
a
veteran
for
those
18
purposes.
19
The
bill
replaces
the
county
commissions
of
veteran
20
affairs
fund
and
training
program
account
with
the
county
21
veterans
services
excellence
fund
and
training
program
and
22
administration
account.
Moneys
in
the
fund
are
appropriated
23
to
the
department
of
veterans
affairs
(IDVA)
to
be
used
to
24
incentivize
counties
to
effectively
increase
veteran
outreach
25
and
efficiency
in
the
application
for
individual
federal
26
veteran
compensation.
27
Under
current
law,
IDVA
annually
allocates
$10,000
from
the
28
fund
to
each
county
commission
of
veteran
affairs
(CCVA)
or
to
29
each
county
sharing
the
services
of
an
executive
director
or
30
administrator,
and
each
county
must
report
on
the
expenditure
31
of
its
allocation
in
a
form
agreed
to
by
IDVA
and
the
county
32
representatives.
The
bill
strikes
the
specified
allocation
33
amount.
The
bill
provides
that
for
FY
2026-2027,
each
county
34
shall
receive
an
equal
amount
of
moneys
from
the
fund.
For
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subsequent
fiscal
years,
allocations
shall
be
based
on
1
performance
criteria
established
by
IDVA.
2
The
bill
requires
the
veterans
services
excellence
training
3
program
and
administration
account
to
fund
training
and
support
4
for
CCVAs
and
strikes
provisions
that
credit
remaining
moneys
5
in
the
fund
to
the
account
and
that
allocate
$3,000
to
each
6
CCVA
or
each
county
sharing
the
services
of
an
executive
7
director
or
administrator
for
training
expenses.
8
The
bill
requires
IDVA
to
verify
that
each
executive
9
director
and
administrator
of
a
CCVA
be
in
compliance
with
10
education
and
training
standards
established
by
the
commandant
11
and
removes
the
requirement
to
verify
they
are
proficient
in
12
general
computer
use.
13
The
bill
requires
IDVA
to
create
a
statewide
standardized
14
electronic
claim
system
through
which
county
veterans
service
15
offices
must
submit
all
United
States
department
of
veterans
16
affairs
claims
and
requires
IDVA
to
communicate
county
veterans
17
service
office
performance
metrics
to
CCVAs
and
boards
of
18
supervisors.
A
CCVA
must
review
the
quarterly
performance
19
report
generated
by
IDVA.
20
Under
current
law,
when
the
balance
of
the
veterans
21
trust
fund
is
$50
million
or
more,
lottery
revenues
that
22
would
otherwise
be
deposited
in
the
veterans
trust
fund
is
23
distributed
to
county
directors
of
veteran
affairs.
The
bill
24
provides
that
the
first
$300,000
of
these
moneys
is
transferred
25
to
the
county
veterans
services
excellence
training
program
and
26
administration
account.
27
-7-
LSB
5189SV
(3)
91
sc/ns
7/
7