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HB108 • 2026

Honor Guard Grant Program; Department of Veterans Services to establish.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 20 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-2004.3, relating to Department of Veterans Services; Honor Guard Grant Program established.

Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Ballard
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact amount of funding available for grants or provide details on how to apply for these grants.

Honor Guard Grant Program

This act establishes a grant program within the Department of Veterans Services to provide financial assistance to veteran service organizations for expenses related to honor guard services at veterans' funerals.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Honor Guard Grant Program within the Department of Veterans Services.
  • Provides grants to veteran service organizations to offset expenses incurred by their honor guards when performing burial details for veterans, including training, transportation, food, equipment, and supplies.
  • Requires the Department to establish guidelines and criteria for awarding these grants.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Veteran service organizations that provide honor guard services.
  • The Department of Veterans Services which will manage the grant program.

Terms To Know

Veteran
A deceased person who is eligible to receive a military funeral honors ceremony pursuant to federal law.
Veteran service organization
An association, corporation, or entity that aids and serves veterans, servicemembers, and dependents and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact amount of funding available for grants is not specified.
  • Details on how to apply for these grants are yet to be established by the Department of Veterans Services.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 65 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 65 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0065)

  4. 2026-03-25 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-03-19 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB108)

  7. 2026-03-14 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Signed by President

  9. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled

  10. 2026-03-14 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB108ER)

  11. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  14. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  16. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  17. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  19. 2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  20. 2026-02-18 General Laws and Technology

    Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  21. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  22. 2026-02-13 General Laws and Technology

    Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  23. 2026-02-12 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  24. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  25. 2026-02-10 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB108)

  26. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  27. 2026-02-06 Appropriations

    Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

  28. 2026-02-04 Transportation & Public Safety

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)

  29. 2026-01-27 Transportation & Public Safety

    Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety

  30. 2026-01-27 General Laws

    Reported from General Laws and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-01-22 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

    Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N)

  32. 2026-01-19 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

    Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

  33. 2026-01-02 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104102D

  34. 2026-01-02 General Laws

    Referred to Committee on General Laws

Official Summary Text

Department of Veterans Services; Honor Guard Grant Program established.
Requires the Department of Veterans Services to establish the Honor Guard Grant Program for the purpose of providing grants to veteran service organizations, defined in the bill, to offset expenses incurred by the organizations and members of the organizations' honor guards in providing honor guard burial details at the funerals of veterans in the Commonwealth, including expenses for training, transportation, food, equipment, and supplies.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 20 of Title 2.2 a section numbered
2.2-2004.3
, relating to Department of Veterans Services; Honor Guard Grant Program established.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 20 of Title 2.2 a section numbered
2.2-2004.3
as follows:
§
2.2-2004.3
. Honor Guard Grant Program.
A. For the purpose of this section:
"Veteran" means a decedent who is eligible to receive a military funeral honors ceremony pursuant to the federal National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, P.L.
106-65
.
"Veteran service organization" means (i) an association, corporation, or other entity that aids and serves veterans, servicemembers, and dependents and is a § 501(c)(19) organization that is exempt from taxation under § 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 501(a); (ii) a federally chartered veterans' service corporation; or (iii) a veterans' affairs office or agency established by state law.
B. The Department shall establish the Honor Guard Grant Program (the Program) for the purpose of providing grants to veteran service organizations to offset expenses incurred by the organizations and members of the organizations' honor guards in providing honor guard burial details at the funerals of veterans in the Commonwealth, including expenses for training, transportation, food, equipment, and supplies. The Department shall establish guidelines, procedures, and objective criteria for the award and distribution of grants by the Program. Subject to the availability of funds, the Department shall award and distribute grants each fiscal year to veteran service organizations.