Bill Text: MI SB0576 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Veterans: other; act establishing county soldiers' relief funds; make general amendments. Amends title & secs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of 1899 PA 214 (MCL 35.21 et seq.); adds secs. 9 & 10 & repeals secs. 6 & 7 of 1899 PA 214 (MCL 35.26 & 35.27).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-10-11 - Referred To Committee On Veterans And Emergency Services [SB0576 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0576-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 576
A bill to amend 1899 PA 214, entitled
"An act to provide relief outside of the soldiers' home for honorably discharged indigent soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses and members of women's auxiliaries and the indigent wives, widows and minor children of such indigent or deceased soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses and members of women's auxiliaries, and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts,"
by amending the title and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (MCL 35.21, 35.22, 35.23, 35.24, and 35.25), section 1 as amended by 2016 PA 218 and section 2 as amended by 2016 PA 208, and by adding sections 9 and 10; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
An act to provide relief outside of the soldiers' home for to honorably discharged indigent soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses and members of women's auxiliaries service members and the indigent wives, widows spouses, surviving spouses, and minor children of such indigent or deceased soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses and members of women's auxiliaries, service members; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local governmental officers and entities; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts.
Sec. 1. (1) The county board of commissioners of each county shall annually levy a tax, not exceeding 1/10 of a mill on each dollar, to be levied and collected as provided by law, upon the taxable property of each township and city, for their respective counties, for the purpose of creating a soldiers' relief fund for the aid and relief of honorably discharged indigent members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and women's auxiliaries service members, and the indigent spouses, surviving spouses, and minor children , and parents of each indigent or deceased member who served during a period of war as described in 38 CFR 3.2, except that for purposes of this section, "period of war" for the Vietnam era means the following:
(a) February 28, 1961 through May 7, 1975 for a veteran who served during that period.
(b) On or after January 31, 1955 in an area of hazardous duty for which the veteran received an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or Vietnam Service Medal. Funds service members.
(2) In addition to the use described in subsection (1), money raised in accordance with this section may be expended for the aid and relief of indigent wives spouses and minor children of active duty soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, coast guardsmen, nurses, and members of the women's auxiliaries during the continuance of present hostilities and prior to their service members before the service member's discharge. However, in
(3) In any year in which, in the opinion of the county board of commissioners, an emergency exists, the board may appropriate a sum not to exceed exceeding 2/10 of a mill on each dollar for the purposes of this section. The money, when
(4) Money collected , shall under this section must be paid to the county treasurer of the county where the tax is levied in each of the counties in this state, to be and paid out by the treasurer upon the written order of the soldiers' relief commission if as signed by the chairperson and secretary of the commission.
(5) If any money in the fund is not necessary for the purpose for which it was raised, the money shall remain remains in the treasury of the county as a soldiers' relief fund , and shall must be considered in raising future sums money for this that purpose.
Sec. 2. (1) The chief judge of the probate in court for each county shall appoint 3 veterans as that term is defined in 1965 PA 190, MCL 35.61 to 35.62, individuals who are residents of the county and who were are honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, marines, nurses, or service members of the women's auxiliaries of the United States Armed Forces, to a commission to be known as the "soldiers' relief commission" soldiers' relief commission of the county, with the powers and duties as provided in this act.
(2) Of the persons individuals appointed under subsection (1), 1 of the persons shall must be appointed for a an initial term of 1 year, ; 1 for a an initial term of 2 years, ; and 1 for a an initial term of 3 years, and at years. At the expiration of the term for which each of the persons was appointed, his or her an individual's term, the chief judge of the probate court for the county shall appoint the individual's successor shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. The persons so appointed commission shall organize itself by the selection of selecting 1 of their number the commission members as chairperson and 1 as secretary, and in secretary. In the event of the death, resignation, change of residence, or other disability of any a member of the commission, creating a vacancy, the chief judge of the probate court for the county shall fill the vacancy by an appointment for the unexpired term. The commission members shall each file the a constitutional oath of office with the probate court, and receive the proper certificate certification of their appointment. They Commission members are entitled to reasonable compensation for their services, to be fixed and paid by the county board of commissioners. of their respective counties. The chief judge of the probate court for the county may remove any member of the commission for cause.
Sec. 3. The supervisor of each township and ward in each of the counties of this state, and where there is no ward supervisor the aldermen of the several wards of every incorporated city in this state, shall, on or before the last Monday in September in each year, make and place in the hands of the soldiers' relief commission of the county, a list of all the persons entitled to relief under the provisions of this act, and the soldiers' relief commission, on the first Monday in October in each year, shall proceed to determine the amount necessary for aid and relief to be granted such persons under this act, which shall be then and there recorded in the books to be kept by the secretary of said soldiers' relief commission. The commission may determine not only the sum to be paid, but the manner of paying the same, and may discontinue the payment of such aid and relief under this act in their its discretion. Appeal An individual may be taken therefrom appeal by certiorari a decision by the commission to discontinue aid and relief to that individual to the circuit court of such county, by certiorari the county where the individual resides by filing an application therefor with the circuit court clerk within not more than 15 days following after the making of such decision. commission notifies the individual of its decision. The court shall hear the case de novo and its decision shall be is final.
Sec. 4. Whenever any If an individual eligible for aid and relief under this act experiences an emergency shall arise in case of due to sickness, accident, or death , which, that in the opinion of any supervisor or alderman, needs a commission member requires aid and relief, such supervisor or alderman, that commission member, when inconvenient unable to consult any of with the other members of said commission, shall have the power to draw an order on the county treasurer for a sum the commission in a timely manner, may provide that aid and relief to the individual. The amount or value of the aid and relief provided must not to exceed 10 dollars, and $300.00. The commission member shall certify his by signed documentation the commission member's action and the circumstances of the case to such soldiers' relief commission, which the commission. The commission shall review the signed documentation and on approval ratify the same, certification and such commission may grant such further aid and relief to the individual at any time as it may deem necessary: Provided, however, That no it considers necessary. This section does not apply to a claim for aid and relief shall be allowed and paid which shall if the payment or provision of the aid and relief will create a deficiency in the fund.
Sec. 5. Said The soldiers' relief commission and county treasurer of each county shall make to the board of supervisors, at its October session in each year, a full provide an annual report of its doings to the county board of commissioners that must include all of the following:
(a) A summary of the commission's activities. and the
(b) The amount of relief money on hand, remaining in that county's fund. the
(c) The amount expended from that county's fund during the last year. preceding, and the
(d) The amount estimated for to be expended from the county's fund during the next year. ensuing, and such
(e) Any further information and suggestions as they may consider recommendations that the commission considers necessary to the discharge of their its duties under this act.
Sec. 9. An individual is considered to be indigent under this act if the individual is experiencing a substantial financial hardship. Substantial financial hardship is presumed if the individual receives personal public assistance, including under a food assistance program, temporary assistance for needy families, Medicaid, or disability insurance, resides in public housing, earns an income less than 140% of the federal poverty guideline, or is unemployed.
(a) "Aid and relief" means cash assistance and other services provided to, or supported on behalf of, an individual entitled to aid and relief under this act, including, but not limited to, providing for transportation to a veterans' or nonveteran hospital, a health facility or clinic, or job training.
(b) "Armed forces" means the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, including the reserve components.
(c) "Indigent" means meeting 1 or more of the conditions described in section 9.
(d) "Reserve components" means all of the following:
(i) The Army National Guard of the United States.
(ii) The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard reserves.
(iii) The Air National Guard of the United States.
(e) "Service member" means any of the following:
(i) A veteran.
(ii) A member of the armed forces.
(iii) A member of a women's auxiliary.
(f) "Soldiers' relief commission" or "commission" means a county soldiers' relief commission appointed under section 2.
(g) "Soldiers' relief fund" or "fund" means a soldiers' relief fund described in section 1.
(h) "Veteran" means an individual who is a veteran as that term is defined in section 1 of 1965 PA 190, MCL 35.61, and was honorably discharged. Veteran includes individuals honorably discharged who served in any of the nurse corps of the armed forces regardless of the military status of that corps before becoming a fully recognized branch of the regular armed forces.
(i) "Women's auxiliary" means any women's military unit that served with the armed forces before becoming a fully recognized branch of the regular armed forces including, but not limited to, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps.
Enacting section 1. Sections 6 and 7 of 1899 PA 214, MCL 35.26 and 35.27, are repealed.
