§293. Vietnam bonuses

A. Bonuses shall be paid out of the avails of the tax on beer levied by the Legislature of Louisiana by Act No. 8 of the Regular Session held in the year 1948 to servicemen and ex-servicemen and servicewomen and ex-servicewomen who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States in the Vietnam Theater at any time during the period between the first day of July, 1958 and such date as the government of the United States declares to be the termination of service for members of the armed forces to receive credit for the award of the Vietnam Service Medal, and who were citizens of Louisiana, when inducted into active service and certain relatives of such servicemen and servicewomen, such payments of bonuses to be in the amounts and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, as follows:

(1) To the widow of each serviceman as above defined who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States during said period or who dies at any time during said period after having served in the armed forces of the United States during said period as a result of injuries or wounds received or disease contracted by him while in the armed forces of the United States during said period, the sum of one thousand dollars, provided that no such bonus shall be paid to any widow who has remarried.

(2) To the children or child under the age of eighteen, if any, of each such serviceman or servicewoman, as above defined, who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States during said period or who died at any time during said period, after having served in the armed forces of the United States during said period, as the result of injuries or wounds received or disease contracted by him or her while in the armed forces of the United States during said period and who, if a serviceman, has no surviving unremarried widow, the sum of one thousand dollars, said sum, in the case of more than one such child, to be equally divided between them.

(3) To the surviving parents, or the surviving parent if there is only one surviving parent, of each such serviceman or servicewoman, as above defined, who died while serving in the armed forces of the United States during said period, or who died at any time during said period, after serving in the armed forces of the United States during said period, as a result of injuries or wounds received or disease contracted by him or her while in the armed forces of the United States during said period, and who has no surviving unremarried widow, if a serviceman, and no surviving children under the age of eighteen years, the sum of one thousand dollars.

(4) For the purposes of this Section the term "parent" shall include a legal parent, natural parent, adoptive parent, step-parent, foster parent, or any other person who stood in the relationship of parent to a person. In the event there are survivors in two or more of the classes stipulated, or if there are more than one set of parents in any one class, then the officer charged by law with the payment of the bonuses authorized herein shall investigate the facts and circumstances of parental control and responsibility and shall make payment of the bonus in the manner which, in his judgment, shall best serve the intent of this Section, and payment so made shall constitute a full release of the obligation of the state of Louisiana with respect to the matter, and no further or other claim by any person against the State Department of Veterans Affairs or the state shall be valid.

(5) If there is no surviving unremarried widow, and no surviving minor children under the age of eighteen years, and no surviving parent, then no bonus shall be paid. In addition, the one thousand dollar payment specified herein shall be reduced by any other amount paid under the provisions of this Section.

(6) To each such serviceman or servicewoman who served in the armed forces of the United States during said period in the Vietnam combat area, the sum of two hundred fifty dollars.

(7) No such bonus shall be paid to any serviceman or servicewoman who has been separated from the armed forces of the United States without an honorable discharge or an honorable separation therefrom nor to the survivors of such a serviceman or servicewoman.

B. No bonus as herein provided shall be paid to any serviceman or servicewoman, or to the widow or parent or child of any such serviceman or servicewoman unless a claim therefor is filed in writing with the director of the State Department of Veterans Affairs on or before five years after the close of the period of eligible service hereinbefore specified.

C. If any serviceman or servicewoman or relative herein entitled to a bonus or payment has received a bonus or gratuitous payment from any other state, territory or governmental authority, other than the government of the United States, prior to making application hereunder, then the amount of the bonus or gratuitous payment so received shall be deducted from the amount provided herein to be paid to each such person.

D. In the case of any bonus hereunder which may become due to a minor or to another person not sui juris, such bonus shall be paid to the tutor, curator, guardian or other legal representative of the minor or other person not sui juris for the use and benefit of the minor or other person not sui juris, if he has a tutor, curator, guardian or other legal representative, and if such minor or other person not sui juris has no tutor, curator, guardian or other legal representative, then such bonus shall be paid to the person found by the officer charged by law with the payment of such bonuses to be in charge of the minor or other person not sui juris, for the use and benefit of the minor or other person not sui juris.

E. The bonuses and payments provided herein shall be completely exempt from all liability for any debt, tax or obligation. This exemption cannot be waived. Such bonus or payment shall be nonassignable and shall not be subject to pledge or hypothecation in any manner whatsoever.

F. The State Department of Veterans Affairs shall have responsibility for the administration of this Section. The director of the department is designated as the officer charged by law with the payment of the bonuses authorized herein, and the director, with the approval of the Veterans' Affairs Commission, shall make such rules and regulations, not inconsistent herewith, as are necessary for the distribution of the bonuses and for the proper administration of this Section.

G. From and after July 1, 1968, and subject to all prior charges and prior dedications for the payment of the principal and interest and debt service requirements of outstanding bonds or other contractual obligations of the state or any of its agencies, the avails of the tax on beer levied by Act 8 of 1948 are hereby dedicated to the State Department of Veterans Affairs for the payment of bonuses hereinabove provided, but only in the amount necessary to pay the valid claims for bonuses by survivors of servicemen and servicewomen who have died as a result of injuries or wounds received or disease contracted while serving in the armed forces of the United States in the Viet Nam theater, and for the necessary costs for the distribution of the bonuses and the administration of this section. The State Department of Veterans Affairs shall estimate the amount necessary to pay such claims and administer this Section for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1968 and include in its budget submittal that amount as a separate item; and the dedication hereinabove provided of the avails of the beer tax shall extend to the amount appropriated by the legislature for that purpose only. In each subsequent fiscal year the amount necessary for the bonuses referred to in this Paragraph and the costs of administration shall be estimated by that department and the dedication of the avails of the beer tax shall extend to the amount appropriated by the legislature for that purpose only, and the state treasurer shall cause the proceeds of said tax to be applied to the payment of the bonuses authorized to be paid under this Paragraph. The surplus or residue of the said tax in each year, after paying the bonuses authorized in this Paragraph, shall be transmitted to the state general fund, except as provided in Paragraph G of this Section; and any surplus remaining of the amount set aside for the purposes of this Paragraph at the end of each fiscal year shall be returned to the state general fund.

H. The State Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized to begin processing claims for the death benefits provided in this Paragraph only, from and after June 26, 1967.

I. From and after such date as the government of the United States declares to be the termination of service for members of the armed forces to receive credit for the award of the Viet Nam Service Medal, and subject to all prior charges and prior dedications for the payment of the principal and interest and debt service requirements of outstanding bonds or other contractual obligations of the state or any of its agencies, the avails of the tax levied on beer by the legislature of Louisiana by Act No. 8 of the Regular Session held in the year 1948, are hereby dedicated to the State Department of Veterans Affairs for the payment of the bonuses herein authorized, whether to veterans themselves, their dependents or other claimants as authorized herein, and for the necessary costs for the distribution of the bonuses and the administration of this Section, and the dedication of the tax as provided herein shall remain in effect until all valid claims for such bonuses which have been timely and properly filed are fully paid unless the legislature shall otherwise provide for the payment thereof.

J. Until all such valid claims for bonuses have been paid, unless the legislature shall otherwise provide for the payment thereof, then from and after the aforesaid date of termination of service for the Viet Nam Service Medal as set forth above, the officer charged by law with the collection of said tax shall pay into the state treasury each calendar month all proceeds of said tax collected during the preceding calendar month, and the state treasurer shall cause the proceeds of said tax to be applied to the payment of the bonuses herein authorized, after satisfying the payment of the principal and interest and debt service requirements of outstanding bonds or other contractual obligations of the state or any of its agencies for which the avails of said tax have been heretofore pledged or dedicated.

K. The surplus or residue of the said tax in each year, after paying the bonuses herein authorized, shall be transmitted to the state general fund.

L. Until all valid claims for bonuses as herein provided have been paid in full, unless the legislature shall otherwise provide for the payment thereof, the said tax shall not be abolished or reduced, and no laws shall be enacted which adversely affect the collection thereof.

Added by Acts 1967, No. 113, §1. Amended by Acts 1969, No. 123, §1; Acts 2004, No. 26, §11.