Sec. 3a.

(1) The county veteran service fund is created within the state treasury.

(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

(4) The Michigan veterans affairs agency shall be the administrator of the fund for auditing purposes.

(5) The Michigan veterans affairs agency shall create and operate a grant program that provides grants to counties for county veteran service operations. The Michigan veterans affairs agency shall make grants from the fund, upon appropriation, to each county that meets the conditions listed in subsection (7) for the sole use of the county's veteran service operations. The total disbursement for each grant shall be determined by combining the following amounts:

(a) A base amount of $50,000.00.

(b) A per capita amount according to the number of veterans residing in each county. The amount in this subdivision shall be determined by dividing the amount remaining in the fund after accounting for all disbursements under subdivision (a) by the total number of veterans residing in this state and multiplying the resulting dollar amount by the number of veterans residing in the county receiving the grant. Population figures for veterans residing in this state and in each county of this state shall be obtained from the most recent Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX) Report published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(6) Both of the following apply to the disbursement of a grant under subsection (5):

(a) The base amount described under subsection (5)(a) shall be provided in a lump sum distribution not later than December 31 of each year. The initial base amount shall be provided not later than January 31, 2019.

(b) If the amount remaining in the fund after accounting for all disbursements under subsection (5)(a) is less than the amount obtained by multiplying $1,000.00 by the number of counties receiving grants, the Michigan veterans affairs agency shall not perform a calculation under subsection (5)(b) and shall not disburse the portion of grant funds described under that subsection.

(7) To be eligible for receiving a grant under subsection (5), within 1 year of September 24, 2018, and annually after that date, a county must satisfy all of the following as certified in a form and manner prescribed by the Michigan veterans affairs agency:

(a) Maintain a minimum level of county funding for veteran service operations equal to the level of county funding for veteran service operations for the fiscal year preceding September 24, 2018.

(b) Establish remote access to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs computing systems and require county veteran service officers to obtain a PIV card.

(c) Submit quarterly reports to the Michigan veterans affairs agency in accordance with the reporting requirements determined by that agency.

(d) Provide no less than 20 hours per week toward veteran service operations.

(e) Submit financial reports to the Michigan veterans affairs agency on a regular basis, as determined by that agency, demonstrating that the county expended the grant funds received under subsection (5) directly and solely on veteran service operations during the period of the report. If the Michigan veterans affairs agency determines, by audit or otherwise, that a county expended the grant funds received under subsection (5) for purposes other than veteran service operations, the Michigan veterans affairs agency shall reduce the grant disbursement provided to the county in the succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to the total of all amounts improperly expended.

(8) As used in this section:

(a) "Accredited veteran service officer" means an individual who has met the qualifications for accreditation under 38 USC 5904 and 38 CFR 14.629.

(b) "County veteran service fund" or "fund" means the fund created in subsection (1).

(c) "PIV card" means a personal identity verification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

(d) "Veteran service operations" means assistance and programming of any kind to meet the needs of veterans in this state. Veteran service operations include, but are not limited to, providing assistance, programming, and services for the purpose of assisting veterans in this state and providing advice, advocacy, and assistance to veterans, servicemembers, dependents, or survivors by an accredited veteran service officer to obtain United States Department of Veterans Affairs health, financial, or memorial benefits for which they are eligible.

History: Add. 2018, Act 210, Eff. Sept. 24, 2018 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 514, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2018