1. The Director shall:

(a) Assist veterans, and those presently serving in the Armed Forces of the United States who are residents of the State of Nevada, their spouses, domestic partners, widows, widowers, children, dependents, administrators, executors and personal representatives, in preparing, submitting and presenting any claim against the United States, or any state, for adjusted compensation, insurance, pension, disability compensation, vocational training, education, rehabilitation or any other benefit to which they may be entitled under the laws of the United States or of any of the states, and assist them in obtaining any aid or benefit to which they may be entitled under the laws of the United States or of any of the states.

(b) Aid, assist, encourage and cooperate with every service organization recognized nationally or in this State insofar as the activities of such organizations are for the benefit of veterans, servicemen and servicewomen and the spouses, domestic partners, widows, widowers, children, dependents, administrators, executors or personal representatives of such veterans, servicemen and servicewomen.

(c) Give aid, assistance and counsel to each and every problem, question and situation, individual as well as collective, affecting any veteran, serviceman or servicewoman, or their dependents, or any group of veterans, servicemen and servicewomen, when in their opinion such comes within the scope of this chapter.

(d) Coordinate activities of veterans’ organizations.

(e) Serve as a clearinghouse and disseminate information relating to veterans’ benefits.

(f) Conduct any studies which will assist veterans to obtain compensation, insurance, pension, disability compensation, vocational training, education, rehabilitation or any other benefit to which veterans may be entitled under the laws of the United States or of any state.

(g) Aid, assist and cooperate with the office of coordinator of services for veterans created in a county pursuant to NRS 244.401.

(h) Take possession of any abandoned or unclaimed artifacts or other property that has military or historical value for safekeeping. The Director may:

(1) Transfer such an artifact or other property to:

(I) The Nevada State Museum or the Nevada Historical Society, upon its written request, if the artifact or other property has, in the opinion of the requesting institution, historical value and is worthy of preservation; or

(II) Any other governmental agency or nonprofit entity, including, without limitation, a veterans’ organization and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, upon its written request, if the artifact or other property was not requested by the Nevada State Museum or the Nevada Historical Society; or

(2) Destroy or otherwise dispose of the artifact or other property.

An action may not be maintained by any person against the holder or former holder of an artifact or other property because of the transfer, destruction or other disposal of the artifact or other property pursuant to this paragraph.

(i) Develop plans and programs to assist veterans who have suffered sexual trauma while on active duty or during military training.

(j) Create and maintain a statewide database of information relating to veterans to assist the Department in identifying and communicating with veterans and connecting veterans with benefits and opportunities for which they are eligible.

(k) Create and maintain a registry of governmental agencies and private entities that provide services and resources to veterans, service members and their families and publish a digital copy of the registry on the Internet website maintained by the Department.

(l) Ensure that each generation of veterans is recognized annually through a ceremony, information campaign or other form of public acknowledgment.

(m) Establish, operate and maintain veterans’ cemeteries in this State, and may, within the limits of legislative authorization, employ personnel and purchase equipment and supplies necessary for the operation and maintenance of the cemeteries.

(n) Establish, manage, maintain and operate veterans’ homes in this State, and may, within the limits of legislative authorization, employ personnel and purchase equipment and supplies necessary for the operation and maintenance of veterans’ homes.

(o) If the board of county commissioners of any county makes the request required pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 244.401, provide to the coordinator of services for veterans in the county training and certification as a veterans service officer.

(p) If training and certification is requested pursuant to paragraph (o), submit an application, on behalf of the coordinator of services for veterans, to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for accreditation or official recognition as a veterans service officer.

(q) Serve as the primary public advocate for Nevada veterans.

(r) Ensure that each person who participates as an advocate for veterans in this State in a volunteer program sponsored by the Department is assigned to a veterans service officer employed by the Department that will offer assistance to the volunteer.

(s) Provide semiannual training to each veterans service officer employed by the Department regarding the benefits, services, programs and assistance available to veterans.

2. The Director shall:

(a) Establish an internal policy for guidance to employees of the Department regarding the transfer, destruction or other disposal of artifacts and other property pursuant to paragraph (h) of subsection 1; and

(b) Post the policy on the Internet website maintained by the Department.

[3:189:1943; A 1947, 779; 1943 NCL § 6879.02] — (NRS A 1977, 1216; 1979, 326; 1997, 1319, 2585; 2009, 385; 2013, 2500; 2015, 1167; 2017, 4, 7, 380, 789, 2201; 2019, 127)