(2) All moneys in the Veterans’ Educational Aid Account are continuously appropriated to the director and may be used by the director for the purposes authorized in ORS 408.010 to 408.090 and section 1, chapter 527, Oregon Laws 2019. [Amended by 1961 c.326 §7; 1997 c.99 §53; 2005 c.755 §31; 2019 c.527 §3]

Note: The amendments to 408.090 by section 7, chapter 527, Oregon Laws 2019, become operative January 2, 2022. See section 8, chapter 527, Oregon Laws 2019. The text that is operative on and after January 2, 2022, is set forth for the user’s convenience. (1) The Director of Veterans’ Affairs, acting on behalf of the State of Oregon, is authorized to accept any donation, gift, grant, bequest or devise made in furtherance of the purposes of ORS 408.010 to 408.090. A donation, gift, grant, bequest or devise that is made in cash or its equivalent or reduced thereto, shall be promptly paid by the director to the State Treasurer, who shall credit the amount so received to the Veterans’ Educational Aid Account in the General Fund. The director shall make such disposition of donations, gifts, grants, bequests or devises, not made in cash or its equivalent, as is specified by the donor thereof, and their earnings and proceeds shall inure to said account. All such donations, gifts, grants, bequests or devises accepted by the director are transfers exempt from taxes imposed on inheritances under the laws of this state.

(2) All moneys in the Veterans’ Educational Aid Account are continuously appropriated to the director and may be used by the director for the purposes authorized in ORS 408.010 to 408.090.

Note: Sections 1, 2, 5 and 6, chapter 527, Oregon Laws 2019, provide:

Sec. 1. (1) The Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program is established within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Under the program, the department shall conduct outreach and provide grants to veterans who:

(a) Are pursuing and enrolled in an approved course of study in any program for which United States Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits may be used;

(b) Are eligible to receive federal financial assistance based on prior service in the Armed Forces of the United States; and

(c) Are unable to complete a degree program within the expected completion period because one or more required courses are not available until a later date.

(2) Grants under the program:

(a) May not exceed $5,000 per veteran; and

(b) May be made only when there are sufficient moneys in the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program Fund established under section 2 of this 2019 Act to make the grants.

(3) The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall adopt rules for the implementation and operation of the program, including eligibility requirements for grant applicants.

(4) As used in this section, "veteran" has the meaning given that term in ORS 408.225 and includes disabled veterans, as defined in ORS 408.225. [2019 c.527 §1]

Sec. 2. (1) The Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program Fund is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. The moneys in the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program Fund are continuously appropriated to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for the purpose of making grants under the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program established under section 1 of this 2019 Act and for the payment of actual and necessary expenses incurred by the department in administering the fund and establishing and maintaining the program.

(2) The fund consists of:

(a) Moneys appropriated, allocated or deposited to the fund by the Legislative Assembly or otherwise;

(b) Transfers of moneys to the fund from any source, including moneys transferred from the Veterans’ Educational Aid Account described in ORS 408.090; and

(c) Moneys from gifts, donations or any other source. [2019 c.527 §2]

Sec. 5. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall prepare and submit a report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to veterans on or before September 15, 2020, regarding the status of the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program established under section 1 of this 2019 Act. [2019 c.527 §5]

Sec. 6. (1) Sections 1 and 2 of this 2019 Act are repealed on January 2, 2022.

(2) Any moneys remaining in the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant Program Fund established under section 2 of this 2019 Act on January 2, 2022, after reversion of unspent lottery allocations to the Veterans’ Service Fund established under ORS 406.140, shall be transferred to the Veterans’ Educational Aid Account established under ORS 408.090.

[2019 c.527 §6]