HB-5549, As Passed House, June 8, 2016HB-5549, As Passed Senate, June 8, 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL No. 5549

April 13, 2016, Introduced by Rep. Howell and referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.

 

     A bill to amend 1946 (1st Ex Sess) PA 9, entitled

 

"An act to create the Michigan veterans' trust fund, and to define

who shall be eligible to receive assistance therefrom; to provide

for the disbursement of the income thereof and surplus therein; to

create a board of trustees, and to prescribe its powers and duties;

to provide for county and district committees, and their powers,

duties, and expenses; to prescribe penalties; and to make

appropriations to carry out the provisions of this act,"

 

by amending section 2 (MCL 35.602).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2. For the purposes of the administration of As used in

 

this act, a Michigan "veteran" as defined by Act No. 190 of the

 

Public Acts of l965, as amended, shall be deemed to be a person,

 

male or female, whose means an individual who meets all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Is a veteran as defined in section 1 of 1965 PA 190, MCL

 

35.61.

 


House Bill No. 5549 as amended April 28, 2016

     (b) Is a legal resident of this state or was a legal residence

 

resident of this state immediately prior to entering the service

 

was in Michigan, who entered upon or was in active service in the

 

armed forces of the United States, at any time for at least 180

 

days from and after the date as defined by Act No. 190 of the

 

Public Acts of 1965, as amended, being sections 35.61 and 35.62 of

 

the Michigan Compiled Laws or Vietnam era, as determined for the

 

purposes of administration of this act, whether by induction,

 

enlistment, commission, warrant, or otherwise, and who has been

 

honorably discharged, retired, or separated therefrom, or who has

 

reverted to an inactive status therefrom under honorable

 

conditions. However, former members of the women's auxiliary army

 

corps who refused to accept transfer to or induction into the

 

women's army corps shall not be deemed to be veterans within the

 

meaning of this definition. A veteran who did not have legal

 

residence in Michigan immediately prior to entering the military

 

service may become eligible to benefits administered under this act

 

after having established a legal residence in Michigan. A veteran

 

United States Armed Forces. However, an individual whose legal

 

residence was in Michigan this state prior to entering military

 

service will lose his rights under this act by leaving this state

 

the United States Armed Forces does not meet the requirement of

 

this subdivision if he or she leaves this state for a period of

 

time exceeding 2 years. A person

 

     (c) He or she served in active service in the United States

 

Armed Forces during a period of war [                          ] for

 

at least 180 days and was honorably discharged from the United


House Bill No. 5549 as amended April 28, 2016

States Armed Forces. However, an individual who shall have been

 

separated from the United States Armed Forces for reason of

 

physical or mental disability incurred in the line of duty prior to

 

the completion of 180 days' service shall be considered a veteran

 

for the purpose of the administration of this act. World War II

 

shall be deemed to be that period from and after August 27, 1940,

 

to the inclusive date of June 30, 1946. Grants made to eligible

 

Michigan veterans between June 30, 1946, and the effective date of

 

this act are declared valid. A person otherwise qualified with at

 

least 90 days of service during World War I, Spanish American War

 

or Mexican Wars, as defined in Act No. 190 of the Public Acts of

 

1965, as amended, shall be deemed a veteran for the purposes of

 

this act.is considered to meet the requirement of this subdivision. [As

used in this subdivision, "period of war" means that phrase as described in 38 CFR 3.2, except that for purposes of this subdivision, "period of war" for the vietnam era means the following:

     (i) February 28, 1961 through May 7, 1975 for a veteran who served during that period.

     (ii) 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.]

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.

 

     Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless House Bill No. 5332 of the 98th Legislature is enacted into

 

law.