An Act To Make Criteria for State Veterans' Benefits Consistent within the Maine Revised Statutes
Sec. 1. 10 MRSA §8011, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 424, Pt. D, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read:
By January 1, 2014, each board, commission, office and agency within the department listed in section 8001 or affiliated with the department under section 8001-A shall adopt a process to facilitate qualified returning military veterans and qualified spouses of returning military veterans or of active duty service members to qualify for professional licenses granted by those boards, commissions, offices and agencies in an expeditious manner. For the purposes of this section, "returning military veteran" means a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been honorably discharged from active duty received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation and each licensing board within or affiliated with the department shall, upon presentation of satisfactory evidence by an applicant for professional or occupational licensure, accept education, training or service completed by the applicant as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or Reserves of the United States Armed Forces, the national guard of any state, the military reserves of any state or the naval militia of any state toward the qualifications to receive the license.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10853, sub-§4, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2017, c. 475, Pt. A, §19, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11212-A, sub-§3, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 176, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §4722, sub-§6, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 85, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §4722-A, sub-§3, ¶E, as amended by PL 2015, c. 489, §2, is further amended to read:
(1) The person:
(a) Attended a secondary school in the geographic area now served by the secondary school from which a diploma is requested; or
(b) Resides at the time of application for a diploma in the geographic area served by the secondary school from which a diploma is requested;
(2) The person did not graduate or receive a diploma from a secondary school because the person left secondary school to serve in the Armed Forces and served during the following periods:
(a) World War II, from December 7, 1941 to August 16, 1945;
(b) The Korean Conflict;
(c) The Vietnam War era, from February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975; or
(d) The period of wartime or peacetime after a period of wartime described in division (a), (b) or (c); and
(3) The person received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions or a certificate of honorable service from the Armed Forces.
For the purposes of this paragraph, "Armed Forces" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and the merchant marine.
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §10010, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 488, §1, is amended to read:
§ 10010. Current members and veterans of the United States Armed Forces
If a current member of the United States Armed Forces or a veteran of the United States Armed Forces who has been honorably discharged received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions is enrolled in a program of education at any campus of the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System or the Maine Maritime Academy, that member or veteran is eligible for in-state tuition rates, regardless of the member's or veteran's state of residence.
Sec. 7. 22 MRSA §2900, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 318, §1, is amended to read:
(1) In the Armed Forces of the United States;
(2) In the Army or Air Force National Guard in a full-time status; or
(3) As a reservist in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Sec. 8. 25 MRSA §2001-A, sub-§2, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 327, §2, is amended to read:
Sec. 9. 26 MRSA §877, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 576, §4, is amended to read:
Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2017, c. 43, §2, is further amended to read:
Each application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, certification from the United States Veterans Administration or the appropriate branch of the United States Armed Forces verifying the applicant's military service and honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditons, or a letter from the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services verifying active duty military service and length of service.
The Secretary of State shall recall a special veterans registration plate of a recipient who has been less than honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces.
All surplus revenue collected for issuance of the special registration plates is retained by the Secretary of State to maintain and support this program.
The surviving spouse of a special veteran plate recipient issued plates in accordance with this subsection may retain and display the special veteran plates as long as the surviving spouse remains unmarried. Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the special veteran plates on a motor vehicle, but may retain them as a keepsake. Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the family may retain the special veteran plates, but may not use them on a motor vehicle.
The Secretary of State may issue a special disability registration plate for veterans in accordance with section 521, subsections 1, 5, 7 and 9. The special disability registration plate for veterans must bear the International Symbol of Access.
The Secretary of State may issue a set of special veterans registration plates when the qualifying veteran is the primary driver of a company-owned vehicle if:
Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§3-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 356, §12, is further amended to read:
Each application must be accompanied by the applicant's Armed Forces Report of Transfer or Discharge, DD Form 214, certification from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the appropriate branch of the United States Armed Forces verifying the applicant's military service and honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions, or a letter from the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services verifying active duty military service and length of service.
The Secretary of State shall recall a special veterans registration plate of a recipient who has been less than honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces.
All surplus revenue collected for issuance of the special veterans registration plates is retained by the Secretary of State to maintain and support this program.
Upon request the Secretary of State shall issue special veterans registration plates for a motorcycle that are also vanity plates. These plates are issued in accordance with this section and section 453. Vanity plates issued under this subsection may not duplicate vanity plates issued in another class of plate.
The surviving spouse of a recipient of a special veterans registration plate issued in accordance with this subsection may retain and use the plate or plates as long as the surviving spouse remains unmarried. Upon remarriage, the surviving spouse may not use the plate or plates, but may retain them. Upon the death of the surviving spouse, the family may retain the plate or plates, but may not use them.
The Secretary of State may not issue special commemorative decals under subsection 5 or 6 for use on special veterans registration plates for a motorcycle.
Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2017, c. 8, §1, is further amended to read:
Special commemorative decals may be issued to applicants awarded the following medals, badges or ribbons:
Sec. 13. 29-A MRSA §523, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 453, §2 and affected by §4, is amended to read:
Special commemorative decals may be issued to applicants who served in the:
Sec. 14. 29-A MRSA §1412, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 356, §20, is amended to read:
Sec. 15. 30-A MRSA §5725, sub-§10, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 and Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is further amended to read:
Sec. 16. 32 MRSA §2251-A, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 476, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. 17. 37-B MRSA §110-A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 662, §18, is amended to read:
§ 110-A. Honorary military staff
The honorary military staff may consist of not more than 11 aides-de-camp commissioned by the Governor to serve during the Governor's term. Honorably discharged officers Officers or enlisted personnel who served in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard or Marine Corps during any war and who received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions and who are not members of the state military forces may be appointed as aides-de-camp with the rank of colonel. One may be a naval aide with the rank of captain and one may be an Air Force aide with the rank of colonel. Aides-de-camp may be detailed from the commissioned officers of the state military forces, but officers so detailed may not be relieved from their regular duties, except when on duty with the Commander in Chief.
Sec. 18. 37-B MRSA §147, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 662, §21, is further amended to read:
Sec. 19. 37-B MRSA §503, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 406, §8, is further amended to read:
Sec. 20. 37-B MRSA §509, sub-§5, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 481, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. 21. 37-B MRSA §601, as amended by PL 2015, c. 397, §4, is further amended to read:
§ 601. Homes established; purpose
There must be public homes for veterans in Maine known as "Maine Veterans' Homes" for the purpose of providing long-term care, support and related services to eligible veterans and family members of veterans. The Maine Veterans' Homes also are authorized to provide nonnursing facility care and services to Maine veterans if approved by appropriate state and federal authorities. The Maine Veterans' Homes are authorized to construct community-based outpatient clinics for Maine veterans in cooperation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and may construct and operate veterans hospice facilities, veterans housing facilities and other facilities authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes, using available funds. Any funds loaned to the Maine Veterans' Homes for operating purposes from the funded depreciation accounts of the Maine Veterans' Homes must be reimbursed from any funds received by the Maine Veterans' Homes and available for that purpose. The primary purpose of the Maine Veterans' Homes is to provide support and care for honorably discharged veterans who served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces and received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions or who served in the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces on active duty for other than training purposes.
Sec. 22. 37-B MRSA §603, as amended by PL 2015, c. 397, §10, is further amended to read:
§ 603. Board of trustees
The administration of the homes is vested in the Board of Trustees of the Maine Veterans' Homes, as authorized by Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 34. The board consists of 11 members, one of whom must be the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services, ex officio, who serves without term. The Governor shall appoint the remaining trustees, who must be honorably discharged veterans who received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions. One member must be a woman. One member must be appointed from and represent each of the largest veterans' organizations, not exceeding 5, that are nationally chartered and have a department in Maine. The remaining members must be appointed at large and serve staggered 3-year terms. The membership must be distributed across the State so that approximately 1/3 reside in the southern part of the State, approximately 1/3 in the central part and approximately 1/3 in the northern part. In the event of a vacancy, a successor must be appointed to complete a member's unexpired term. Each trustee continues to hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified.
Sec. 23. 37-B MRSA §606, as amended by PL 2015, c. 397, §13, is further amended to read:
§ 606. Chief executive officer
The chief executive officer must be an honorably discharged a veteran who received an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions who shall administer the homes in accordance with the rules, guidelines and general policies established by the board. The chief executive officer serves an indefinite term, but may be removed for cause by the board. The chief executive officer's salary is set by the board. The chief executive officer shall hire the necessary employees to operate the homes and, whenever possible, give preference in hiring to veterans. These employees are not deemed employees of the State.
SUMMARY
This bill revises language in the Maine Revised Statutes regarding eligibility for veterans' benefits to make that language consistent throughout the statutes.