Legislature enacts new laws to help veterans

    The Iowa Legislature made a number of changes to laws affecting veterans during the 2010 legislative session. The new laws run the gamut from helping veterans get an education to helping them with their medical bills. American Legion Post 29 Commander Wendel Guy said legislators are working closely with veterans groups and that they comprehend the problems veterans struggle with.  

    ?We?ve come a long way,? said Guy. ?We?re much better about getting the word out to the veterans. We?ve gotten more and more of the senators understanding our plight. The system is much more user friendly today.?

    Washington County Veterans Service Officer Sue Rich said that one very significant change the Legislature made was to mandate that each county in the state have a veterans service office, a law that takes effect July 1. She said that the number of hours each county must be open is a function of that county?s population. In the case of Washington County, the veterans service office is open 20 hours a week. Rich also said that the state allotted $10,000 to each county so it could do outreach programs to inform veterans of their benefits and to educate the county service officers on a yearly basis.

    The Legislature agreed to spend about $3 million next year to provide educational assistance to those in the Iowa National Guard. The Legislature has spent $13 million over the last four years on the National Guard Education Benefits program. Military personnel and their families living in Iowa or on the Rock Island Arsenal can also receive educational aid to attend a community college or state university.  

    A number of the new laws are related to veterans? health. Iowa insurance companies will have to provide mental health and substance abuse treatment for veterans who work for a company with more than 50 employees.

    The Legislature is also trying to increase awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). That is why the two state health policy groups will now include someone who is familiar with PTSD and other mental health issues that afflict veterans. 

    There are a number of changes that attempt to make life easier for those military personnel currently serving. One change is that utility companies cannot shut off gas or electricity to the dwelling of an active duty soldier if the utility company has been made aware the soldier is deployed.

    Soldiers? permits for concealed weapons that are scheduled to expire while they are deployed will remain valid for 90 days after the deployment ends. Members of the Armed Forces can also receive a refund for state permits such as hunting and fishing licenses. A deployed soldier who has child visitation rights can designate a family member to visit his or her children during the deployment. 

For the full story, see the May 11 edition of The Washington Evening Journal