Bill Text: MI SB0540 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Veterans: other; Michigan veterans coalition grant program; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0541'23
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-10-03 - Referred To Committee On Veterans And Emergency Services [SB0540 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0540-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 540
A bill to create a Michigan veterans coalition grant program; and to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental entities.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "Michigan veterans coalition grant program act".
(a) "Accredited veteran service officer" means an individual who has met the qualifications for accreditation under 38 USC 5904 and 38 CFR 14.629.
(b) "Agency" means the Michigan veterans affairs agency.
(c) "Allowable expenditures" means those expenditures determined by the agency to be necessary and proper to support veteran service operations in this state.
(d) "Fund" means the Michigan veterans coalition fund created in the Michigan veterans coalition fund act.
(e) "Grant program" means the Michigan veterans coalition grant program created in section 5.
(f) "Organization" means a veteran service organization.
(g) "Veteran service operations" means assistance and programming of any kind to meet the needs of veterans in this state. Veteran service operations includes, but is not limited to, providing assistance, programming, and services for the purpose of assisting veterans in this state and providing advice, advocacy, and assistance to veterans, servicemembers, dependents, or survivors by an accredited veteran service officer to obtain United States Department of Veterans Affairs health, financial, or memorial benefits for which they are eligible.
Sec. 5. (1) The agency shall consult with the Michigan veterans coalition to create and operate a Michigan veterans coalition grant program that provides grants to organizations for allowable expenditures related to veteran service operations. The agency shall make grants from the fund, on appropriation, to each organization that enters into a grant agreement with the agency and meets the conditions described in subsection (2) for the sole use of supporting allowable expenditures made by the organization. The first payment of a grant must be disbursed not later than 60 days after the date the grant request is received, with payments continuing for the duration of the grant as provided in the grant agreement.
(2) To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (1), an organization must certify, in a form and manner prescribed by the agency, that the organization provides accredited veteran service officer hours in support of connecting veterans and their families to available federal benefits. Administrative support, as needed, may be approved by the agency in support of veteran service operations.
Enacting section 1. This act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 541 of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.
