| 14 | | - | Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 27-135 of the general statutes is |
|---|
| 15 | | - | repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective |
|---|
| 16 | | - | October 1, 2019): |
|---|
| 17 | | - | (b) (1) Any city or town that has not established its own local |
|---|
| 18 | | - | veterans' advisory committee separate from one or more other cities or |
|---|
| 19 | | - | towns pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and does not otherwise |
|---|
| 20 | | - | provide funding for a veterans' service officer shall designate (A) a city |
|---|
| 21 | | - | or town employee, or (B) a volunteer who is a resident of such city or |
|---|
| 22 | | - | town, and (i) is a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, |
|---|
| 23 | | - | or (ii) has practical experience handling veterans' issues, to serve as a |
|---|
| 24 | | - | [veterans' service contact person] municipal veterans' representative in |
|---|
| 25 | | - | such city or town. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs shall |
|---|
| 26 | | - | annually send to the chief executive officer of any such city or town an |
|---|
| 27 | | - | electronic notification of such chief executive officer's duty to so |
|---|
| 28 | | - | designate a city or town employee or volunteer in accordance with this |
|---|
| 29 | | - | subsection. Such chief executive officer shall, not later than thirty days |
|---|
| 30 | | - | after receipt of such notification, submit to the Office of Advocacy and |
|---|
| 31 | | - | Assistance, as described in subsection (b) of section 27-102l, as House Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 24 | + | Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 27-135 of the general statutes is 1 |
|---|
| 25 | + | repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 2 |
|---|
| 26 | + | October 1, 2019): 3 |
|---|
| 27 | + | (b) (1) Any city or town that has not established its own local 4 |
|---|
| 28 | + | veterans' advisory committee separate from one or more other cities or 5 |
|---|
| 29 | + | towns pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and does not otherwise 6 |
|---|
| 30 | + | provide funding for a veterans' service officer shall designate (A) a city 7 |
|---|
| 31 | + | or town employee, or (B) a volunteer who is a resident of such city or 8 |
|---|
| 32 | + | town, and (i) is a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, 9 |
|---|
| 33 | + | or (ii) has practical experience handling veterans' issues, to serve as a 10 |
|---|
| 34 | + | [veterans' service contact person] municipal veterans' representative in 11 |
|---|
| 35 | + | such city or town. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs shall 12 |
|---|
| 36 | + | annually send to the chief executive officer of any such city or town an 13 |
|---|
| 37 | + | electronic notification of such chief executive officer's duty to so 14 |
|---|
| 38 | + | designate a city or town employee or volunteer in accordance with this 15 |
|---|
| 39 | + | subsection. Such chief executive officer shall, not later than thirty days 16 Raised Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 35 | | - | amended by this act, the name and electronic mail address of the city |
|---|
| 36 | | - | or town employee or volunteer so designated. As used in this |
|---|
| 37 | | - | subdivision, "chief executive officer" means the officer described in |
|---|
| 38 | | - | section 7-193. |
|---|
| 39 | | - | (2) [Any city or town employee designated as a veterans' service |
|---|
| 40 | | - | contact person] Each municipal veterans' representative shall carry out |
|---|
| 41 | | - | the duties described in subsection (a) of this section and shall complete |
|---|
| 42 | | - | a training course conducted by the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, |
|---|
| 43 | | - | as described in subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 27-102l, as |
|---|
| 44 | | - | amended by this act, or attend a training session conducted by the |
|---|
| 45 | | - | manager of said office, as described in subparagraph (A) of |
|---|
| 46 | | - | subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of said section. [Each employee so |
|---|
| 47 | | - | designated prior to July 1, 2016, shall complete such training course |
|---|
| 48 | | - | prior to January 1, 2017. Each employee so] Each municipal veterans' |
|---|
| 49 | | - | representative designated on or after [July 1, 2016] October 1, 2019, |
|---|
| 50 | | - | shall complete such training course not later than one year after the |
|---|
| 51 | | - | date of such designation. Upon completion of such training course, a |
|---|
| 52 | | - | [veterans' service contact person] municipal veterans' representative |
|---|
| 53 | | - | may thereafter receive electronically any new or updated training |
|---|
| 54 | | - | information from the Office of Advocacy and Assistance and shall not |
|---|
| 55 | | - | be required to complete any other such training course. |
|---|
| 56 | | - | (3) Any volunteer designated as a municipal veterans' |
|---|
| 57 | | - | representative by a city or town pursuant to subdivision (1) of this |
|---|
| 58 | | - | subsection shall (A) be available to veterans in person, by telephone or |
|---|
| 59 | | - | by electronic mail for any minimum number of hours per week that |
|---|
| 60 | | - | the city or town designating the volunteer may establish, and (B) file a |
|---|
| 61 | | - | performance report each month with the city or town designating the |
|---|
| 62 | | - | volunteer that includes, but is not limited to, the names of veterans |
|---|
| 63 | | - | assisted, services or referrals provided and any other information as |
|---|
| 64 | | - | determined by the city or town. |
|---|
| 65 | | - | Sec. 2. Subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of subsection (b) of section House Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 42 | + | LCO 3525 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07064- |
|---|
| 43 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
|---|
| 44 | + | 2 of 4 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | Public Act No. 19-148 3 of 4 |
|---|
| 46 | + | after receipt of such notification, submit to the Office of Advocacy and 17 |
|---|
| 47 | + | Assistance, as described in subsection (b) of section 27-102l, as 18 |
|---|
| 48 | + | amended by this act, the name and electronic mail address of the city 19 |
|---|
| 49 | + | or town employee or volunteer so designated. As used in this 20 |
|---|
| 50 | + | subdivision, "chief executive officer" means the officer described in 21 |
|---|
| 51 | + | section 7-193. 22 |
|---|
| 52 | + | (2) [Any city or town employee designated as a veterans' service 23 |
|---|
| 53 | + | contact person] Each municipal veterans' representative shall carry out 24 |
|---|
| 54 | + | the duties described in subsection (a) of this section and shall complete 25 |
|---|
| 55 | + | a training course conducted by the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, 26 |
|---|
| 56 | + | as described in subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 27-102l, as 27 |
|---|
| 57 | + | amended by this act, or attend a training session conducted by the 28 |
|---|
| 58 | + | manager of said office, as described in subparagraph (A) of 29 |
|---|
| 59 | + | subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of said section. [Each employee so 30 |
|---|
| 60 | + | designated prior to July 1, 2016, shall complete such training course 31 |
|---|
| 61 | + | prior to January 1, 2017. Each employee so] Each municipal veterans' 32 |
|---|
| 62 | + | representative designated on or after [July 1, 2016] October 1, 2019, 33 |
|---|
| 63 | + | shall complete such training course not later than one year after the 34 |
|---|
| 64 | + | date of such designation. Upon completion of such training course, a 35 |
|---|
| 65 | + | [veterans' service contact person] municipal veterans' representative 36 |
|---|
| 66 | + | may thereafter receive electronically any new or updated training 37 |
|---|
| 67 | + | information from the Office of Advocacy and Assistance and shall not 38 |
|---|
| 68 | + | be required to complete any other such training course. 39 |
|---|
| 69 | + | Sec. 2. Subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of subsection (b) of section 40 |
|---|
| 70 | + | 27-102l of the general statutes are repealed and the following is 41 |
|---|
| 71 | + | substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019): 42 |
|---|
| 72 | + | (b) (1) The commissioner may appoint a manager to administer an 43 |
|---|
| 73 | + | Office of Advocacy and Assistance for the aid and benefit of veterans 44 |
|---|
| 74 | + | and their spouses, eligible dependents and family members. The office 45 |
|---|
| 75 | + | shall have a staff of not less than eight men and women, including six 46 |
|---|
| 76 | + | veterans' service officers, and clerical personnel. The manager and 47 |
|---|
| 77 | + | veterans' service officers shall be veterans, as defined in subsection (a) 48 |
|---|
| 78 | + | of section 27-103, or veterans who were awarded the armed forces 49 Raised Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | 27-102l of the general statutes are repealed and the following is |
|---|
| 70 | | - | substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019): |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (b) (1) The commissioner may appoint a manager to administer an |
|---|
| 72 | | - | Office of Advocacy and Assistance for the aid and benefit of veterans |
|---|
| 73 | | - | and their spouses, eligible dependents and family members. The office |
|---|
| 74 | | - | shall have a staff of not less than eight men and women, including six |
|---|
| 75 | | - | veterans' service officers, and clerical personnel. The manager and |
|---|
| 76 | | - | veterans' service officers shall be veterans, as defined in subsection (a) |
|---|
| 77 | | - | of section 27-103, or veterans who were awarded the armed forces |
|---|
| 78 | | - | expeditionary medal for service by the armed forces. |
|---|
| 79 | | - | (2) (A) The manager shall develop a training module on assisting |
|---|
| 80 | | - | and serving women veterans with regard to state or federal services or |
|---|
| 81 | | - | benefits and identifying and advising such veterans of community or |
|---|
| 82 | | - | nonprofit programs focused on assisting and serving such veterans. |
|---|
| 83 | | - | The manager shall hold and provide instruction for an annual training |
|---|
| 84 | | - | session, in accordance with such module, to each veterans' [services] |
|---|
| 85 | | - | service officer and any [veterans' service contact person] municipal |
|---|
| 86 | | - | veterans' representative, as described in subsection (b) of section 27- |
|---|
| 87 | | - | 135, as amended by this act, or representative from an Operation |
|---|
| 88 | | - | Academic Support for Incoming Service Members center at a public |
|---|
| 89 | | - | institution of higher education in this state. |
|---|
| 90 | | - | (B) At least one of the veterans' service officers shall be a woman |
|---|
| 91 | | - | having a demonstrated interest in the concerns of women veterans, |
|---|
| 92 | | - | who shall be responsible for addressing those concerns, and, effective |
|---|
| 93 | | - | upon the next opening of a veterans' service officer position occurring |
|---|
| 94 | | - | on or after July 1, 2010, at least two of the veterans' service officers |
|---|
| 95 | | - | shall be individuals having bilingual proficiency in English and |
|---|
| 96 | | - | Spanish, within existing authorized positions. Each veterans' service |
|---|
| 97 | | - | officer shall (i) successfully complete a course in veterans' benefits not |
|---|
| 98 | | - | later than one year after commencement of employment, (ii) attend the |
|---|
| 99 | | - | training session described in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and House Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 103 | | - | (iii) be assigned to one of the five congressional districts of the state. |
|---|
| 104 | | - | (3) The office staff shall, at least twice annually, conduct a training |
|---|
| 105 | | - | course for any [city or town employee designated a veterans' service |
|---|
| 106 | | - | contact person pursuant to subsection (b) of section 27-135] municipal |
|---|
| 107 | | - | veterans' representative. The office staff shall include in such training |
|---|
| 108 | | - | course a summary of state and federal services and benefits, the duties |
|---|
| 109 | | - | to be carried out by each [veterans' service contact person] municipal |
|---|
| 110 | | - | veterans' representative, as described in subsection (a) of section 27- |
|---|
| 111 | | - | 135, and any assistance the office staff may provide to any [veterans' |
|---|
| 112 | | - | service contact person] municipal veterans' representative related to |
|---|
| 113 | | - | such duties. |
|---|
| 85 | + | expeditionary medal for service by the armed forces. 50 |
|---|
| 86 | + | (2) (A) The manager shall develop a training module on assisting 51 |
|---|
| 87 | + | and serving women veterans with regard to state or federal services or 52 |
|---|
| 88 | + | benefits and identifying and advising such veterans of community or 53 |
|---|
| 89 | + | nonprofit programs focused on assisting and serving such veterans. 54 |
|---|
| 90 | + | The manager shall hold and provide instruction for an annual training 55 |
|---|
| 91 | + | session, in accordance with such module, to each veterans' [services] 56 |
|---|
| 92 | + | service officer and any [veterans' service contact person] municipal 57 |
|---|
| 93 | + | veterans' representative, as described in subsection (b) of section 27-58 |
|---|
| 94 | + | 135, as amended by this act, or representative from an Operation 59 |
|---|
| 95 | + | Academic Support for Incoming Service Members center at a public 60 |
|---|
| 96 | + | institution of higher education in this state. 61 |
|---|
| 97 | + | (B) At least one of the veterans' service officers shall be a woman 62 |
|---|
| 98 | + | having a demonstrated interest in the concerns of women veterans, 63 |
|---|
| 99 | + | who shall be responsible for addressing those concerns, and, effective 64 |
|---|
| 100 | + | upon the next opening of a veterans' service officer position occurring 65 |
|---|
| 101 | + | on or after July 1, 2010, at least two of the veterans' service officers 66 |
|---|
| 102 | + | shall be individuals having bilingual proficiency in English and 67 |
|---|
| 103 | + | Spanish, within existing authorized positions. Each veterans' service 68 |
|---|
| 104 | + | officer shall (i) successfully complete a course in veterans' benefits not 69 |
|---|
| 105 | + | later than one year after commencement of employment, (ii) attend the 70 |
|---|
| 106 | + | training session described in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and 71 |
|---|
| 107 | + | (iii) be assigned to one of the five congressional districts of the state. 72 |
|---|
| 108 | + | (3) The office staff shall, at least twice annually, conduct a training 73 |
|---|
| 109 | + | course for any [city or town employee designated a veterans' service 74 |
|---|
| 110 | + | contact person pursuant to subsection (b) of section 27-135] municipal 75 |
|---|
| 111 | + | veterans' representative. The office staff shall include in such training 76 |
|---|
| 112 | + | course a summary of state and federal services and benefits, the duties 77 |
|---|
| 113 | + | to be carried out by each [veterans' service contact person] municipal 78 |
|---|
| 114 | + | veterans' representative, as described in subsection (a) of section 27-79 |
|---|
| 115 | + | 135, and any assistance the office staff may provide to any [veterans' 80 |
|---|
| 116 | + | service contact person] municipal veterans' representative related to 81 |
|---|
| 117 | + | such duties. 82 Raised Bill No. 7064 |
|---|
| 118 | + | |
|---|
| 119 | + | |
|---|
| 120 | + | LCO 3525 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2019HB-07064- |
|---|
| 121 | + | R01-HB.docx } |
|---|
| 122 | + | 4 of 4 |
|---|
| 123 | + | |
|---|
| 124 | + | This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following |
|---|
| 125 | + | sections: |
|---|
| 126 | + | |
|---|
| 127 | + | Section 1 October 1, 2019 27-135(b) |
|---|
| 128 | + | Sec. 2 October 1, 2019 27-102l(b)(1) to (3) |
|---|
| 129 | + | |
|---|
| 130 | + | VA Joint Favorable |
|---|