LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington St., Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 6125 NOTE PREPARED: Feb 19, 2024
BILL NUMBER: SB 15 BILL AMENDED: Feb 19, 2024
SUBJECT: Veterans' Benefits.
FIRST AUTHOR: Sen. Tomes BILL STATUS: CR Adopted - 2
nd
House
FIRST SPONSOR: Rep. Bartels
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
XDEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: (Amended) This bill requires that the Indiana Department of Labor (DOL) consult
with the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) to create and distribute a veterans' benefits and
services poster. The bill provides that the veterans' benefits and services poster must contain certain
information. It also requires that Indiana employers with more than 50 full-time employees (or their
equivalent) display the veterans' benefits and services poster in a conspicuous place.
The bill also repeals a provision concerning certain disability ratings, as determined by the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs, and educational cost exemptions.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024.
Explanation of State Expenditures: (Revised) Repeal of Reduction of Fee Exemption Based on Disability
Rating: There will be minimal impact on expenditures for fee exemptions due to this bill in the near term
because very few CVO applicants for financial assistance have parents who enlisted after June 30, 2011. The
Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) reports that applicants who fall under the 2011 enlistment
rule have thus far had disability ratings of 80% or above and are receiving the same 100% exemption to
which they would be entitled under this bill. However, this bill will increase expenditures for CVO fee
remissions in the future as children of veterans who enlisted after June 30, 2011, reach college age and
become eligible. The full impact of the proposal will likely occur 10 to 20 years from now, at which point
the cost could be significant.
(Revised) Commission for Higher Education (CHE): The CHE administers the CVO fee exemptions and
would have to make administrative changes based on the provisions of this bill. The provision that removes
SB 15 1 the reduction of the fee exemption based on the parent’s disability rating would simplify administration of
the fee exemption, while processing and awarding refunds of tuition and fees paid would represent an
increase in workload for CHE. The bill’s requirements should be able to be implemented with no additional
appropriations, assuming near customary agency staffing and resource levels.
(Revised) Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA): Determining whether students are eligible for a fee
exemption based on the service connected death or disability of a parent is within the IDVA’s routine
administrative functions and should be able to be implemented with no additional appropriations, assuming
near customary agency staffing and resource levels.
Workplace Signage: This bill requires DOL and IDVA to develop and distribute a veterans’ benefits and
services poster for businesses to display. This constitutes a one-time workload increase for both DOL and
IDVA, but the requirements are within each agency’s routine administrative functions and should be able
to be implemented with no additional appropriations, assuming near customary agency staffing and resource
levels. [Both agencies are funded by General Fund appropriations.] All state agencies would be required to
print and display the posters.
(Revised) Additional Information – Repeal of Reduction of Fee Exemption Based on Disability Rating: The
bill removes the provision which reduces the fee exemption for students based on their parents’ disability
rating. This aspect of current law applies only to students whose parents joined the military after June 30,
2011. Under current law, approximately 72% of that cohort would experience a significant decrease in their
benefits relative to those whose parents joined the military before June 30, 2011. Under this bill, all students
eligible for a CVO fee remission would be eligible for the full fee remission.
Workplace Signage: All posters and notices that are required to be posted by Indiana employers are posted
on the DOL website. Although commercially-produced versions of signs are available, DOL recommends
employers simply print the required signage. No additional expenditures should be required by either DOL
or IDVA to design or distribute the posters.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures: Local units with more than 50 employees would be required to print
and display the posters.
Explanation of Local Revenues:
State Agencies Affected: Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, all agencies, Commission
for Higher Education, state educational institutions.
Local Agencies Affected: Local units with more than 50 employees.
Information Sources: Ambat Babu, Indiana Department of Labor; Anthony Weber, IDVA;
https://www.in.gov/dol/publications/; US Department of Veterans Affairs VETPOP2020 dataset,
https://www.va.gov/vetdata/veteran_population.asp.
Fiscal Analyst: Alexander Raggio, 317-234-9485.
SB 15 2