Skip to content
NOWCAST KCCI News at 6am Weekday Morning
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

New Iowa law closes gap in eligibility for veterans' benefits

New Iowa law closes gap in eligibility for veterans' benefits
CAUSED THOSE OUTAGES AT THE STATE HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON. IOWA’S GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED A BILL INTO LAW THAT WILL IMPROVE BENEFITS FOR IOWA VETERANS. THAT BILL WILL LET DONATIONS BE USED FOR TRAINING. IT WILL ALSO REQUIRE A COUNTY TO PAY FOR A VETERANS FUNERAL EXPENSES IF THEIR FAMILY CANNOT. REYNOLDS SAYS THE LAW HELPS GIVE
Advertisement
New Iowa law closes gap in eligibility for veterans' benefits
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Thursday that she said would help deliver services to military veterans and close a gap in eligibility for some Iowans with service-related disabilities.She signed House File 259 during a conference of county veterans affairs commissioners and leaders in Johnston. The bill addresses training and requirements for county commissioners, executive directors and administrators. It passed both chambers of the Legislature with no opposition.“At the state level. It’s our duty to help veterans identify early benefit(s) that they’re eligible for and access all the services that are due to them. And that’s really exactly what House File 259 aims to do,” Reynolds said. “And it’s my hope that this bill will also help us increase the number of benefits Iowa veterans receive.”The bill expands the definition of “veteran” to include a resident of the state who served in any component of the U.S. armed forces who has a service-connected disability and was honorably discharged.“This closes a gap in current code to ensure men and women who were injured in training, but do not meet the active duty requirement are eligible for veterans services,” Reynolds said. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Thursday that she said would help deliver services to military veterans and close a gap in eligibility for some Iowans with service-related disabilities.

She signed House File 259 during a conference of county veterans affairs commissioners and leaders in Johnston. The bill addresses training and requirements for county commissioners, executive directors and administrators. It passed both chambers of the Legislature with no opposition.

Advertisement

“At the state level. It’s our duty to help veterans identify early benefit(s) that they’re eligible for and access all the services that are due to them. And that’s really exactly what House File 259 aims to do,” Reynolds said. “And it’s my hope that this bill will also help us increase the number of benefits Iowa veterans receive.”

The bill expands the definition of “veteran” to include a resident of the state who served in any component of the U.S. armed forces who has a service-connected disability and was honorably discharged.

“This closes a gap in current code to ensure men and women who were injured in training, but do not meet the active duty requirement are eligible for veterans services,” Reynolds said.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.