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REFERENCE TITLE: veterans; scholarship waivers; counseling; benefits |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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HB 2618 |
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Introduced by Representative Blackman
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AN ACT
Amending title 15, chapter 14, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-1809.03; Amending Title 36, chapter 34, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-3417; Amending section 41-603, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 3, article 7, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-610.03; amending Title 41, chapter 37, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-3958; relating to the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 14, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-1809.03, to read:
15-1809.03. Tuition waiver scholarships; eligibility; violation; classification
A. The arizona board of regents, after verification by the department of veterans' services that a person is a child or the spouse of a member of the united states armed forces who was a resident of or stationed in this state, who was killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries suffered in the line of duty while traveling to or from duty and was an arizona gold star MILITARY medal recipient pursuant to section 41-608.05, shall provide the CHILD OR THE SPOUSE who otherwise meets the qualifications for admission with a tuition waiver scholarship at any university under the jurisdiction of the arizona board of regents.
B. A district as defined in section 15-1401, AFTER VERIFICATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES THAT A PERSON IS A CHILD OR THE SPOUSE OF A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES WHO WAS A RESIDENT OF OR STATIONED IN this state, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY OR WHO DIED FROM INJURIES SUFFERED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE TRAVELING TO OR FROM DUTY AND WAS AN ARIZONA GOLD STAR MILITARY MEDAL RECIPIENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 41-608.05, SHALL PROVIDE THE CHILD OR THE SPOUSE WHO OTHERWISE MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADMISSION WITH A TUITION WAIVER SCHOLARSHIP at any community college under the jurisdiction of the district.
C. The tuition waiver scholarships provided pursuant to this section shall be limited to children who are twenty-six years of age or younger.
D. A CHILD OR a SPOUSE pursuant to this section who KNOWINGLY submits false documentation to the department of veterans' services to prove that the child or the spouse is related to A GOLD STAR MILITARY MEDAL RECIPIENT is guilty of a class 1 MISDEMEANOR.
Sec. 2. Title 36, chapter 34, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 36-3417, to read:
36-3417. Arizona health care cost containment system administration; trauma counseling
NOTWITHSTANDING any other law, The administration shall provide trauma counseling for the direct RELATIVES, spouses and children of deceased service members and GOLD STAR MILITARY MEDAL RECIPIENTs. The TRAUMA COUNSELING provided pursuant to this section shall be AVAILABLE for at least ten years.
Sec. 3. Section 41-603, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
41-603. Powers and duties
A. The department may act as guardian of an incapacitated veteran, the incapacitated spouse of a veteran or minor children of a veteran, or as conservator of the estate of a protected veteran or of the veteran's incapacitated or surviving spouse or of the minor children of a veteran. The department may act in all fiduciary matters, including as power of attorney, trustee, custodian or representative payee of a veteran, spouse of a veteran or minor child of a veteran. The department may act as the personal representative of the estate of a deceased veteran, deceased spouse of a veteran or deceased child of a veteran.
B. The department shall:
1. Assist veterans and their families and dependents in presenting, providing and establishing claims, privileges, rights and benefits they may have under federal, state or local law.
2. Inform veterans and their families and dependents and military and civilian authorities about federal, state and local laws enacted to benefit veterans and their families and dependents and members of the armed forces.
3. Collect information relating to services and facilities available to veterans.
4. Cooperate with all government and private agencies receiving services for or benefits to veterans and their families and dependents.
5. Conduct administrative reviews and, if possible, correct abuses or prevent exploitation of veterans and their families or dependents and recommend corrective legislation.
6. Adopt rules deemed necessary to administer this article.
7. Enter into agreements with veterans' organizations in this state holding a charter granted by the Congress of the United States for the beneficial interest of veterans.
8. Verify and provide written confirmation to the person of eligibility for special license plates issued pursuant to section 28-2475 by determining that all of the following are true:
(a) The person was a member of the armed forces of the United States armed forces on December 7, 1941.
(b) The person received an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States armed forces.
(c) The person was on station on December 7, 1941, during the hours of 7:55 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Hawaii time at Pearl Harbor, the Island of Oahu or offshore, at a distance not exceeding three miles.
9. Evaluate, supervise, approve and disapprove programs offered by educational institutions and training establishments pursuant to United States Code titles 10 and 38 and state rules, so that veterans and their dependents may draw the educational allowance provided by federal law while pursuing approved programs.
10. Establish an application process for the Arizona gold star military medal, shall verify the eligibility of recipients and, if funding is available, may award the Arizona gold star military medal to an eligible individual.
11. Provide case management and coordination of benefits to the immediate family members of arizona GOLD STAR MILITARY AWARD RECIPIENTS IN THIS STATE PURSUANT TO SECTIONs 15-1809.03, 36-3417, 41-608.05, 41-610.03 and any other BENEFITS for which they are eligible.
C. The department may:
1. Acquire property for and construct and operate veterans' home facilities in this state.
2. Acquire property for and establish and operate cemeteries for veterans in this state.
3. Establish a training center to provide training to current or potential employees and the veteran community. The department may establish a fee for this training.
4. Subject to legislative appropriation and as authorized by the burial equity for guards and reserves act (P.L. 117-103; 136 Stat. 1109), provide burial services in state veterans' cemeteries for members of the Arizona national guard and the United States armed forces reserves if the member's service was terminated under honorable conditions.
Sec. 4. Title 41, chapter 3, article 7, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-610.03, to read:
41-610.03. Fallen guard family relief fund; state gold star burial grant program; emergency survivor relief grant program; administration
A. The Fallen guard family relief fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations, grants, gifts, donations, contributions and devises. The department shall administer the fund. On notice from the department, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and may be used to pay the administrative costs of implementing this section and to establish the grant programs pursuant to this section. Monies may also be used to provide any of the following FOR the immediate family members OF GOLD STAR MILITARY AWARD RECIPIENTS IN THIS STATE:
1. Benefits.
2. Burial supplements.
3. Emergency relief grants.
4. Tuition reimbursements.
5. Housing stability implementation.
6. Mental health and counseling services.
B. The state gold star burial grant program is established to provide grant monies to the families of Arizona gold star military medal RECIPIENTS awarded pursuant to section 41-608.05 for burial costs and other expenses. The department shall provide eligible applicants up to $5,000 and grantees shall receive grant monies within fifteen days after acceptance into the grant program.
c. The emergency survivor RELIEF grant program is established to provide grant monies To aid the families of armed forces members of the united states following the member'S or retired member's death. grants are available to surviving families through transition periods or initial periods of adjustment while awaiting further benefits from the federal government and Shall be paid within seventy-two hours after verification of the member's death by the department of veterans' services.
d. The department shall administer the grant programs pursuant to this section and may adopt rules, policies and procedures to carry out the purposes of this section AN ELIGIBLE APPLICANT SHALL SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON A FORM PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
Sec. 5. Title 41, chapter 37, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-3958, to read:
41-3958. Eviction; foreclosure; prohibition
Notwithstanding any other law, The arizona department of housing, in CONSULTATION with the department of veterans' services, shall ensure that immediate family members of an armed forces member of the United states who was a resident of or was stationed in this state and who was killed in the line of duty or died from injuries suffered in the line of duty may not face any of the following:
1. Eviction for at least NINETY days after the member's death.
2. FORECLOSURE of their homes for at least one hundred TWENTY days after the member's death.
3. Utility shutoff for at least sixty days after the member's death.
Sec. 6. Effective date
This act is effective to from and after December 31, 2026.