SCS HCS HB 1524 & 2260 -- VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY

This bill changes the laws regarding veterans and members of the
military and establishes the Missouri Youth Challenge Academy.
In its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Requires all state agencies and political subdivisions of
this state to give a three-point bonus preference to a
service-disabled veteran business operating as a Missouri
business when letting a contract for the performance of any job
or service.  Currently, they must give preference to a disabled
veteran business when the quality of performance is equal or
better and the price quoted is the same or less.  If there is an
insufficient number of veteran businesses or none that submits a
bid or proposal for a contract, the provision requiring the
Commissioner of the Office of Administration to have a goal of 3%
of all contracts to be let to service-disabled veteran businesses
will not apply (Section 34.074, RSMo);

(2)  Specifies that the State of Missouri recognizes the
designations of Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA)
as valid descriptions of casualty status and category
classification for military personnel (Section 41.025);

(3)  Defines "primary next of kin" as, in order of precedence, a
surviving spouse, eldest child, father or mother, eldest brother
or sister, or eldest grandchild as it relates to the Uniform Code
of Military Justice (Section 41.030);

(4)  Allows the Adjutant General to establish the Missouri Youth
Challenge Academy to provide positive interventions for at-risk
high school age youth.  The academy will utilize residential
military-based training and supervised work experience to build
life skills of high school dropouts and training in responsible
citizenship, life-coping and academic skills, and other personal
development skills.  The Missouri Youth Challenge Foundation Fund
is created consisting of gifts, donations, appropriations,
transfers, and bequests.  The Adjutant General is authorized to
make grants from the fund to support the academy (Sections 41.206
and 41.207);

(5)  Allows a sergeant major from the Missouri National Guard and
a reserve unit to serve on the panel of the Missouri Military
Family Relief Fund.  Currently, only a command sergeants major of
the guard and a command sergeants major of a reserve unit can be
members of the panel (Sections 41.216 and 143.1004);

(6)  Authorizes the Governor, upon the recommendation of the
Adjutant General, to present:

(a)  A Legion of Merit Medal to individuals who have
exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of
outstanding military service and achievement reflecting honorably
and creditably upon the state (Section 41.572);

(b)  A campaign ribbon to individuals who have served in direct
support of several military campaigns.  The ribbons include a
Missouri Iraq Campaign Ribbon, a Missouri Afghanistan Campaign
Ribbon, a Missouri Kosovo Campaign Ribbon, and a Missouri Vietnam
Campaign Ribbon (Sections 41.582, 41.584, 41.586, and 41.588);
and

(c)  The Governor's Unit Citation to a unit, team, or task force
of the Missouri National Guard which served after September 11,
2001, during state emergency duty or a federal deployment with
outstanding honor and distinction (Section 2);

(7)  Authorizes the Adjutant General to present:

(a)  A Missouri Adjutant General Staff Identification Badge to an
individual based on demonstrated outstanding performance of duty
(Section 41.578); and

(b)  The Missouri National Guard First Sergeant Ribbon to an
individual who has been a first sergeant for three years and has
been recommended by his or her squadron or company commander for
having demonstrated exceptional and honorable leadership
qualities and dedication as a first sergeant (Section 1);

(8)  Requires the Secretary of State to establish procedures for
absent uniformed services and overseas voters to request voter
registration applications and absentee ballot applications.  At
least one form of electronic communication for use by absent
uniformed services and overseas voters must be designated for
requesting and sending voter registration applications and
absentee ballots.  These voters may request and designate a
preferred method of electronic transmission of these applications
and ballots or request receipt by mail.  The Secretary of State
must also develop, in coordination with local election
authorities, a free access system by which these voters may
determine whether an absentee ballot has been received by the
appropriate election authority.  A sufficient quantity of paper
ballots for each federal election must be printed and available
for these voters within 45 days prior to the election, and the
election authority must begin transmitting the ballots to these
voters who have submitted an absentee ballot application.
Registration applications and paper ballots cannot be rejected by
an election authority because of any restriction on the paper or
envelope type.  Missouri is required to use the special write-in
absentee ballot provided in Section 115.292 for all elections for
federal office as authorized by federal law (Sections 115.156 -
115.292);

(9)  Adds a dependent of a retired military member who relocates
to Missouri within one year of the date of his or her parent's
retirement from active duty to those individuals who are exempt
from the requirement that a student must have attended a state
high school for at least three years prior to graduation in order
to be eligible for a grant under the A+ Schools Program (Section
160.545);

(10)  Adds a person designated by an active-duty military member
on the United States Department of Defense Form 93, Record of
Emergency Data, to the term next-of-kin as it relates to the
common law right of sepulcher in choosing and controlling the
final disposition of a person who died while on active duty
(Section 194.119);

(11)  Allows for a special license plate designated "LEGION OF
MERIT" bearing an image of the Legion of Merit Medal for any
person who has been awarded this military service award.  To
obtain this plate, a person must make application, furnish proof
as a recipient of the Legion of Merit Medal, and pay a fee equal
to the fee charged for personalized license plates to the
Department of Revenue in addition to the registration fee and any
other documents required by law (Section 301.3158); and

(12)  Requires the State Treasurer upon receiving a military
medal as abandoned personal property to hold and maintain it
until the original owner or his or her heirs or beneficiaries can
be found.  The State Treasurer may designate a veteran's
organization or other appropriate organization as custodian of a
medal until the owner or his or her heirs or beneficiaries are
located (Sections 447.503 and 447.559).

The bill contains an emergency clause for the provisions
regarding the Missouri Youth Challenge Academy.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm