HB 1157, HCA 1 -- BONUS FOR VETERANS

CO-SPONSORS:  Boucher, Gaw, Kreider

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Federal--
State Relations and Veterans Affairs by a vote of 8 to 3 with 3
present.

This bill requires the state to pay a $300 bonus to all
honorably discharged veterans or certain surviving family
members of veterans who served during World War II.  The
Adjutant General is responsible for administering the bonus
program.  An appeal process is established to deal with the
denial of a bonus.  The bonus is to be paid from the Veterans
Service Bonus Fund established by the bill.  Anyone knowingly
making a false statement related to the claim of a veteran's
bonus is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

HCA 1 -- Requires any bonus paid to a veteran in a nursing
facility to be paid directly to the veteran.  The nursing
facility has no legal claim to the bonus.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to General Revenue Fund of $10,067,297 in FY
2001, $19,962,423 in FY 2002, and $10,066,718 in FY 2003.
Subject to appropriation.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that veterans were promised this
bonus.  These veterans are Missourians who pay taxes and live in
the state.  The state should pay the bonus from the tobacco
settlement.  The state of Illinois not only paid the World War
II bonus but also paid a bonus to the Korean War veterans.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Boucher; Gerald
Randall; VFW Post 1000; Missouri Association of Veterans; AFL--
CIO; and United Auto Workers.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Steve Bauer, Legislative Analyst

HB 1157 -- Veteran's Bonus

Co-Sponsors:  Boucher, Gaw, Kreider

This bill requires the state to pay a $300 bonus to all
honorably discharged veterans or certain surviving family
members of veterans who served during World War II.  The
Adjutant General is responsible for administering the bonus
program.  An appeals process is established to deal with the
denial of a bonus.  The bonus is to be paid from the Veterans
Service Bonus Fund established by this bill.  Anyone knowingly
making a false statement related to the claim of a veteran's
bonus is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.