OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 1063

AN ACT CONCERNING ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS FOR VETERANS IN SERVICE IN TIME OF WAR.

SUMMARY:

This bill expands the pool of people eligible for veterans' war service benefits by changing the start and end dates of Operation Earnest Will (escort of Kuwaiti oil tankers flying the U. S. flag in the Persian Gulf). The benefits include property tax exemptions; public college tuition waivers; and financial help from the Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Fund.

Under current law, the dates of the operation are February 1, 1987 to July 23, 1987. The bill corrects and sets the start date at July 24, 1987 to conform to federal regulation. And it sets the end date at September 26, 1988. (Under Department of Defense regulations, the dates are July 24, 1987 to August 1, 1990 (32 CFR § 578. 25)). The bill thus increases the defined length of the operation from approximately six months to 14 months. But it eliminates pre July 24, 1987 service as qualifying service for this operation.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

COMMITTEE ACTION

Select Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Joint Favorable Change of Reference

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute