NOTICE TO READERS

This report provides brief highlights of new laws (public acts) affecting Veterans and the Military passed during the 2010 regular session. At the end of each summary, we indicate the public act (PA) number. OLR does not summarize special acts.

Not all provisions of the acts are included here. Complete summaries of all 2010 public acts will be available in the fall when OLR's Public Act Summary book is published; some are already on OLR's webpage:

http://www.cga.ct.gov/olr/OLRPASums.asp.

Readers are encouraged to obtain the full text of acts that interest them from the Connecticut State Library, the House Clerk's Office, or the General Assembly's website: http://www.cga.ct.gov/.

PROMOTIONS FOR RETIRED VETERANS 4

EXPIRATION DATE OF DRIVER'S LICENSES 4

HOMELESS FEMALE VETERANS AND
BILINGUAL SERVICE OFFICERS 4

PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS FOR
VETERANS IN NURSING HOMEs 4

WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS' DAY 5

TUITION WAIVERS 5

camp rell name change 5

ADJUTANT GENERAL's duties 5

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION CREDITS
FOR MILITARY TRAINING 6

group fishing license 6

New legislation allows honorably discharged retired members of the Connecticut National Guard or the governor's military staff with 30 or more years of service to apply to the adjutant general for “retirement promotion” if they did not apply before retiring. The law already allows members still in the service and who meet years-of-service requirements to apply for retirement promotion before retiring. A retired applicant, like a currently serving applicant with 20 or more years of service, may apply to be promoted or commissioned at one grade above the highest grade he or she ever held in the state or U.S. Armed Forces or on the governor's military staff, but not above brigadier general or sergeant major.

PA 10-15, effective October 1, 2010

A new law extends the expiration date of a driver's license held by an armed forces member who was out of state because of his or her active-duty service. The extension is for 30 days after the service member is honorably separated from service or returns to Connecticut.

The law applies only if the (1) license has not been suspended, cancelled, or revoked and (2) service member has it and his or her discharge or separation papers in his or her immediate possession.

PA 10-16, effective October 1, 2010

A new law requires the state Department of Veterans' Affairs to conduct a study of homeless female veterans in Connecticut. The study must include an analysis of the number of such veterans and information on shelter options and resources available to them.

The law also requires that at least two, instead of one, of the six veterans service officers (VSO) in the Veterans' Advocacy and Assistance Unit be proficient in both English and Spanish. The requirement takes effect on the next opening of a VSO position after June 30, 2010.

PA 10-21, effective upon passage

A new law prohibits nursing homes from restricting patient access to prescription drugs from any U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) prescription drug program or health plan. It requires the facilities to dispense and administer prescription drugs obtained under any such plan or program to patients who request them, regardless of how the drugs are packaged. But it (1) does not prevent the facilities from dispensing or administering prescription drugs obtained from other sources when a patient needs them before they can be obtained from the VA program or plan and (2) allows the facilities to dispense and administer drugs patients receive under a VA program or plan in accordance with their policies, provided the policies conform to applicable state and federal laws.

PA 10-39, effective October 1, 2010

A new law requires the governor to proclaim March 30 annually as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans' Day to commemorate and honor Vietnam veterans' return home. It requires suitable exercises to be held in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the governor designates.

PA 10-40, effective upon passage

A new law specifies that for purposes of the veterans' tuition waiver, which the law requires UConn, the Connecticut State University (CSU) system, and regional community-technical colleges (CTC) to give to eligible veterans, “service in time of war” does not include time spent attending a military service academy. It requires that, within 30 days of its passage, the institutions' boards review current and prospective students' eligibility for the waiver to ensure compliance.

PA 10-66, effective upon passage

A new law changes the name of Camp Rell, the state military training facility in Niantic, to Camp Niantic. Under prior practice, the facility was named after the sitting governor.

PA 10-69, effective January 6, 2011

A new law generally streamlines and codifies the process for the Military Department adjutant general to enter into contracts or agreements for federal construction (projects constructed with federal funds) on state property, subject to the attorney general's approval.

It also decreases, from twice to once per calendar year, the number of times the adjutant general must inspect National Guard units.

HB 5264 (as amended by House “A”), effective October 1, 2010

A new law requires state agencies or boards that issue licenses or certificates requiring professional training, schooling, or apprenticeship to provide credits or exemption requirements toward licensure or certification for applicants who received applicable training, schooling, or experience while serving in the armed forces. It prohibits the agencies from requiring applicants to repeat any substantively similar training or schooling required for licensure or certification.

The new law requires that credits or exemptions granted towards licenses or certificates awarded by the state's higher education constituent units be granted in a manner consistent with (1) guidelines established by the American Council on Education, (2) the institutions' transfer credit policies, and (3) federal regulations.

It defines the “armed forces” as the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force and reserve components, including the Connecticut National Guard and state militia.

PA 10-105, effective October 1, 2010

A new law allows the environmental protection commissioner to issue group fishing licenses to tax exempt organizations to conduct group fishing events for individuals with a service-related disability who get services at a U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System facility.

PA 10-106, effective upon passage

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