Military family bills making solid progress

[Hannibal]

Kentucky’s Military Family Bill of Rights proposal is making solid progress since it was announced at a press conference in August.

House of Representatives committee members in the Kentucky General Assembly are going through a series of reviews, discussions, and in-depth studies of each issue.

Kenneth Mansfield, the communications director of the Kentucky State Treasurer’s Office in Frankfort, confirmed that “House Bill 20 passed the House committee after its third reading on Jan. 20.”

If the bill passes the Senate, eligible dependents of deceased veterans can receive reimbursement for the total amount of tuition fees paid to a state-supported university, junior college, or vocational institute under the Dependents of Veterans Tuition Reimbursement Act.

Other education-related bills affecting military families are also being considered.

* On Tuesday, House Bill 147 was re-introduced to an interim committee led by Rep. Mike Weaver, D-Radcliff. The bill’s draft states that a Kentucky resident married to a member of the Kentucky National Guard, U.S. Armed Forces, or U. S. Armed Forces Reserve won’t have to pay matriculation or tuition fees upon admission to any junior college or vocational school for a period of 36 or fewer months.

In addition, if the bill is passed, Kentucky residents meeting the same criteria can expect to receive a $250 tax credit if their military spouse is deployed.

* Another bill which offers educational support to military families is HB 167—the Military Families Education Enhancement Act—that could provide a tuition waiver or reduction for students attending state-supported institutions of higher education if the student is a family member of a veteran with a 70 percent or greater service-connected disability.

* The Legislative Research Commission announced that Senate Bill 2 was approved unanimously by the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee. This bill is a comprehensive measure that takes on the needs of military families in multiple components, ranging from financial assistance to protecting custodial rights.

According to the State Treasury Office, there are a number of bills affecting military families that continue to undergo review and modification during the 2006 Legislature.

Those include:

* The Identity Theft Protection Act (HB 14)—Permits “credit freezing,” which denies access to credit information unless consumer permission is granted, in order to prevent identity theft.

* Death Benefit for Kentucky National Guard and Reserve Act (HB 27 and SB 14)—Provides a $75,000 death benefit to the families of Kentucky National Guardsmen and Kentucky reserve Soldiers killed while on federal active duty.

* Hiring Preferences for Veterans Act (HB 24)—Makes interviews mandatory for veterans applying for state employment.

* Military Families’ Benefits Bill (SB 23)—Creates Military Family Assistance Fund, and expands Child Care Assistance Program during deployment.
* Schools Supporting Soldiers Act (HB 79)—Permits a local board of education to continue paying a salary to military-activated certified or classified school employees.

* Student Soldier Protection Act (HB 80)—Requires that a student called to federal military active duty receive credit for academic work and reasonable time to make up missed work.

* Military Employers Incentives Act (HB 100)—Provides tax credits to all employers who give supplemental pay to National Guard members and reserve Soldiers who take a pay cut while away from their civilian jobs when called to active duty.

It allows the state to provide supplemental pay for state-employed National Guard members and reserve Soldiers who take a pay cut during active duty service.

* Military Families and Veterans Support Act (HB 140 and HB141)—Eliminates late fees for renewing a driver’s license and automobile registration when lateness is caused by deployment.

* Military Spouse Expedited License Act (SB 74)—Accelerates processing of professional licenses for spouses of military personnel, as has been done in Virginia.

To learn more about these initiatives, visit www.kytreasury.com, or call (502) 564-4722. Comments can be sent to treasury.web@ky.gov.

To contact a state senator or representative visit www.lrc.ky.gov (contact information will be listed by county).