HOUSE BILL NO. 1869 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE ROBERTS.
5226H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 42, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to grants to repair and reset grave markers for deceased veterans.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 42, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 42.303, to read as follows: 42.303. 1. Subject to appropriation, the veterans' commission shall establish a 2 grant program to provide funds to repair and reset grave markers for deceased veterans 3 at cemeteries located in this state that have been damaged by natural causes. The 4 commission shall award grants, in amounts to be determined by the commission, to 5 eligible families of deceased veterans. 6 2. Any family member of a deceased veteran buried at a cemetery located in this 7 state may apply for a grant. The veterans' commission shall award a grant to the family 8 member if: 9 (1) The family member provides the name of the deceased veteran and produces 10 evidence of the family relationship to the deceased veteran; 11 (2) The deceased veteran was honorably separated or discharged from United 12 States military service or was in active service in an honorable status at the time of his 13 or her death; 14 (3) The deceased veteran is buried at a cemetery located in this state including, 15 but not limited to, a veterans' cemetery; 16 (4) The grave marker for the deceased veteran has been damaged by natural 17 causes;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1869 2
18 (5) The family member agrees to use the grant moneys to repair or reset the 19 grave marker; and 20 (6) Moneys are available in the veterans' grave marker trust fund. 21 3. The veterans' commission shall establish and post on its website criteria for 22 determining the amount of grants, the contents of the grant application, and the 23 procedures and timelines by which family members may apply for grants. 24 4. The veterans' commission shall award grants on a first-come, first-served 25 basis. 26 5. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Veterans' Grave Marker 27 Trust Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated to it by the general assembly 28 and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other 29 sources. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a 31 dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in this fund shall be used solely to 32 award grants to repair and reset grave makers for deceased veterans as provided in this 33 section. 34 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys 35 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the 36 general revenue fund. 37 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as 38 other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be 39 credited to the fund. 40 6. The veterans' commission may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations 41 for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is 42 defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section 43 shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of 44 chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are 45 nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to 46 chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are 47 subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule 48 proposed or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. ✔
Statutes affected: