The bill amends the Rhode Island General Laws to expand eligibility criteria for the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home and the Rhode Island Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery to include members of the newly recognized Space Force, alongside existing military branches. Specifically, it inserts "space force" into sections 30-24-1 and 30-24-10, replacing the exclusive mention of the air force. Additionally, the bill mandates that laundry services for residents of the veterans' home will be provided at no charge, funded by state resources. For the veterans' memorial cemetery, the bill updates burial eligibility to include members of the Coast Guard and Space Force, and establishes that the cemetery will be managed by an administrator appointed by the director of the Department of Human Services, who must be an honorably discharged veteran. Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 34-12-5 to allow commissioned officers of the Space Force to perform notarial acts, replacing the language "or marine corps, or space force,". It also redefines "armed forces" in Section 34-37-3 to include the Space Force, ensuring that military status protections and definitions are inclusive of all branches. The overarching goal of the bill is to modernize the legal framework for military personnel and their families, ensuring that Space Force members receive equal recognition and rights as those in other military branches. The act will take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5387: 30-25-14, 34-12-5, 34-37-3