19.1120.02000
Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly SENATE BILL NO. 2314
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Senators J. Lee, Dever, Marcellais
Representatives Owens, Pyle, Westlind
1 A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact sections 37-14-01.1 and 37-14-18 and subsection 8 of
2 section 37-19.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the accreditation of county
3 veterans' service officers and the definition of a veteran for purposes of veterans' relief and
4 rehabilitation and veterans' preference.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
6 SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 37-14-01.1 of the North Dakota Century Code is
7 amended and reenacted as follows:
8 37-14-01.1. Definition of veteran.
9 As used in this chapter, "veteran" means an individual who served in the armed forces of
10 the United States on federal active duty for:
11 1. For reasons other than training and who has been discharged under other than
12 dishonorable conditions.; or
13 2. To whom the United States veterans administration has assigned a service-connected
14 disability rating.
15 SECTION 2. AMENDMENT. Section 37-14-18 of the North Dakota Century Code is
16 amended and reenacted as follows:
17 37-14-18. County veterans'Veterans' service officer - Appointment - Duties.
18 The board of county commissioners of each county of the state of North Dakota shall
19 appoint, employ, and pay, on a full-time or part-time basis, an officer to be known as a county
20 veterans' service officer. The veterans' affairs commissioner may work directly with county
21 veterans' service officers. An individual may serve as a county veterans' service officer in more
22 than one county. The appointment must be made with the prior advice of the commissioner of
23 veterans' affairs, and in accordance with veterans' preference as provided in section
24 37-19.1-02. By August 1, 2011, all countyAll veterans' service officers and employees of
Page No. 1 19.1120.02000
Sixty-sixth
Legislative Assembly
1 veterans' service offices must be accredited by the national association of county veterans'
2 service officers or the department of veterans' affairs within six months of appointment or
3 employment. It is the duty of the county veterans' service officer to become acquainted with the
4 laws, both state and federal, enacted for the benefit of returning servicemen and servicewomen
5 to assist suchthe returning members of the armed forces in the presentation, proof, and
6 establishment of suchthe claims, privileges, and rights as theymembers have. It also is the duty
7 of the countyThe veterans' service officer to activelyshall cooperate with and to coordinate the
8 activities of the state and federal agencies within the county which the officer serves to facilitate
9 their operation and ensure promptness in the solution of the problems concerned with the re-
10 establishment of returning servicemen and servicewomen in civilian pursuits. A county veterans'
11 service officer may not serve as a conservator for an individual who is receiving benefits or
12 services from the department of veterans' affairs or the United States department of veterans'
13 affairs, except if the individual is the spouse or an immediate family member of the officer.
14 SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Subsection 8 of section 37-19.1-01 of the North Dakota
15 Century Code is amended and reenacted as follows:
16 8. "Veteran" means a North Dakota residentan individual who is a wartime:
17 a. Is a veteran as defined in subsection 21 of section 37-01-40.; or
18 b. Has been honorably discharged from the national guard or a reserve unit located
19 within North Dakota and:
20 (1) Has completed a minimum of twenty years of service; or
21 (2) Served in a combat zone.
Page No. 2 19.1120.02000
Statutes affected: INTRODUCED: 37-14-01.1, 37-14-18, 37-19.1-01
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 37-14-01.1, 37-14-18, 37-19.1-01
Enrollment: 37-14-01.1, 37-14-18, 37-19.1-01