H 4143 General Bill, By Parks, M.A. Pitts and Breeland

Similar(S 636)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO RELATIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS
 AND COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF
 VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL COORDINATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS
 RELATING TO VETERANS IN THIS STATE WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
 VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND FEDERAL VETERANS' AFFAIRS REGIONAL OFFICES SO AS TO
 COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER, AND PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR
 SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL CASE FILE PAPERWORK SUBMITTED BY A COUNTY TO THE FEDERAL
 VETERANS' AFFAIRS REGIONAL OFFICE BE SENT BACK TO THE COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS
 OFFICER HAVING POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE VETERAN RATHER THAN TO THE DIVISION
 OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

   05/01/03  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-34
   05/01/03  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-34

TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO RELATIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICERS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS SHALL COORDINATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS RELATING TO VETERANS IN THIS STATE WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND FEDERAL VETERANS' AFFAIRS REGIONAL OFFICES SO AS TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER, AND PROVIDE THAT THE DIRECTOR SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL CASE FILE PAPERWORK SUBMITTED BY A COUNTY TO THE FEDERAL VETERANS' AFFAIRS REGIONAL OFFICE BE SENT BACK TO THE COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS OFFICER HAVING POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR THE VETERAN RATHER THAN TO THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 25-11-50 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 25-11-50.    (A)    The Director of the Division of Veterans' Affairs shall establish uniform methods and procedure for the performance of service work among the several county officers, maintain contact and close cooperation with such officers, and provide assistance, advice and instructions with respect to changes in law and regulations and administrative procedure in relation to the application of such laws, and he may require from time to time reports from such county veterans' affairs officers, reflecting the character and progress of their official duties. The director shall coordinate the administration of veterans' applications for entitlements or benefits, or similar paperwork relating to veterans in this State with the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs and Federal Veterans' Affairs Regional Offices Administration so as to comply with the provisions of this chapter.

(B)    The director shall ensure that all applications for entitlements or benefits, case files or similar paperwork relating to a veteran submitted by a county to the regional offices of the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall be directed to and sent to the county veterans' affairs officer who has a power of attorney for the veteran rather than to the Division of Veterans' Affairs at the state level."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.