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Current Issues Hoosier Veterans FaceThe American Legion, Department of Indiana legislative team and representatives work closely with our Indiana General Assembly to help shape bills and support legislation that we believe will improve the lives of our Hoosier veterans.
The Indiana Legion also partners with three of the other largest Congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organizations in the state, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and American Veterans, respectively. This helps our voice be heard at the Indiana General Assembly and shows solidarity on the issues among all the organizations. See below for our current Legislative Agenda. |
2021 Indiana Legislative Agenda
PRIORITY 1
This legislation if passed would assist in funding the Veterans Grant Service program managed by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs. Revenue for the fund will be provided by proceeds from electronic gaming terminals in Congressionally Chartered Veterans Service Organizations facilities. Legislation will strictly limit total number of video gaming machines allowed in the state. Annually funds remaining in fund will be transferred to the Military Family Relief Fund.
PRIORITY 2
We realize the 2021 legislative session is not going to be easy on any matters concerning reducing state revenues or increasing appropriations, but this legislation is very vital to our Guard, Reserve and active military. In 2019 legislation went into effect to final eliminate state income tax for military retirement pay, just retirement pay. The bill required a phased in approach, 25% percent each year until all retirement pay was exempt from State income tax. Our goal is for the state not to tax any military income. Indiana National Guard, Indiana Reserve and activity duty military in the state should not have Indiana income tax withheld from there pay. As always our Guard and Reserve are ready serve either in war or during state and national emergencies such as the Covid pandemic. Many Guard and Reservist have served both locally and nationally during the pandemic. These volunteers should not be required to pay state income tax. Please contact your Legislators and let them know you would like to see this Bill be put into place with these additions.
PRIORITY 3
The Big 4 and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs are working to change some of requirements for the Military Family Relief Fund making it possible for more veterans to qualify.
• Remove the requirement that the need is “service connected”, if a veteran has a need for help why does it have to be service connected? This requirement eliminates many of the older veterans.
• Remove the one year active duty requirement. Many Guard and Reservist serve their entire career without every being on active duty, why should they be denied access to the relief fund?
• Remove the requirement for wartime service, again if a veterans is in need why does wartime service matter. When someone joins the military it’s not up to them if they get deployed, we all know many service members who served but were never deployed.
• Currently several types of discharges disqualify many veterans. Many veterans served honorably but for one reason or another received some thing other than an honorable discharge. Many times these veterans are discharged on “bad paper” for a minor infraction of the Military Code of Justice. We would like the IDVA to use discharge codes on a veterans DD214 to determine their eligibility.
This legislation if passed would assist in funding the Veterans Grant Service program managed by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs. Revenue for the fund will be provided by proceeds from electronic gaming terminals in Congressionally Chartered Veterans Service Organizations facilities. Legislation will strictly limit total number of video gaming machines allowed in the state. Annually funds remaining in fund will be transferred to the Military Family Relief Fund.
- Grants for Veterans Services is a program administered by the IDVA. Grants are used to provide funding for various projects dedicated to helping Indiana’s Veterans.
- Grants since Feb 2020 include
- i.Center for the Homeless, South Bend
- ii.Family Services Association of Howard County
- iii.HealthNet, Indianapolis
- iv.HVAF, Indianapolis
- v.Indiana Legal Services, Indianapolis
- vi.Lafayette Transitional Housing Center, Lafayette
- vii.Operation Combat Bikesaver, Crown Point
- viii.Operation: Job Ready Veterans, Indianapolis
- ix.Reach Services, Terre Haute
- x.The Shepherd’s House, Fort Wayne
- xi.Transitions Resources Corp., Pendleton
- xii.Veterans Changing Services, Gary
- xiii.Volunteers of America, Indianapolis
- i.Center for the Homeless, South Bend
- Grants since Feb 2020 include
- The Grants can be used to support County Veterans Service Officers. These folks are the point of the spear when it comes to Veterans receiving the benefits they have earned by their military service.
- GDX data shows us the following:
- i.Indiana has approximately 401,070 Veterans.
- ii.Only 130,750 Veterans actually receive Veteran Benefits.
- iii.Those Veterans bring $2,852,515,000.00 into Indiana from the Federal Government!
- iv.But, that is only a portion of the Veterans who should be receiving benefits, according to the VA 36% of all Veterans should be receiving benefits.
- v.Indiana is only at 32% - This means Indiana is losing approximately $297,500,000.00 in Federal dollars every year.
- vi.Using a tax rate for IN of $.125 and a velocity of money of 6, Indiana missed out on $223,000,000.00 in taxes each year.
- i.Indiana has approximately 401,070 Veterans.
- GDX data shows us the following:
- CVSO salaries range from $5,447.05 in Warrant County to $54,154.27 in Hamilton County. $5,000 isn’t a living wage and we can not expect people to do the outreach required to help Veterans on such a low salary.
- As with most jobs the CVSO needs training and experience. There are statistics showing that experienced CVSO secure more benefits for Veterans.
- Veterans Service Organizations post are closing throughout the state due to lack of revenue and the Pandemic.
- Many Post are an essential part of the community, especially in the smaller rural communities.
- Not only do they provide a place to gather but all provide community activities.
- Donate to local charities.
- Provide transportation for Veterans to health care appointments.
- Assist the community with Honor Guards for funerals, parades and other civic events.
- Most post have essay programs that allow local students to earn thousands of dollars in scholarships.
- All post are there when the community needs help, just like during the pandemic – post made face mask, established food banks, provided groceries to families, set up programs to actively check on shut-ins, and many other services to the community.
- Revenue from VGTs doesn’t go to directly support the post this revenue by law must go to charity, the Post will profit from additional canteen revenue.
- The legislation will be written in such a way to limit the total number of video gaming terminals allowed in the state, excluding licensed casinos.
- Congressionally Charter Veterans Organization each post must meet stringent requirements: Proper charitable gaming license,
- No more than five machines per post.
- Must be monitored by post employee.
- Revenue split. Basically 33% each – Grant for Veteran Services fund, post, and equipment provider.
- Post portion of revenue must follow Charity Gaming rules for how funds are used.
- Majority goes to support charities in their communities.
- Provide additional funding for scholarship programs.
- Does not go to a for profit corporation, the revenue stays in an Indiana community!
PRIORITY 2
We realize the 2021 legislative session is not going to be easy on any matters concerning reducing state revenues or increasing appropriations, but this legislation is very vital to our Guard, Reserve and active military. In 2019 legislation went into effect to final eliminate state income tax for military retirement pay, just retirement pay. The bill required a phased in approach, 25% percent each year until all retirement pay was exempt from State income tax. Our goal is for the state not to tax any military income. Indiana National Guard, Indiana Reserve and activity duty military in the state should not have Indiana income tax withheld from there pay. As always our Guard and Reserve are ready serve either in war or during state and national emergencies such as the Covid pandemic. Many Guard and Reservist have served both locally and nationally during the pandemic. These volunteers should not be required to pay state income tax. Please contact your Legislators and let them know you would like to see this Bill be put into place with these additions.
PRIORITY 3
The Big 4 and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs are working to change some of requirements for the Military Family Relief Fund making it possible for more veterans to qualify.
• Remove the requirement that the need is “service connected”, if a veteran has a need for help why does it have to be service connected? This requirement eliminates many of the older veterans.
• Remove the one year active duty requirement. Many Guard and Reservist serve their entire career without every being on active duty, why should they be denied access to the relief fund?
• Remove the requirement for wartime service, again if a veterans is in need why does wartime service matter. When someone joins the military it’s not up to them if they get deployed, we all know many service members who served but were never deployed.
• Currently several types of discharges disqualify many veterans. Many veterans served honorably but for one reason or another received some thing other than an honorable discharge. Many times these veterans are discharged on “bad paper” for a minor infraction of the Military Code of Justice. We would like the IDVA to use discharge codes on a veterans DD214 to determine their eligibility.
