FY 2013-14 MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET S.B. 187 (S-1): SENATE-PASSED
Senate Bill 187 (S-1 as passed by the Senate)
Committee: Appropriations
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$172,073,600 |
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1. Veterans Service Delivery Enhancements — Veterans Affairs Agency. Governor and Senate recommended $8.0 million GF/GP ($4.0 on-going and $4.0 million one-time for start-up costs) to provide for the establishment of a new Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, created by Executive Order 2013-2. |
8,000,000 |
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2. State Veterans Service Officers. Governor and Senate recommended 5.0 FTEs and $600,000 GF/GP to pay for costs of state employee who will become VA accredited to assist veterans and to train county veterans' service officers and counselors. |
600,000 |
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3. Veterans Homes Special Maintenance. Governor and Senate recommended $500,000 GF/GP for on-going maintenance needs at the Grand Rapids and D.J. Jacobetti Veterans Homes. |
500,000 |
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4. Grand Rapids Veterans Home-Laundry Costs. Governor and Senate included $60,000 GF/GP to reflect increased costs and expansion/upgrade of services. |
60,000 |
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5. Information Technology. Governor and Senate recommended adding $26,000 Gross ($3,800 GF/GP) to cover additional IT rates and services. |
26,000 |
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6. Flint Armory Replacement. Governor and Senate removed appropriations for one-time project. |
(12,000,000) |
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7. One-Time Appropriations for FY 2013. Governor and Senate removed one-time FY 2012-13 appropriations of $6,607,900 Gross ($6,055,900 GF/GP) for Employee Lump Sum Payments ($707,900), Veterans Service Enhancements ($434,000) County Counselor Accreditation ($200,000), and Department Data Upgrades and Digitization of Records ($750,000). |
(6,607,900) |
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8. Federal and State Projects Adjustment. Governor and Senate adjusted special maintenance to Federal revenues available and land acquisitions and appraisals to support acquisitions and boundary buffers. |
(2,250,000) |
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9. Reductions to Reflect Actual Restricted Revenues Received. Governor and Senate recommended reductions across several budget lines to reflect actual anticipated Restricted/Federal revenue, $1,175,300. |
(1,175,300) |
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10. Economic Adjustments. Includes $617,500 Gross and $231,600 GF/GP for OPEB and $2,764,100 Gross and $808,400 GF/GP for other economic adjustments. |
3,381,600 |
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11. Comparison to Governor's Recommendation. Senate is $0 Gross and $0 GF/GP below Governor. |
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($9,465,600) |
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FY 2013-14 Senate-Passed Gross Appropriation................................................................. |
$162,608,000 |
FY 2013-14 MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS
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Changes from FY 2012-13 Year-to-Date: |
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1. Quarterly Reports. Governor removed requirement for detailed DMVA quarterly reports. Senate retained section and added a report on status of performance metrics. (Sec. 219) |
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2. DMVA Scoreboard. Governor and Senate added a new section requiring a metrics website. (Sec. 230) |
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3. Unclassified Positions. Governor struck language listing unclassified employee positions. Senate retained section and added new position of MVAA director. (Sec. 300) |
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4. Armory Maintenance. Governor struck subsections which required a maintenance upgrade of 15 armories to yellow or green status and requiring the DMVA to consult with the Legislature prior to closing or consolidating armories. Senate concurred, but added a quarterly report on armories: status and activities. (Sec. 302) |
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5. Youth Challenge Program. Senate removed requirements that at least 65% of enrolled cadets graduate, and steps be taken to recruit economically disadvantaged and the program partner with Department of Human Services. Senate added language requiring capability of training 144 cadets simultaneously and to ensure the average grade level increase for graduates is 2 years. (Sec. 307) |
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6. Military Family Relief Fund. Senate struck language requiring an increase of grant applications approved by 5% and added language requiring capability of processing and approving 60 applications and to provide quarterly reports. (Sec. 308) |
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7. Veterans Outreach. Senate removed detailed criteria for veterans advice, advocacy and assistance grants, added language requiring the new Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency to provide outreach, to establish a goal of 35% of veterans contacted and to communicate benefit eligibility to 75% of veterans, to become capable of approving at least 5,295 requests for discharge certificates, to provide claims processing services in claims submitted to the V.A. to process a minimum of 500 claims annually, ensure that a minimum of 20% of submitted claims by the Department are fully developed, that training be provided for county veterans counselors and a goal of 20% of their submitted claims are fully developed, and requiring a quarterly report. (Sec. 401) |
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8. Veterans Advice, Advocacy, and Assistance Grants. Senate added language requiring the Veterans Affairs Agency to disburse grants to VSOs for purposes including the college initiative program and other services and projects which are determined by the agency to meet agency objectives and work to ensure a minimum of 20% of claims submitted by VSOs are fully developed, and requires a quarterly report. (Sec. 402) |
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9. Veterans Trust Fund. Senate added language requiring the capability to process a minimum of 2,900 applications. (Sec. 405) |
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10. Board of Managers Funds. Senate removed language requiring notice of an alteration to a spending plan. (Sec. 501) |
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11. Veterans Homes Abuse Complaints. The Senate added language requiring reporting of all complaints of abuse and neglect internally and to the Veterans Affairs Agency and the Legislature on no less than a monthly basis. (Sec. 503) |
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12. Michigan Veterans Facility Ombudsman. Governor and Senate removed language describing the duties and responsibilities of a Michigan Veterans Facility Ombudsman. (Sec. 602) |
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13. Lump-Sum Capital Outlay. Governor and Senate removed language outlining lump-sum payments. (Sec. 701) |
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14. Veterans Homes Maintenance/Remodeling. Governor and Senate removed language providing for one-time maintenance and remodeling projects for veterans' homes. (Sec. 703) |
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15. Veterans Service Enhancements. Governor and Senate removed language providing guidelines for one-time appropriations for veterans' enhancements, including campus initiatives, internet data system, and a requirement for a report. (Sec. 704) |
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16. County Counselors/Service Officers. Governor and Senate removed language providing for a one-time appropriation to establish a grant process by which the number of county counselors/service officers who are accredited to interact with the VA on behalf of veterans is required to increase. (Sec. 705) |
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17. Records Modernization. Governor and Senate removed language for a one-time appropriation requiring the DMVA to digitize all medical records and discharge documents currently on paper or microfilm. (Sec. 706) |
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18. FY 2014-15 Appropriations. Senate added language stating intent of legislature that the Department identifies normal and legacy retirement costs. (Sec. 1202) |
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19. FY 2014-15 Outreach. Senate added language requiring the Veterans Affairs Agency to contact 100% of Michigan Veterans. (Sec. 1203) |
Date Completed: 4-24-13 Fiscal Analyst: Bruce Baker
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.