Committee approves bill expanding state cemetery eligibility to include Hmong Laotian guerrilla units and clarifying reserve eligibility
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Summary
House Bill 985, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Services and explained by Commissioner Patricia Ross, adds Hmong Laotian special guerrilla forces to state cemetery eligibility, moves the qualifying date back to Jan. 1, 1973, and aligns dependency definitions with U.S. Code Title 38; the committee passed the bill unanimously.
The Defense & Veterans Affairs committee advanced House Bill 985 after a presentation by Commissioner Patricia Ross of the Department of Veterans Services.
"The big things that have changed since last year's bill was passed is the addition of the Hmong Laotian special guerrilla forces," Commissioner Patricia Ross said, explaining the proposed addition and other clarifications to state law.
Ross told the committee that the Hmong Laotian guerrilla units fought alongside U.S. CIA counterparts in Vietnam and Laos and that their service has recently been recognized at the federal level for certain VA burial benefits. The bill would add that group to state cemetery eligibility and make three primary clarifications: 1) set eligibility for certain reserve and National Guard members as having served not less than 24 consecutive months; 2) move the service-date threshold from Aug. 1, 1990 (the start of Desert Shield) back to Jan. 1, 1973 (the start of the all-volunteer force); and 3) align the dependency definition for children with U.S. Code Title 38 so that an unmarried adult child must have been disabled prior to age 18 to qualify.
Members asked whether other allied groups should be included. Ross and sponsors said the state largely mirrors VA federal definitions when it accepts VA funding for burials and that no other groups have been added to federal eligibility; the state could advocate for others but cannot be less restrictive without risking VA funding.
Committee members also discussed outreach if the bill becomes law. Sponsors said staff and the department already have contacts in Hmong communities and that funeral home partners had helped identify needed clarifications. Ross noted the VA does not pay interment costs for these cases and that the state will retain authority to charge for burials to cover expenses.
Representative Sainz moved to pass HB985 and Chairman Hitchens seconded; the committee approved the measure by unanimous voice vote (transcript records a voice vote without roll-call tally). The bill will proceed to further House action and, if enacted, sponsors said they will coordinate outreach to affected communities and funeral service providers.
