SB 235, As Passed Senate

SB-0235, As Passed Senate, August 22, 2007

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 235

A bill to make appropriations for the department of military

and veterans affairs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008;

to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations; to provide

for certain powers and duties of the department of military and

veterans affairs, other state agencies, and local units of

government related to the appropriations; and to provide for the

preparation of certain reports related to the appropriations.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

PART 1

LINE-ITEM APPROPRIATIONS

Sec. 101. Subject to the conditions set forth in this act, the

amounts listed in this part are appropriated for the department of

military and veterans affairs for the fiscal year ending September

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

30, 2008, from the funds indicated in this part. The following is a

summary of the appropriations in this part:

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

APPROPRIATION SUMMARY:

Full-time equated unclassified positions.......... 7.0

Full-time equated classified positions........ 1,015.0

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ <<126,999,700>>

Interdepartmental grant revenues:

Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental

transfers............................................ 1,680,900

ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION........................... $ <<125,318,800>>

Federal revenues:

Total federal revenues................................. 54,187,500

Special revenue funds:

Total local revenues................................... 1,283,900

Total private revenues................................. 1,463,300

Total other state restricted revenues.................. 28,428,600

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ <<39,955,500>>

Sec. 102. HEADQUARTERS AND ARMORIES

Full-time equated unclassified positions.......... 7.0

Full-time equated classified positions.......... 123.0

Headquarters and armories--82.5 FTE positions.......... $ 10,728,500

Unclassified military personnel........................ 665,000

Military appeals tribunal.............................. 900

Michigan emergency volunteers.......................... 5,000

State active duty...................................... 90,100

Challenge program--40.5 FTE positions.................. 4,696,300

Homeland security...................................... 1,000,000

Unmanned aerial vehicle................................ 1,000

Human resources optimization user charge............... 62,600

Military family relief fund............................ 600,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 17,849,400

Appropriated from:

IDG, challenge grant................................... 260,000

IDG, community health.................................. 100,000

IDG, state police...................................... 900,000

IDG, human services.................................... 420,900

Federal revenues:

DOD-DOA-NGB............................................ 5,226,900

Special revenue funds:

Local-school aid fund.................................. 1,283,900

Rental fees............................................ 350,000

Mackinac Bridge authority.............................. 60,000

Private donations...................................... 819,700

Military family relief fund............................ 600,000

Private-parent pay revenue............................. 103,600

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 7,724,400

Sec. 103. MILITARY TRAINING SITES AND SUPPORT

FACILITIES

Full-time equated classified positions.......... 200.0

Military training sites and support

facilities--200.0 FTE positions...................... $ 22,944,100

Military training sites and support facilities test

projects............................................. 100,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 23,044,100

Appropriated from:

Federal revenues:

DOD-DOA-NGB............................................ 18,746,600

Special revenue funds:

Regional training institute fund....................... 1,500,000

Test project fees...................................... 100,000

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 2,697,500

Sec. 104. DEPARTMENTWIDE APPROPRIATIONS

Departmentwide accounts................................ $ 1,660,100

Special maintenance - state............................ 152,200

Special maintenance - federal.......................... 5,300,000

Military retirement.................................... 3,048,000

Counter narcotic operations............................ 50,000

Starbase grant......................................... 957,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 11,167,300

Appropriated from:

Federal revenues:

DOD-DOA-NGB............................................ 7,523,100

Federal counternarcotic revenues....................... 50,000

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 3,594,200

Sec. 105. VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

American legion........................................ $ 887,000

Disabled American veterans............................. 733,400

Marine corps league.................................... 337,300

American veterans of World War II and Korea............ 465,800

Veterans of foreign wars............................... 887,000

Michigan paralyzed veterans of America................. 166,700

Purple heart........................................... 158,900

Veterans of World War I................................ 100

Polish legion of American veterans..................... 42,200

Jewish veterans of America............................. 42,200

State of Michigan council - Vietnam veterans of

America.............................................. 160,500

Catholic war veterans.................................. 42,200

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 3,923,300

Appropriated from:

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 3,923,300

Sec. 106. GRAND RAPIDS VETERANS' HOME

Full-time equated classified positions.......... 517.0

Grand Rapids veterans' home--517.0 FTE positions....... $ 48,673,800

Board of managers...................................... 665,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 49,338,800

Appropriated from:

Federal revenues:

DVA-VHA................................................ 15,504,500

HHS, Medicaid.......................................... 153,500

HHS, Medicare.......................................... 1,550,900

Special revenue funds:

Private - veterans' home post and posthumous funds..... 415,000

Income and assessments................................. 14,806,400

Military family relief fund............................ 250,000

Lease revenue.......................................... 12,200

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 16,646,300

Sec. 107. D.J. JACOBETTI VETERANS' HOME

Full-time equated classified positions.......... 159.0

D.J. Jacobetti veterans' home--159.0 FTE positions..... $ 15,771,000

Board of managers...................................... 275,000

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 16,046,000

Appropriated from:

Federal revenues:

DVA-VHA................................................ 4,479,600

HHS, Medicare.......................................... 497,600

HHS, Medicaid.......................................... 10,300

Special revenue funds:

Private - veterans' home post and posthumous funds..... 125,000

Military family relief fund............................ 150,000

Income and assessments................................. 5,300,100

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 5,483,400

Sec. 108. VETERANS' AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE

Full-time equated classified positions........... 16.0

Veterans' affairs directorate administration--3.0

FTE positions........................................ $ 336,500

Veterans' trust fund administration--13.0 FTE

positions............................................ 1,222,300

Veterans' trust fund grants............................ 3,746,500

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 5,305,300

Appropriated from:

Special revenue funds:

Michigan veterans' trust fund.......................... 4,968,800

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 336,500

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

Sec. 109. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Information technology services and projects........... $ 1,187,500

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $ 1,187,500

Appropriated from:

Federal revenues:

DOD-DOA-NGB............................................ 116,500

DVA-VHA................................................ 318,600

HHS, Medicare.......................................... 9,400

Special revenue funds:

Income and assessments................................. 331,100

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ 411,900

<< Sec. 110. BUDGETARY SAVINGS

Budgetary savings...................................... $(862,000)

GROSS APPROPRIATION.................................... $(862,000)

Appropriated from:

State general fund/general purpose..................... $ (862,000)>>

PART 2

PROVISIONS CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS

GENERAL SECTIONS

Sec. 201. Pursuant to section 30 of article IX of the state

constitution of 1963, total state spending from state resources

under part 1 for fiscal year 2007-2008 is <<$68,384,100.00>> and state

spending from state resources to be paid to local units of

government for fiscal year 2007-2008 is $120,000.00. The itemized

statement below identifies appropriations from which spending to

local units of government will occur:

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

MILITARY TRAINING SITES AND SUPPORT FACILITIES

Payments in lieu of taxes.............................. $ 70,000

MICHIGAN VETERANS' TRUST FUND

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

County counselor travel expenses....................... $ 50,000

TOTAL.................................................. $ 120,000

Sec. 202. The appropriations authorized under this act are

subject to the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101

to 18.1594.

Sec. 203. As used in this act:

(a) "Department" means the department of military and veterans

affairs.

(b) "Director" means the director of the department of

military and veterans affairs.

(d) "DOD-DOA-NGB" means the DOD department of the army,

national guard bureau.

(e) "DVA" means the United States department of veterans'

affairs.

(f) "DVA-VHA" means the DVA veterans' health administration.

(g) "FTE" means full-time equated.

(h) "HHS" means the United States department of health and

human services.

(i) "IDG" means interdepartmental grant.

Sec. 204. The department of civil service shall bill the

departments and agencies at the end of the first fiscal quarter for

the 1% charge authorized by section 5 of article XI of the state

constitution of 1963. Payments shall be made for the total amount

of the billing by the end of the second fiscal quarter.

<<Sec. 205. (1) A hiring freeze is imposed on the state

classified civil service. State departments and agencies are

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007 (1 of 2)

prohibited from hiring employees into the classified state civil

service or unclassified positions within the executive branch of

state government; creating new positions within the classified

state civil service or new unclassified positions; and filling new

or existing vacant positions by external hire from outside of state

government, transfer or promotion between state departments or

agencies, or internal promotions within a department or agency. The

hiring freeze described in this section applies regardless of the

fund source financing the position but does not apply to appointments

required by law.

(2) The state budget director may grant exceptions to the hiring

freeze if 1 or more of the following apply:

(a) The creation of a position or filling a vacant position by any

method is required by legal mandate, federal mandate, or court order.

(b) The creation of a position or filling a vacant position by any

method is necessary to protect the health or safety of Michigan citizens.

method is necessary to produce budgetary savings or to protect existing

state revenue or secure additional state revenue.

(d) The creation of a position or filling a vacant position by any

method is necessary to provide for the basic daily living requirements of

residents of a state institution or facility.

(3) The state budget director shall report quarterly to the

chairpersons of the senate and house of representatives standing

committees on appropriations and the respective fiscal agencies the number of exceptions to the hiring freeze approved for each state department or agency during the immediately preceding quarter and the reasons to justify the exception.

(4) The attorney general and secretary of state may grant exceptions to the hiring freeze for their respective departments under the same criteria that the state budget director is able to grant exceptions.>>

Sec. 207. Sixty days before beginning any effort to privatize,

the department shall submit a complete project plan to the

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

appropriate senate and house of representatives appropriations

subcommittees and the senate and house fiscal agencies. The plan

shall include the criteria under which the privatization initiative

will be evaluated. The evaluation shall be completed and submitted

to the appropriate senate and house of representatives

appropriations subcommittees and the senate and house fiscal

agencies within 30 months.

Sec. 208. Unless otherwise specified, the department shall use

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

the Internet to fulfill the reporting requirements of this act.

This requirement may include transmission of reports via electronic

mail to the recipients identified for each reporting requirement or

it may include placement of reports on an Internet or Intranet

site.

<<Sec. 209. Funds appropriated in part 1 shall not be used

for the purchase of foreign goods or services, or both, if

competitively priced and of comparable quality American goods or

services, or both, are available. Preference should be given to goods or

services, or both, manufactured or provided by Michigan businesses, if

they are competitively priced and of comparable quality. In addition,

preference should be given to goods or services, or both, that are

manufactured or provided by Michigan businesses owned and operated by

veterans, if they are competitively priced and of comparable quality.>>

Sec. 210. The director of each department receiving

appropriations in part 1 shall take all reasonable steps to ensure

businesses in deprived and depressed communities compete for and

perform contracts to provide services or supplies, or both. Each

director shall strongly encourage firms with which the department

contracts to subcontract with certified businesses in depressed and

deprived communities for services, supplies, or both.

Sec. 211. The departments and agencies receiving

appropriations in part 1 shall receive and retain copies of all

reports funded from appropriations in part 1. The department shall

follow all federal guidelines and state laws regarding short-term

and long-term retention of records.

Sec. 212. (1) Of the funds appropriated in part 1 for military

training sites and support facilities, there shall be established a

Michigan national guard education assistance program. Disbursements

to the educational assistance program shall not exceed

$1,100,000.00 without legislative approval. Under the program, a

member of the national guard who is in active service and who

enrolls as a full- or part-time student at a public or private

state college or university may be eligible to receive up to an

equivalent of 50% of the total cost of tuition not to exceed

$2,000.00, as education assistance, in any academic year.

(2) As used in this section, an eligible person means a member

of the Michigan national guard who is in active service, as defined

in section 105 of the Michigan military act, 1967 PA 150, MCL

32.505. An eligible person does not include a member of the

Michigan national guard or air national guard who is absent without

leave or who is under charges as described in the Michigan code of

military justice of 1980, 1980 PA 523, MCL 32.1001 to 32.1148.

(3) The department of military and veterans affairs, office of

the adjutant general shall administer the education assistance

program and prescribe forms and procedures to effectively carry out

the education assistance program.

(4) An eligible person shall apply to the department of

military and veterans affairs, office of the adjutant general for

education assistance and shall provide evidence of attendance and

completion of the course of study with a grade of at least 2.0 on a

4.0 scale, or its equivalent. The adjutant general shall approve

the application for reimbursement if the applicant meets the

definition of an eligible person under subsection (2) and other

criteria as established by the adjutant general.

(5) The education assistance program applies to any course of

instruction that is included in an associate, undergraduate, or

postgraduate degree program offered by a college or university of

this state.

(6) The education assistance program applies to an eligible

person notwithstanding any other educational incentive or benefit

received by the eligible person under any other educational

assistance program provided by any other state.

(7) An eligible person who successfully completes the course

of study with a grade of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, or its

equivalent, shall be eligible for reimbursement.

(8) The department of military and veterans affairs may use

funds from the appropriated funds to administer the education

assistance program.

(9) Reimbursed members who do not complete their national

guard obligation shall pay the state for money received from the

state for tuition. Members who fail to repay the state within the

time limits established by the adjutant general shall be indebted

to the state. The department shall work in conjunction with the

department of treasury for inclusion in the tax intercept program

for amounts due the state.

(10) A portion of the funds for the Michigan national guard

education assistance program may be used by the department for the

purpose of promoting the program and for encouraging those persons

the department wishes to have enlist or reenlist in the Michigan

national guard.

Sec. 213. The department shall consult with the house and

senate appropriations subcommittees on military and veterans

affairs regarding the projected closing or consolidation of any

national guard armories.

Sec. 214. It is the intent of the legislature that, should the

necessary legislation be enacted and funding become available,

funds be appropriated for state military cemeteries in Crawford and

Dickinson counties.

Sec. 221. From the funds appropriated in part 1 for

information technology, departments and agencies shall pay user

fees to the department of information technology for technology-

related services and projects. These user fees shall be subject to

provisions of an interagency agreement between the departments and

agencies and the department of information technology.

Sec. 223. Amounts appropriated in part 1 for information

technology may be designated as work projects and carried forward

to support technology projects under the direction of the

department of information technology. Funds designated in this

manner are not available for expenditure until approved as work

projects under section 451a of the management and budget act, 1984

PA 431, MCL 18.1451a.

Sec. 225. (1) Due to the current budgetary problems in this

state, out-of-state travel for the fiscal year ending September 30,

2008 shall be limited to situations in which 1 or more of the

following conditions apply:

(a) The travel is required by legal mandate or court order or

for law enforcement purposes.

(b) The travel is necessary to protect the health or safety of

Michigan citizens or visitors or to assist other states in similar

circumstances.

increase state revenues, including protecting existing federal

funds or securing additional federal funds.

(d) The travel is necessary to comply with federal

requirements.

(e) The travel is necessary to secure specialized training for

staff that is not available within this state.

(f) The travel is financed entirely by federal or nonstate

funds.

(2) If out-of-state travel is necessary but does not meet 1 or

more of the conditions in subsection (1), the state budget director

may grant an exception to allow the travel. Any exceptions granted

by the state budget director shall be reported on a monthly basis

to the senate and house of representatives standing committees on

appropriations.

(3) Not later than January 1 of each year, each department

shall prepare a travel report listing all travel by classified and

unclassified employees outside this state in the immediately

preceding fiscal year that was funded in whole or in part with

funds appropriated in the department's budget. The report shall be

submitted to the chairs and members of the senate and house of

representatives standing committees on appropriations, the senate

and house fiscal agencies, and the state budget director. The

report shall include the following information:

(a) The name of each person receiving reimbursement for travel

outside this state or whose travel costs were paid by this state.

(b) The destination of each travel occurrence.

(d) A brief statement of the reason for each travel

occurrence.

(e) The transportation and related costs of each travel

occurrence, including the proportion funded with state general

fund/general purpose revenues, the proportion funded with state

restricted revenues, the proportion funded with federal revenues,

and the proportion funded with other revenues.

(f) A total of all out-of-state travel funded for the

immediately preceding fiscal year.

Sec. 226. The department shall not take disciplinary action

against an employee for communicating with a member of the

legislature or his or her staff.

Sec. 227. Sixty days prior to the public announcement of the

intention to sell any department property, the department shall

submit notification of that intent to the appropriate senate and

house appropriations subcommittees and the senate and house fiscal

agencies.

Sec. 228. Funds appropriated in part 1 shall not be used by a

principal executive department, state agency, or authority to hire

a person to provide legal services that are the responsibility of

the attorney general.

Sec. 229. There is hereby created and established under the

jurisdiction and control of the department a revolving account to

be known as the regional training institute conference center

account. All of the fees and other revenues generated from the

operation of the regional training institute conference center

shall be deposited in the regional training institute conference

center account. Appropriations shall be made from the account for

the support of program operations and the maintenance and

operations of the regional training institute, the construction and

maintenance of morale, welfare, and recreation facilities on Fort

Custer or training areas within Michigan, and shall not exceed the

estimated revenues for the fiscal year in which they are made,

together with unexpended balances from prior years. The department

shall submit an annual report of operations and expenditures

regarding the regional training institute conference center account

to the senate and house of representatives standing committees on

appropriations, the senate and house fiscal agencies, and the state

budget director at the end of the fiscal year.

Sec. 230. The regional training institute conference center

shall be available but not limited to the following:

(a) Military personnel.

(b) Federal, state, and local government agencies.

(d) Nonprofit corporations or associations organized pursuant

to the nonprofit corporation act, 1962 PA 162, MCL 450.2101 to

450.3192.

(e) Community service clubs.

(f) Groups of persons with disabilities.

(g) Members of the legislature for the purposes related to the

business of the legislature.

(h) Entities and organizations that wish to use the conference

Senate Bill No. 235 as amended August 22, 2007

center to host an event that has a military agenda.

Sec. 231. (1) The department shall report no later than April

1, 2008 on each specific policy change made to implement enacted

legislation to the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on

the department budget, the senate and house standing committees on

the department budget, the chairperson of the joint committee on

administrative rules, and the senate and house fiscal agencies and

policy offices.

(2) Funds appropriated in part 1 shall not be used to prepare

regulatory plans or promulgate rules that fail to reduce the

disproportionate economic impact on small businesses pursuant to

section 40 of the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA

306, MCL 24.240.

<<Sec. 232. Appropriation authorization adjustments required due to negative appropriations for budgetary savings shall be made only after the approval of transfers by the legislature under section 393(2) of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1393.>>

HEADQUARTERS AND ARMORIES

Sec. 301. The department may charge reasonable rental and

equipment usage fees for renting an armory or using the distance

learning network. The fee shall include the cost of overtime

compensation, insurance coverage, and any maintenance required.

Sec. 302. (1) The funds appropriated in this act for private

donations to the challenge program shall be considered state

restricted revenue, and unexpended funds remaining at the close of

the fiscal year shall not lapse to the general fund but shall be

carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year.

(2) The department shall make every effort to identify

alternative sources of revenue to replace the general fund/general

purpose funding provided in this act for the challenge program.

(3) The department may charge a parent or guardian of a

participant in the challenge program a fee for participating in the

program if the participant is a member of a family with an income

that exceeds 200% of the federal poverty guidelines as published by

the United States department of health and human services. The

amount charged the parent or guardian shall not exceed the per-

student state share cost of administering the program. The parent

or guardian shall be notified of any charge to be assessed under

this subsection prior to enrollment of the child in the program.

Sec. 304. The department will partner with the department of

human services to identify youth who may be eligible for the

challenge program from those youth served by department of human

services programs. These eligible youth shall be given priority for

enrollment in the program.

VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

Sec. 501. (1) Money appropriated in part 1 for grants to

veterans service organizations shall be used only for salaries,

wages, related personnel costs, training, and equipment for

accredited veteran service advocacy officers and necessary support

and managerial staff. Training shall be provided for service

advocacy officers and shall be conducted by accredited advocacy

officers.

(2) To receive a grant from the money appropriated in part 1,

a veterans service organization shall meet the following

eligibility requirements:

(a) Be congressionally chartered by the United States

congress.

(b) Be an active participating member of the Michigan veterans

organizations' rehabilitation and veterans service committee and

abide by its rules, guidelines, and programs.

from its own organization.

(d) Comply with the department's and the legislature's

requirements of accounting audits, service work activity,

accounting of recoveries, listing of volunteer hours, budget

requests, and other requirements specified in subsection (3).

(e) For a veterans service organization founded after

September 30, 1989, be in operation and providing service to

Michigan veterans for not less than 2 years before receiving an

initial state grant. During this 2-year period of time, the

organization shall file a listing of service work activity and an

accounting of recoveries with the department, the senate and house

fiscal agencies, the senate and house of representatives

appropriations subcommittees on military affairs, and the state

budget office on forms as prescribed by the department.

(3) A veterans service organization receiving a grant from the

money appropriated in part 1 shall file with the department an

accounting of its expenditures, audited and certified by a

certified public accountant, within 120 days after the

organization's fiscal year end. Each organization shall provide a

detailed budget request for the fiscal year ending September 30,

2009 to the department by November 15, 2007. Each veterans service

organization shall provide 5 copies of a listing of all service

activity, an accounting of recoveries, and a listing of volunteer

hours for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007 to the

department by January 31, 2008. The listing of volunteer hours

shall include the hours, services, and donations provided to

residents of the Grand Rapids veterans' home and the D.J. Jacobetti

veterans' home. Each veterans service organization shall provide a

copy of the most recent and completed internal revenue service form

990 to the department at the end of the fiscal year ending

September 30, 2007. A veterans service organization receiving a

grant from the money appropriated in part 1 shall use the forms

recommended by the Michigan veterans organizations rehabilitation

and veterans service committee for filing reports required by this

act. The department shall forward information required under this

section to the senate and house fiscal agencies, the senate and

house of representatives appropriations subcommittees on military

affairs, and the state budget office.

(4) The veterans service directors committee and the

department shall take steps to improve the coordination of veterans

benefits counseling in the state to maximize the effective and

efficient use of taxpayer dollars in this goal and to ensure that

every veteran is served.

(5) To accomplish the goal of subsection (4), the veterans

service directors committee and the department shall take steps to

increase their responsibility in the administration, management,

oversight, and outreach of the delivery of services to veterans.

The veterans service directors committee and the department shall

involve county veterans counselors and representatives from the

Michigan veterans trust fund to work in concert to identify,

implement, and evaluate steps to do all of the following:

(a) Increase the veterans service directors committee and the

department's role in working directly with the United States

department of veterans' affairs to enhance the delivery of services

to Michigan veterans.

(b) Increase the number of initial claims filed with the

United States department of veterans' affairs on behalf of veterans

for service-connected disability or pension benefits. The veterans

service directors committee and the department may work toward

either an absolute increase of approved claims or an increase in

the percentage of Michigan veterans with approved claims.

United States department of veterans' affairs to Michigan veterans

either by an increase in compensation paid per approved claim or

increase in compensation paid on a per capita basis.

(d) Expand training opportunities for veterans service

organization service officers.

(e) Increase either the number or percentage of Michigan

veterans enrolled in the VA health care system.

(f) Publicize the availability, benefit, and value of burial

in the Fort Custer and Great Lakes national cemeteries.

(g) Review each grant recipient's performance under the

program and require that performance be a major consideration in

the future funding of each grant recipient.

(h) Identify areas of redundancy which may exist among

services provided by veterans service organizations grantees,

Michigan veterans trust fund county committees, and county veterans

counselors and provide a proposal on how any redundancies may be

minimized and identify specific cost savings which could result.

(6) The veterans service directors committee and the

department shall create a report of the efforts to complete the

goals outlined in this section and shall provide suggestions on how

a more effective and efficient veterans' benefits counseling

program may best be designed for implementation for fiscal year

2008-2009. This report shall be delivered to the house and senate

appropriations subcommittees no later than March 1, 2008.

VETERANS' HOMES

Sec. 601. Appropriations in this act for the Grand Rapids

veterans' home and the D.J. Jacobetti veterans' home shall not be

used for any purpose other than for veterans and veterans'

families.

Sec. 602. The Grand Rapids veterans' home and the D.J.

Jacobetti veterans' home, together with the department and the

department of management and budget, shall produce and deliver to

the senate and house of representatives appropriations

subcommittees on state police and military affairs an annual

written report. The report shall include an accounting of member

populations and bed space available; a description and accounting

of services and activities provided to members; financial

information; current state nursing home licensure status; the steps

required for Medicaid certification, including a listing of any

personnel, equipment, supplies, or budgetary increases required;

and whether or not steps are being taken toward Medicaid

certification. The annual report shall be submitted to the senate

and house of representatives appropriations subcommittees on

military affairs no later than February 1, 2008.

Sec. 603. The money appropriated in this act for the boards of

managers may be expended for facility improvements, the purchase

and repair of equipment and furnishings, member services, and other

purposes that benefit the Grand Rapids veterans' home and the D.J.

Jacobetti veterans' home.

VETERANS' TRUST FUND

Sec. 703. By April 1, 2008, the department shall submit to the

senate and house of representatives appropriations subcommittees on

military affairs and the state budget office a detailed annual

report of the Michigan veterans' trust fund for fiscal year 2006-

2007. The report shall include information on grants provided from

the emergency grant program, including details concerning the

methodology of allocations, the selection of emergency grant

program authorized agents, and a detailed breakdown of trust fund

expenditures for that year. The report shall also provide an update

on the department's efforts to reduce program administrative costs

and restore the Michigan veterans' trust fund corpus to its

original amount of $50,000,000.00.

Sec. 704. The Michigan veterans affairs directorate

administration and the Michigan veterans' trust fund administration

shall take steps to assist the county veterans counselors of the

state to obtain training necessary for the execution of their