Governor Jindal announces new legislative proposals to support veterans | News

The following is a Press Release regarding Governor Jindal's new proposals that he will pursue to help support Louisiana Veterans.

Governor Bobby Jindal spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday for the new Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Leesville where he announced two proposals he will pursue in the upcoming legislative session to support Louisiana veterans.

Governor Jindal said, “Today’s ribbon-cutting is another step we can take to make sure our veterans can rest with dignity and that we eternally honor their courageous service. This resting place is the least we can do for the thousands of veterans and their families who have given up so much in the name of our country and our freedom.”

Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery is the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs’ second cemetery site. The first LDVA cemetery is located in Keithville, Louisiana and opened in 2007. The Leesville site is a total of 204 acres. The cemetery is expected to accommodate roughly 59,500 veterans and their families who reside in and around Central Louisiana. Additional staffing and funding for the new cemetery has been included in the Governor’s budget.

Governor Jindal also announced two new proposals he will pursue in the 2012 Regular Legislative Session in support of Louisiana veterans.

First, Governor Jindal will propose legislation to allow an official “Veteran” designation on the driver’s licenses for Louisiana veterans. Veterans in Louisiana have no picture ID available for proof of their veteran status, except for a TRICARE veteran’s insurance card available mostly to retired veterans. The Governor said that means most veterans are forced to carry cumbersome paperwork with them to prove their veteran status when applying for jobs or for discounts and services provided by retail stores.

With this legislation, Louisiana will join states like Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Ohio with laws permitting veterans a designation on their driver’s licenses for proof of their military service. This new designation will also help the state improve outreach to veterans in order to update them regarding services and benefits that may be available. The Governor noted that maintaining an up-to-date database of veteran Louisiana citizens has been a challenge, as expensive mailings for veteran outreach by the state to old addresses has been ineffective.

Governor Jindal said, “This new designation is a simple way to ensure that all of our veterans are recognized for their sacrifices and that they have convenient proof of their service when applying for jobs, making use of veteran discounts, and requesting assistance for benefits. Veterans should not be burdened with red tape to benefit from the services and discounts that they deserve.  Additional staffing and funding has been included in our budget.”

Second, the Governor will pursue legislation to make sure students who delay their TOPS award to serve in the military do not lose their eligibility for voluntarily reenlisting. Currently, veterans must enroll in a postsecondary institution and claim their TOPS award by the semester immediately following their fifth anniversary of their high school graduation. Students can obtain a waiver if their service is involuntarily extended. However, students who choose to continue to serve their country and voluntarily re-enlist are unfairly penalized and lose their TOPS eligibility.

Under the Governor’s proposal, veterans will be able to utilize their TOPS awards as long as they enroll within one year after completing their active service in the Armed Forces.

Governor Jindal said, “The bottom line is that veterans should not be penalized for serving our country and committing to another tour of duty. Veterans should not be forced to choose between their education and fighting for our freedom, and this legislation will fix a loophole in the system that was treating our veterans unfairly.”