BISMARCK – The North Dakota State Senate passed Wednesday a bill to provide financial benefits to surviving spouses of deceased veterans.
House Bill 1212 would allow spouses of deceased veterans to have access to higher education tuition waivers, property tax credits, and breaks on vehicle excise taxes and license fees.
“The goal is to simplify the process by North Dakota accepting the veteran’s administration summary of benefits letter. A surviving spouse could access North Dakota benefits,” said the carrier of the bill, Sen. Randy Lemm, R-Dis. 20, Hillsboro. “With new public laws the veteran’s administration is adjudicating claims for veterans whose disability or disease was not deemed service connected during their lifetime or at the time of their death. However, it is now determined that their death was indeed caused by a disease caused by their military service.”
The bill passed unanimously and, if amendments are agreed upon by both chambers, will be sent to the governor’s desk for consideration.
