WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2023 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2583

By Delegates Longanacre, Nestor, Ridenour, Hornby, Heckert, Tully, Hott, Brooks, Sheedy, Miller, and Jennings

[Introduced January 16, 2023; Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Homeland Security then Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §31-18C-20, all relating to establishing a Veteran's Welcome Home grant to assist military service members and honorably discharged veterans with relocation costs; establishing eligibility for grant; establishing how grant amount be determined; and providing rulemaking authority.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 18C. VETERANS' MORTGAGE FUND.

§31-18C-20.  Veterans Welcome Home Grant.  

(a) It is the policy of the State of West Virginia to assist its current military service members and qualified veterans in locating and purchasing owner occupied residences within the state, as well as decreasing the financial strain on military families who commonly relocate as a part of their service. To support these policy goals, Housing Development Fund shall administer the Veterans Welcome Home Grant program to assist military servicemembers or honorably discharged veterans with certain relocation costs.

(b) In order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must:

(1) Be an active military service member or a veteran who has been honorably discharged.

(2) Apply for the grant within six months of date of a permanent change of station move:

(A) To the home of residence in West Virginia; or

(B) From outside the state to West Virginia.

(3) Have not previously received a grant pursuant to this section.

(c) The amount of the grant shall be established by the Housing Development Fund and is based upon the number of dependents living with the military servicemember or veteran at the time of a permanent change of station move, not to exceed $3000 when a state budget surplus is evident.

(d) The Housing Development Fund shall promulgate rules for legislative approval pursuant to §29A-3A-1 et seq. of this code to implement and administer this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to assist military service members and honorably discharged veterans with relocation costs; to establish eligibility for grants; to establish how grant amount be determined; and to provide rulemaking authority.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.