Veterans Bonus Amendment

(Persian Gulf, Lebanon, Grenada and Panama)
The Legislature shall provide by law, either for the appropriation from the general revenues of the State, or for the issuance and sale of state bonds, which shall be in addition to all other state bonds heretofore issued, or a combination of both as the Legislature may determine, for the purpose of paying a cash bonus to veterans of the armed forces of the United States who (1) served on active duty, or who were members of reserve components called to active duty by the President of the United States under Title 10, United States Code section 782(D), 783, or 783(B), during the Persian Gulf conflict, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, between the first day of August, one thousand nine hundred ninety and the date determined by the president or congress of the United States as the end of the involvement of the United States armed forces in the Persian Gulf conflict, both dates inclusive; or (2) veterans, active service members, or members of reserve components, of the armed forces of the United States, who served on active duty in one of the military operations for which he or she received a campaign badge or expeditionary medal during the periods hereinafter described. For purposes of this amendment, periods of active duty in a campaign or expedition are designated as: The conflict in Panama, between the twentieth day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine, through the thirty-first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety, both dates inclusive; the conflict in Grenada, between the twenty-third day of October, one thousand nine hundred eighty-three, and the twenty-first day of November, one thousand nine hundred eighty-three, both dates inclusive; and the conflict in Lebanon, between the twenty-fifth day of August, one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, and the twenty-sixth day of February, one thousand nine hundred eighty-four, both dates inclusive. For purposes of this amendment not more than one bonus shall be paid to or on behalf of the service of any one veteran. In order to be eligible to receive a bonus, such persons must have been bona fide residents of the State of West Virginia at the time of their entry into such active service and for a period of at least six months immediately prior thereto, who have not been separated from such service under conditions other than honorable. Such bonus shall also be paid to any veteran, otherwise qualified under the two sentences next preceding, who was discharged within ninety days after entering the armed forces because of a service-connected disability. The amount of such bonus shall be five hundred dollars per eligible person who was in active service, inside the combat zone designated by the President or Congress of the United States at anytime during the dates specified hereinabove. In the case of the Persian Gulf conflict, the amount of bonus shall be three hundred dollars per eligible person who was in active service outside of the combat zone designated by the President or Congress of the United States during the dates specified hereinabove. The bonus to which any deceased veteran would have been entitled, if living, shall be paid to the following surviving relatives of such veterans, if such relatives are residents of the State when such application is made and if such relatives are living at the time payment is made: Any unremarried widow or widower, or, if none, all children, stepchildren and adopted children under the age of eighteen, or, if none, any parent, stepparent, adoptive parent or person standing in loco parentis. The categories of persons listed shall be treated as separate categories listed in order of entitlement and where there be more than one member of a class, the bonus shall be paid to each member according to his proportional share. Where a deceased veteran's death was connected with such service and resulted from such service during the time period specified, however, the surviving relatives shall be paid, in accordance with the same order of entitlement, the sum of one thousand dollars in lieu of any bonus to which the deceased might have been entitled if living.
The principal amount of any bonds issued for the purpose of paying the bonuses provided for in this amendment shall not exceed the principal amount of four million dollars, but may be funded or refunded either on the maturity dates of said bonds or on any date on which said bonds are callable prior to maturity, and if any of said bonds have not matured or are not then callable prior to maturity, the Legislature may nevertheless provide at any time for the issuance of refunding bonds to fund or refund such bonds on the dates when said bonds mature or on any date on which said bonds are callable prior to maturity and for the investment or reinvestment of the proceeds of such refunding bonds in direct obligations of the United States of America until the date or dates upon which such bonds mature or are callable prior to maturity. The principal amount of any refunding bonds issued under the provisions of this paragraph shall not exceed the principal amount of the bonds to be funded or refunded thereby.
The bonds may be issued from time to time for the purposes authorized by this amendment as separate issues or as combined issues.
Whenever the Legislature shall provide for the issuance of any bonds under the authority of this amendment, it shall at the same time provide for the levy, collection and dedication of an additional tax, or enhancement to such other tax as the Legislature may determine, in such amount as may be required to pay annually the interest on such bonds and the principal thereof within and not exceeding fifteen years, and all such taxes or charges so levied shall be irrevocably dedicated for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds until such principal of and interest on such bonds are finally paid and discharged and any of the covenants, agreements or provisions in the acts of the Legislature levying such taxes or charges shall be enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction by any of the holders of said bonds. Any revenue generated in excess of that which is required to pay the bonuses provided herein and to pay any administrative cost associated with such payment shall be used to pay the principal and interest on any bonds issued as soon as is economically practicable.
The Legislature shall have the power to enact legislation necessary and proper to implement the provisions of this amendment.