FORT EUSTIS, Va. (April 23, 2009) -- The 2009 Virginia General Assembly session, laden with hundreds of bills and amendments, ended with an impasse on the commonwealth's budget shortfall and firearms legislation while other proposals were tabled for further consideration or altogether dismissed. However, the assembly did pass legislation that greatly benefits the commonwealth's active-duty, retired and veteran military community.
Chief among the bills that made it to Gov. Tim Kaine's desk is the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
Introduced by Delegate Mark Coles (R-Spotsylvania), the compact is an agreement among two or more states to address issues related to the education of military children. The compact is an effort to remove barriers to educational success that children of military families often suffer because of frequent moves and deployments. The compact becomes effective once a minimum of 10 states have enacted the compact into law.A,A Virginia, which has the largest population of children of active-duty parents - 92,000 according to the Department of Defense Office of Family Policy, joined 13 other states as a member of the DOD Educational Opportunity Compact, when Kaine signed the bill into law March 27.
Details the compact addresses include:A,A
-States would agree not to put military kids at a disadvantage because of school calendar differences and changes between states.A,A
- In the event of a transfer, parents of military children are given temporary transcripts and the new schools would be required to use the temporary transcripts for class placement until official records arrive.A,A
- Transferring students are given 30 days to get required immunizations in the new state.A,A
- Transferring students are placed in current grade, even if the new state has different age requirements for kindergarten or other grades.A,A
- High school students who do not meet graduation requirements in a new state may be awarded diplomas from previous state where they lived if graduation requirements are met.A,A
- Membership in honor societies such as the National Honor Society, Tri-M music honor society and the Beta Club are honored by new school.A,A
- Students enrolled in gifted or special education classes will continue in the program or a comparable program, in the new school. The new school may re-evaluate whether program requirements are met at a later date.A,A
- Schools may give additional excused absences to children to see a parent on leave from a deployment.
The new compact applies to the children of:
- Active-duty military and activated members of the Guard and Reserve;
- Severely injured and medically discharged or retired veterans for a period of one year after separation;
- Children of service members who die while on active duty or from injuries sustained while on active duty up to one year after death.
The interstate compact does not apply to children of Department of Defense civilian personnel and contract employees.
According to the OFP, more than 800,000 children of active-duty and activated Guard and Reserve parents are effected by the compact. The commonwealth budget conference report provides $200,000 to begin implementing the compact, which is effective July 1.
States that have signed the agreement include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolin and Oklahoma. Twenty other states have slated the legislation for consideration later this year.
For more information, contact Mid-Atlantic Regional State Liaison Julie Gifford at 965-3221, e-mail jagifford@cox.net, or contact Fort Eustis School Liaison Officer Kimberly Crutchfield at 878-5882, e-mail kimberly.crutchfield@us.army.mil.
The compact is available online at www.militarychild.org/files/InterstateCompact.pdf.
The General Assembly also addressed and passed other bills directly affecting the commonwealth's military citizens. Among those are:
HB 1732 Department of Veterans Services; Processing of Disability Claims backed by the Virginia Joint Legislative Council; a committee of representatives of veterans groups throughout the commonwealth that examines major issues and problems identified by the commonwealth's military and veteran population.
The bill provides for state and federal agencies to develop and employ an electronic system for the preparation and processing of veterans disability claims. This legislation is subject to availability of non-general fund revenues, private donations and federal funds. The bill also directs the commissioner to ensure the system is efficient and compliant. Signed into law by Kaine Feb. 25.
HB 2342 Tuition assistance; Member National Guard provides that members of the Virginia National Guard with a minimum of two years remaining on his/her service requirement in order to receive a tuition assistance in the form of a grant. If a member is activated or deployed for federal military service an additional day not to exceed 365 days, is to be added to the member's eligibility for the grant for each day of federal service served.
The General Assembly also passed action for $6.5 million in funding for a Wall of Honor at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond to commemorate those Virginian's who have lost their lives in the Global War on Terror.
Other issues addressed by the commonwealth budget conference include $200,000 for the Wounded Warrior program to ensure adequate care for military members with significant wounds suffered in the GWT.
These injuries include traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and combat stress disorder.
The report also directs public colleges and universities to enroll and register students receiving G.I. Bill education benefits without imposing delinquent account regulations while awaiting receipt of those benefits.
The assembly also passed two voting bills to make absentee voting easier for service members stationed overseas or on deployment.
For more information about the General Assembly or bills and legislation, visit http://legis.state.va.us.
On a closer front, Delegate Phillip Hamilton (R-Newport News) is also working to address the Peninsula military community and has organized a local Military/Veterans Advisory Council to discuss issues important to active-duty military and military veterans and their families.
The council includes representatives from area military bases- including Fort Eustis Garrison Commander Col. Andy Bowes and Fort Monroe Garrison Commander Col. Anthony D. Reyes; members of local veterans groups; and representatives of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee.
In a March press release Hamilton explained the purpose of the council.
"The increasing employment and economic development impact taking place at Fort Eustis and the increasing number of military veterans in our area make the formation of such an advisory council an important step in helping me better understand the needs of these Virginia residents," Hamilton wrote.
The council's first meeting is May 14 at Kiln Creek Golf Club and Resort.
"During the meeting we will review the various items addressed in the 2009 session related to the military and then just open it up for a dialog; find out what issues are out there that have impact on active-duty military and veterans," Hamilton said in a telephone interview last week.
"We're really looking for things at the state level, Wounded Warrior, etc. things that we may be able to do at the state level to assist active-duty military personnel. As these things come down the pike, I just want to do what I can for the military and veterans in our area," he added.
For more information about the council or Hamilton, visit www.delegatephilhamilton.org.
Memorandum of Agreement Signatories
Virginia school districts serving military-related
children that have committed to the terms of
the compact:
Arlington County Public Schools
Chesterfield County Public Schools
Colonial Heights City Public Schools
Dahlgren DDESS District
Dinwiddie County Public Schools
Diocese of Arlington
Fairfax County Public Schools
Hampton City Schools
Hopewell City Public Schools
Newport News Public Schools
Petersburg Public Schools
Poquoson City Public Schools
Prince George County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools
Quantico DDESS District
Stafford County Public Schools
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
West End Christian School (Private School)
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