# Title 37 — Military

## Chapter 37-14 — Veterans' Relief and Rehabilitation

### § 37-14-01. Veterans' aid commission - Appointment - Qualifications - Secretary.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-01.1. Definition of veteran.

1. As used in this chapter, "veteran" means:
a. An individual:
(1) Defined as a veteran under subsection 1 of section 37-01-40; or
(2) To whom the United States veterans administration has assigned a
service-connected disability rating;
b. Current members of the national guard or reserve; or
c. Former members of the national guard or reserve who have been discharged
under other than dishonorable conditions.
2. Subdivisions b and c of subsection 1 do not apply to section 37-14-14.
### § 37-14-02. Term of members - Removal.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-03. Veterans' aid fund.

The state treasurer shall keep in the state treasury the separate trust fund known as the
veterans' aid fund and shall have full authority to invest the fund only in accordance with chapter
21-10. Disbursements from the fund must be made as provided in this chapter.
### § 37-14-03.1. Additional appropriation for 1945.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-03.2. Additional appropriation for 1947.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-03.3. Revolving fund.

The moneys in the permanent revolving fund of the veterans' aid fund are available for:
1. Making loans to any veteran and to a surviving spouse of a veteran;
2. Collecting loans if in the opinion of the department a person has the financial means to
repay and that person deliberately refuses to repay; and
3. Paying administrative expenses related to the making and collection of loans made
from the fund.
### § 37-14-03.4. Interest and income from postwar rehabilitation fund to become part of

aid fund.
Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-03.5. Interest and income from postwar rehabilitation fund to become part of

revolving fund.
Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-04. Veterans' aid fund - Purpose.

The purpose of the veterans' aid fund is to make loans to any veteran and to a surviving
spouse of a veteran. A qualified applicant may be permitted to receive more than one loan
providing the total amount of all loans does not exceed eight thousand dollars.

### § 37-14-05. Application for aid.

A qualified person may apply to the department of veterans' affairs in such form as it
provides, either while the applicant is waiting for relief or assistance from another agency, state
or federal, or for further assistance for the applicant's education, or otherwise.
### § 37-14-06. Department may provide aid.

If the department of veterans' affairs is satisfied that an applicant is a veteran or the
surviving spouse of a veteran and has not remarried, and that the applicant is a citizen and
resident of this state, and that the applicant meets the criteria set forth in rules adopted pursuant
to section 37-14-10 regarding qualifications to obtain a loan, the department may loan to the
applicant a sum from the veterans' aid fund not to exceed eight thousand dollars. Additional
loans may be made to an applicant if the applicant still meets the loan criteria and if the total of
all loans does not exceed eight thousand dollars. If an applicant is provided more than one loan,
the amounts will be consolidated into one payment.
### § 37-14-07. Repayment to be made to aid fund.

Upon the granting of an application and at the time of disbursement, the applicant, or the
applicant's legal agent, shall execute a loan agreement with the department of veterans' affairs
that within a specified period of not to exceed four years from the date of the receipt of the last
item of the advancement, the applicant will repay to the state for the use of the veterans' aid
fund the full amount of all advancements made to the applicant with interest as provided in rules
adopted under section 37-14-10, but not to exceed ten percent annually. One-half of the interest
must be waived if timely repayment is made to the fund as set forth in rules adopted pursuant to
section 37-14-10. The department may take necessary legal action to collect, compromise, or
settle loans if in the opinion of the department the person has the financial means to repay, and
the person deliberately refuses to do so. The department may release from financial liability any
person it determines is financially unable to repay the loan through no fault of the person. The
department may assess and collect a late payment penalty as provided in section 47-14-05.
### § 37-14-08. How payments are made.

All payments or other expenditures approved by the department of veterans' affairs must be
made upon vouchers approved by the office of the budget.
### § 37-14-09. Records - Biennial report.

The department of veterans' affairs shall keep full records and files of all transactions,
applications, advancements, and business pertaining to the veterans' aid fund. The department
may submit a biennial report to the governor and the secretary of state in accordance with
section 54-06-04.
### § 37-14-10. Committee may adopt rules.

The administrative committee on veterans' affairs may make and promulgate such
reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to administer the provisions
of this chapter relating to the veterans' aid fund. In any hearings or action taken under the
provisions of this chapter, the provisions of chapter 28-32 do not apply.
### § 37-14-11. Payment of expenses - Limitation.

The department of veterans' affairs may expend for any purpose necessary to the proper
administration of this chapter sums not to exceed the amount appropriated therefor by the
legislative assembly. Vouchers must be issued in the manner provided in this chapter.
### § 37-14-12. Decision of department appealable.

The department of veterans' affairs may grant or refuse an application for relief or
assistance from financial assistance programs under the control of the department under
policies set by the administrative committee on veterans' affairs. The committee shall adopt and
establish an appeal process. The department's decisions are appealable to an appeals

committee appointed by the chairman of the administrative committee. A hearing before the
appeals committee may be closed upon request of the applicant. An applicant who requests a
closed hearing may invite to that hearing any two representatives and the applicant's spouse or
one other family member. Each decision of the appeals committee must give the reasons for
granting or refusing an application for relief or assistance. The decision of the appeals
committee is final. The record of the hearing, including the identity of the applicant, is an exempt
record.
### § 37-14-13. Commissioners' compensation - Executive secretary.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-14. Veterans' postwar trust fund.

1. The veterans' postwar trust fund is a permanent trust fund of the state of North Dakota
and consists of moneys transferred or credited to the fund under this chapter and other
laws. Investment of the fund is the responsibility of the state treasurer who shall have
full authority to invest the fund only in accordance with chapter 21-10. All income
received from investments is to be utilized only for programs of benefit and service to
veterans or their dependents, and all income earned in a biennium is appropriated to
the administrative committee on veterans' affairs on a continuing basis in the following
biennium and not in the biennium the income is earned for expenditure on these
programs as authorized by law. Investment of all income received from investments is
the responsibility of the state treasurer who has full authority to invest the income
received only in accordance with chapter 21-10.
2. A veterans organization as defined under section 53-06.1-01 may donate funds to the
veterans' postwar trust fund for homeless veterans' services to prevent and eliminate
veteran homelessness.
### § 37-14-15. Rehabilitation fund expended as directed by legislative assembly.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-16. Appropriation.

Omitted.
### § 37-14-16.1. 1945 appropriation.

Omitted.
### § 37-14-16.2. 1947 appropriation.

Omitted.
### § 37-14-17. Investment of rehabilitation fund.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 344, § 25.
### § 37-14-18. County veterans' service officer - Appointment - Duties.

The board of county commissioners of each county of the state of North Dakota shall
appoint, employ, and pay, on a full-time or part-time basis, an officer to be known as a county
veterans' service officer. The veterans' affairs commissioner may work directly with county
veterans' service officers. An individual may serve as a county veterans' service officer in more
than one county. The appointment must be made with the prior advice of the commissioner of
veterans' affairs, and in accordance with veterans' preference as provided in section 37-19.1-02.
All county veterans' service officers must be accredited by the national association of county
veterans' service officers or the department of veterans' affairs within twelve months of
appointment or employment. It is the duty of the county veterans' service officer to become
acquainted with the laws, both state and federal, enacted for the benefit of returning servicemen
and servicewomen to assist the returning members of the armed forces in the presentation,
proof, and establishment of the claims, privileges, and rights members have. The county

veterans' service officer shall cooperate with and coordinate the activities of the state and
federal agencies within the county the officer serves to facilitate their operation and ensure
promptness in the solution of the problems concerned with the re-establishment of returning
servicemen and servicewomen in civilian pursuits. A county veterans' service officer may not
serve as a conservator for an individual receiving benefits or services from the department of
veterans' affairs or the United States department of veterans' affairs, except if the individual is
the spouse or an immediate family member of the officer.
### § 37-14-19. Salary and expenses of county veterans' service officer.

The county veterans' service officer must be paid such monthly salary for full-time or
part-time work as the board of county commissioners deems commensurate with the needs of
the situation, together with actual living expenses when absent from the officer's established
office upon official business in an amount not exceeding that allowed to state officials, upon
itemized statements submitted by the officer and supported by subvouchers or receipts as
provided by section 21-05-01 and the officer's actual transportation expenses, which may not
exceed the amounts provided by section 54-06-09, and must be in itemized form showing the
mileage traveled, the days when and how traveled, and the purpose thereof, verified by the
officer's affidavit and supported by subvouchers or receipts as provided by section 21-05-01.
