35A.5 - DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
35A.5 DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
The department shall do all of the following:
1. Maintain and disseminate information to veterans and the
public regarding facilities, benefits, and services available to
veterans and their families and assist veterans and their families in
obtaining such benefits and services.
2. Maintain information and data concerning the military service
records of Iowa veterans.
3. Assist county veteran affairs commissions established pursuant
to chapter 35B. The department shall provide to county commissions
suggested uniform benefits and administrative procedures for carrying
out the functions and duties of the county commissions.
4. Permanently maintain the records including certified records
of bonus applications for awards paid from the war orphans
educational fund under chapter 35.
5. Collect and maintain information concerning veterans affairs.
6. Conduct two service schools each year for the Iowa association
of county commissioners and executive directors.
7. Assist the United States department of veterans affairs, the
Iowa veterans home, funeral directors, and federally chartered
veterans service organizations in providing information concerning
veterans service records and veterans affairs data.
8. Maintain alphabetically a permanent registry of the graves of
all persons who served in the military or naval forces of the United
States in time of war and whose mortal remains rest in Iowa.
9. After consultation with the commission, provide certification
training to executive directors and administrators of county
commissions of veteran affairs pursuant to section 35B.6. Training
provided under this subsection shall include accreditation by the
national association of county veteran service officers. Training
provided by the department shall be certified by the national
association of county veteran service officers and, in addition,
shall ensure that each executive director and administrator is
proficient in the use of electronic mail, general computer use, and
use of the internet to access information regarding facilities,
benefits, and services available to veterans and their families. The
department may adopt rules in accordance with chapter 17A to provide
for training of county veteran affairs executive directors and
administrators.
10. Establish and operate a state veterans cemetery and make
application to the government of the United States or any
subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, for funds for the
purpose of establishing such a cemetery.
a. The department may enter into agreements with any
subdivision of the state for assistance in operating the cemetery.
b. The state shall own the land on which the cemetery is
located.
c. The department shall have the authority to accept federal
grant funds, funding from state subdivisions, donations from private
sources, and federal "plot allowance" payments.
d. The department through the director shall have the
authority to accept suitable cemetery land, in accordance with
federal veterans cemetery grant guidelines, from the federal
government, state government, state subdivisions, private sources,
and any other source wishing to transfer land for use as a veterans
cemetery.
e. The department may lease or use property received pursuant
to this subsection for any purpose so long as such leasing or use
does not interfere with the use of the property for cemetery purposes
and is not contrary to federal or state guidelines.
f. All funds received pursuant to this subsection, including
lease payments or funds generated from any activity engaged in on any
property accepted pursuant to this subsection, shall be deposited
into an account dedicated to the establishment, operation, and
maintenance of a veterans cemetery and these funds shall be expended
only for those purposes.
g. Notwithstanding section 8.33, any moneys in the account
for a state veterans cemetery shall not revert and, notwithstanding
section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys deposited
in the fund shall be credited to the account.
11. Authorize the sale, trade, or transfer of veterans
commemorative property pursuant to chapter 37A.
12. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A and establish policy for
the management and operation of the department. Prior to adopting
rules, the department shall submit proposed rules to the commission
for review pursuant to the requirements of section 35A.3.
13. Provide information requested by the commission concerning
the management and operation of the department and the programs
administered by the department.
14. Annually, by August 31, prepare and submit a report to the
governor and the general assembly relating to county commissions of
veteran affairs. Copies of the report shall also be provided to each
county board of supervisors and to each county commission of veteran
affairs by electronic means. Pursuant to section 35B.11, the
department may request any information necessary to prepare the
report from each county commission of veteran affairs. The report
shall include all of the following:
a. Information related to compliance with the training
requirements under section 35B.6 during the previous calendar year.
b. The weekly operating schedule of each county commission of
veteran affairs office maintained under section 35B.6.
c. The number of hours of veterans' services provided by each
county commission of veteran affairs executive director or
administrator during the previous calendar year.
d. Population of each county, including the number of
veterans residing in each county.
e. The total amount of compensation, disability benefits, or
pensions received by the residents of each county under laws
administered by the United States department of veterans affairs.
f. An analysis of the information contained in paragraphs
"a" through "e", including an analysis of such information
for previous years.
15. Carry out the policies of the department. Section History: Recent Form
2005 Acts, ch 115, §13, 40; 2006 Acts, ch 1107, § 1; 2006 Acts, ch
1185, §65; 2007 Acts, ch 202, §4, 5; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, § 20; 2008
Acts, ch 1130, §1, 10; 2009 Acts, ch 26, §4; 2009 Acts, ch 122, §1
Referred to in § 35A.17, 35B.6