Veterans Relief and Rehabilitation

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.

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.

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.

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.

All payments or other expenditures approved by the department of veterans' affairs must be made upon vouchers approved by the office of the budget.

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.

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 five thousand dollars.

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.

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

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 if the spouse has not remarried;

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.