(1) The Director of Veterans’ Affairs shall adopt by rule a formula to distribute to county governing bodies funds appropriated to the director to enhance and expand the services provided by county veterans’ service officers appointed under ORS § 408.410. In developing the distribution formula, the director shall consider factors that include, but need not be limited to:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(a) The number of veterans residing in each county;

(b) A base amount to be distributed equally among counties;

(c) Retention by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs of the amount that would otherwise be distributed to a county governing body if the county governing body has not appointed a county veterans’ service officer;

(d) Criteria for withholding funds from a county governing body; and

(e) The purchase and coordination of a statewide computer system or other technology, or both, to facilitate efficient claims and appeals development and processing for veterans, spouses, dependents and survivors of veterans.

(2)(a) Funds retained under subsection (1)(c) of this section must be used to provide veterans’ services in a county not providing a county veterans’ service officer in a manner deemed appropriate by the director until such time as the county appoints or reinstates a county veterans’ service officer.

(b) Funds retained under subsection (1)(c) and (d) of this section may be spent on:

(A) Training costs of veterans’ service officers and other individuals providing similar services; and

(B) Providing veterans’ services to veterans, spouses, dependents and survivors of veterans as deemed appropriate by the director. [2005 c.836 § 4; 2007 c.357 § 4; 2013 c.730 § 3]