(a)  There is hereby established within the executive branch of government an office of veterans’ affairs. The director of the office of veterans’ affairs shall be a person qualified through experience and training and shall be an honorably discharged war veteran of the United States armed forces. The director of the office of veterans’ affairs shall be appointed by and report directly to the governor, but the office shall reside within the department of human services for administrative purposes.

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(b)  The director of veterans’ affairs shall have all such powers, consistent with law, as are necessary and/or convenient to effectuate the purposes of this chapter and to administer its functions, including, but, not limited to, the power to promulgate and adopt regulations. The director shall have authority to apply for, receive, and administer grants and funds from the federal government and all other public and private entities to accomplish the purposes of the office.

(c)  Effective July 1, 2019, the office of veterans’ affairs, as established pursuant to subsection (a), shall be henceforth referred to and renamed as “the office of veterans services” and the director of veterans’ affairs, established pursuant to subsection (a), shall henceforth be referred to and renamed as the “director of veterans services.”

(d)  Effective July 1, 2019, all references in the general laws to the office of veterans’ affairs, established pursuant to subsection (a), and to the director of veterans’ affairs, established pursuant to subsection (a), shall be deemed to mean and refer, respectively, to the office of veterans services and the director of veterans services.