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SIGNED HIS FIRST
PIECE OF LEGISLATION
FOR THE 2014
SESSION...
IT'S AIMED AT HELPING
STRUGGLING
VETERANS..AND IS THE
RESULT OF A 13
INVESTIGATES REPORT
THAT FOUND SOLDIERS
BEING TURNED AWAY.
TONIGHT..THE
INVESTIGATION COMES
FULL CIRCLE..
OUR INVESTIGATOR
SANDRA CHAPMAN..ON
THE NEW LAW..AND A
RENEWED COMMITMENT
TO HOOSIER VETS.
IN THE SHADOW OF
INDIANA'S MOST
PROMINENT TRIBUTE
TO VETERANS...
"...I'M DEEPLY HUMBLED
AND DEEPLY HONORED TO
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIGN
IT INTO LAW TODAY..."
"...WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO
FULLY REPAY THE DEBT
THAT WE OWE TO THOSE
THAT PUT ON THE
UNIFORM.
CUT TO
BUT TODAY..WE'VE TAKEN
A SMALL STEP TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
ASSIST FAMILIES..."
FLANKED BY CHILDREN
OF INDIANA
GUARDSMEN AND
WOMEN.. GOVERNOR
MIKE PENCE...SIGNS ON
TO EXPAND RELIEF FOR
STRUGGLING MILITARY
FAMILIES...
IT'S HIS FIRST PIECE
OF LEGISLATION FOR
2014..
"...WE BELIEVE WE'RE
GOING TO BE BETTER
SITUATED TO COME
ALONGSIDE FAMILIES THAT
ARE IN DISTRESS
FINANCIALLY OR
STRUGGLING. AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT HOOSIERS
WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS
PROGRAM WANT TO SEE
US DO..."
"...TO HAVE THE FIRST BILL
BEING SIGNED...I THINK IT'S
KIND OF ..A GUY THAT
WEARS A UNIFORM..KIND
OF HAPPY IT'S ALL ABOUT
TAKING CARE OF THOSE
WHO SERVE..."
THE GOVERNOR'S
SIGNATURE MEANS NO
TIME LIMIT FOR POST
9-11 VETERANS TO
APPLY TO THE $8-
MILLION DOLLAR
MILITARY FAMILY
RELIEF FUND.. FOR
HELP WITH
HOUSING..FOOD..MEDIC
AL EXPENSES OR
TRANSPORTATION..
IT'S MONEY RAISED
THROUGH THE SALE OF
"SUPPORT OUR
TROOPS" AND OTHER
MILITARY LICENSE
PLATES.
LAST JULY..13
INVESTIGATES
DISCOVERED THE
STATE SITTING ON
MILLIONS..WHILE
TURNING AWAY
VETERANS IN NEED
LIKE WILLIE RAY
KIMBALL.. BECAUSE OF
A RESTRICTIVE 3-YEAR
ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.
WHAT WE
REVEALED..PROMPTED
UNANIMOUS SUPPORT
FROM INDIANA
LAWMAKERS..STARTING
WITH THE BILL'S
SPONSOR...WHO MADE
THIS..HIS LAST ORDER
OF BUSINESS AS A
STATE SENATOR.
"... AGAIN I HAVE TO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING IT
FORWARD...OUR
COMMISSION WAS
STUDYING IT..BUT THAT
WAS KIND OF THE "KICK
PLATE" THAT MOVED
EVERYTHING
FORWARD..AND I WANT TO
THANK YOUR STATION..."
THE NEW LAW COULD
IMPACT AS MANY AS
26-THOUSAND
VETERANS WHO
SERVED IN IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN..
THOSE PREVIOUSLY
DENIED HELP..CAN
REAPPLY..AND GET
FIRST CONSIDERATION..
"...I REALLY COMMEND
THEM FOR WHAT THEY
HAVE DONE..MADE IT RIGHT
FOR OUR VETERANS..."
"...WE STAND WITH THOSE
WHO SERVED AND WE
STAND WITH THEIR
FAMILIES..."
A RENEWED
COMMITMENT TO
VETERANS..ACCORDING
TO PENCE...THAT
BEGAN WITH A 13-
INVESTIGATES
REPORT...AND ENDED
WITH THIS PERSONAL
EXCHANGE...
"...GOVERNOR TO
CITIZEN..THANKS FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS...SC: THANK YOU.
GOVERNOR: WELL DONE..."
VETERANS GROUPS
ARE NOW GETTING THE
WORD OUT ABOUT THE
$8-MILLION DOLLAR
FUND.
YEARLY LIMITS WILL
BE SET ON HOW MUCH
TO PAY OUT EACH
YEAR, BUT IT SHOULD
BE MORE THAN WHAT
WE'VE SEEN IN THE
PAST.
WHAT KIND OF
NUMBERS ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT HERE?
THE FUND ON AVERAGE
GENERATES ABOUT A
MILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR. BUT OVER 6-
YEARS..THE STATE PAID
OUT JUST ONE MILLION.
THE NEW LAW TAKES
EFFECT JULY 1ST.
A PILOT PROGRAM TO