Arizona Laws 41-603. Powers and duties
A. The department may act as guardian of an incapacitated veteran, the incapacitated spouse of a veteran or minor children of a veteran, or as conservator of the estate of a protected veteran or of the veteran’s incapacitated or surviving spouse or of the minor children of a veteran. The department may act in all fiduciary matters, including as power of attorney, trustee, custodian or representative payee of a veteran, spouse of a veteran or minor child of a veteran. The department may act as the personal representative of the estate of a deceased veteran, deceased spouse of a veteran or deceased child of a veteran.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 41-603
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Department: means the department of veterans' services. See Arizona Laws 41-601
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Minor: means a person under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Minor children: means persons under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
- Process: means a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Property: includes both real and personal property. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Veteran: means a citizen of the United States who was enlisted, drafted, inducted or commissioned and who was accepted for and assigned to active duty in the armed forces of the United States. See Arizona Laws 41-601
B. The department shall:
1. Assist veterans and their families and dependents in presenting, providing and establishing claims, privileges, rights and benefits they may have under federal, state or local law.
2. Inform veterans and their families and dependents and military and civilian authorities about federal, state and local laws enacted to benefit veterans and their families and dependents and members of the armed forces.
3. Collect information relating to services and facilities available to veterans.
4. Cooperate with all government and private agencies receiving services for or benefits to veterans and their families and dependents.
5. Conduct administrative reviews and, if possible, correct abuses or prevent exploitation of veterans and their families or dependents and recommend corrective legislation.
6. Adopt rules deemed necessary to administer this article.
7. Enter into agreements with veterans’ organizations in this state holding a charter granted by the Congress of the United States for the beneficial interest of veterans.
8. Verify and provide written confirmation to the person of eligibility for special license plates issued pursuant to section 28-2475 by determining that all of the following are true:
(a) The person was a member of the United States armed forces on December 7, 1941.
(b) The person received an honorable discharge from the United States armed forces.
(c) The person was on station on December 7, 1941, during the hours of 7:55 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Hawaii time at Pearl Harbor, the Island of Oahu or offshore, at a distance not exceeding three miles.
9. Evaluate, supervise, approve and disapprove programs offered by educational institutions and training establishments pursuant to United States Code titles 10 and 38 and state rules, so that veterans and their dependents may draw the educational allowance provided by federal law while pursuing approved programs.
10. Establish an application process for the Arizona gold star military medal, shall verify the eligibility of recipients and, if funding is available, may award the Arizona gold star military medal to an eligible individual.
C. The department may:
1. Acquire property for and construct and operate veterans’ home facilities in this state.
2. Acquire property for and establish and operate cemeteries for veterans in this state.
3. Establish a training center to provide training to current or potential employees and the veteran community. The department may establish a fee for this training.
4. Subject to legislative appropriation and as authorized by the burial equity for guards and reserves act (P.L. 117-103; 136 Stat. 1109), provide burial services in state veterans’ cemeteries for members of the Arizona national guard and the United States armed forces reserves if the member’s service was terminated under honorable conditions.