RS 46:122

§122. Louisiana Military Family Assistance Fund A.(1) Funds received by the state treasurer pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 47:120.31 and 306.3, or received by the treasurer or the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Board from other public or private donations, gifts, grants, appropriations or other revenue, including revenue derived from the Support Our Troops special prestige license plate as provided for in R.S. 47:463.131, shall be deposited and credited to a special fund hereby created in the state treasury to be known as the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Fund. The money in the fund shall be used solely as provided for in Subsection B of this Section. In addition to funds from any other source, public or private donations, gifts, or grants from individuals, corporations, nonprofit organizations, or other business entities may be made to the fund and accepted by the fund for military family relief and assistance as provided in this Part. (2) All unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund. The money in the fund shall be invested by the treasurer in the same manner as money in the general fund and interest earned on the investment of the money shall be credited to the fund. The money in the fund shall not be commingled with other funds, but maintained in a separate account. Balances in the fund shall not lapse at any time, but shall be continuously available for expenditure as provided in this Part. B. The money in the fund shall be used solely for the following purposes: (1) To pay need-based claims of family members of activated military personnel or honorably discharged military personnel as authorized by the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Board in the manner provided for in R.S. 46:123. (2) To provide for state administration of the program provided for in this Part as determined by the board, not to exceed five percent of the total amount deposited into the fund each fiscal year. (3) To provide for the third party administrator's expenses in administration of the program provided for in this Part, which shall not exceed five percent of the total amount deposited into the fund each fiscal year. (4) To pay transportation and other related costs of activated military personnel as authorized by the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Board. (5) To conduct outreach activities for veterans of the United States Armed Forces. (6) To pay for educational benefits for children, spouses, and surviving spouses of veterans in accordance with R.S. 29:288. (7) To pay, at the discretion of the Louisiana Military Family Assistance Board, burial fees and costs for deceased indigent veterans or their spouses. For purposes of this Section, "indigent" is defined as an individual that was receiving public assistance, such as food stamps, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Medicaid, disability insurance, or residing in public housing, or earning less than two hundred percent of the Federal Poverty Guideline prior to their death. (8) To pay sums necessary for expenses of eligible beneficiaries under R.S. 29:288, as limited by the provisions of R.S. 29:289. C.(1) The Louisiana Military Family Assistance Board shall have the authority to issue annual grants from the Military Family Assistance Fund to tax-exempt organizations established under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, that have been in existence for at least three years. The board shall consider applications only from organizations seeking to improve the education, mental health, or housing needs of veterans and their families. Each one-time grant shall be limited to ten thousand dollars. The board's grant authority shall be cumulatively limited to one hundred thousand dollars in any fiscal year. (2) Applicants shall submit a specific proposal for the use of any grant. Grant funds shall be used only in accordance with the project proposal and budget approved by the board. (3) Grant funds shall not be used as collateral, to offset other financial obligations, including interest payments on lines of credit, and securing or servicing debt, or to meet cash flow or general operating expenses that are unrelated to the purpose of the grant proposal as defined in the grant agreement letter. (4) Grantees shall be required to submit a final report outlining the expenditures of the grant. Grantees are required to retain account records, detailing all receipts and expenditures, for a minimum of four years following submission of the final grant report. (5) Grantees shall repay any grant funds not used for the grant purpose within thirty days of submission of the final report required by this Subsection. (6) Grantees shall be subject to audit by the Military Family Assistance Board and the legislative auditor regarding the use of grant funds. Acts 2005, No. 151, §1, eff. June 28, 2005; Acts 2008, No. 676, §1; Acts 2010, No. 256, §1; Acts 2016, No. 402, §1; Acts 2017, No. 3, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2018; Acts 2022, No. 413, §2, eff. June 15, 2022; Acts 2024, No. 723, §4, eff. June 19, 2024; Acts 2025, No. 241, §1.