HB 480

                SPONSOR:
                Rep. Bush & Sen. Hoffner
                Rep. Carson
        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
        153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
        HOUSE BILL NO. 480
        AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DELAWARE VETERANS MEMORIAL CEMETERY.
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
        Section 1. Amend § 1204, Title 20 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
        § 1204. Eligibility for burial.
        (a) Eligibility for interment in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery is established by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration (NCA Directive 3210) with the following exceptions:
        (1) The Veterans Commission of Delaware may impose a residency requirement for interment, except that any person who, for at least 20 years, was a member of the Delaware National Guard or a reserve unit located within Delaware shall not be subject to a residency requirement.
        (2) Any person who retired honorably as a member of the National Guard or Reserve forces of the United States shall be eligible.
        (3) Any person who served as a Merchant Marine for a minimum period of 2 years between December 7, 1941, and August 15, 1945, shall be eligible.
        (4) The Secretary of the Delaware Department of Veterans Affairs may, at the Secretary’s discretion, grant a waiver of the eligibility requirements to allow interment of a member of the Delaware National Guard who served for less than 20 years.
        SYNOPSIS
        This Act gives the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Veterans Affairs discretion to allow interment of a member of the Delaware National Guard who served for less than 20 years.