In State Fiscal Year 2013–14, North Carolina state agencies and public higher education institutions operated 23 programs for veterans, 11 of which spent $53.9 million solely on veterans and their families. However, few of these programs track outcome data, and therefore the State cannot determine the extent to which they improve the lives of their intended beneficiaries. Although the Governor recently created a Working Group on veterans via executive order, North Carolina lacks a coordinated and comprehensive effort to support veterans in the State. The General Assembly should establish the Task Force on Veterans, Service Members and their Families in statute, direct this group to develop and implement a statewide strategic plan to track and improve services for veterans and their families, direct state entities to track and report information to the Task Force, and create a legislative oversight committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of this plan.
Relevant Legislation:
- Session Law 2015-116: An act to make certain veterans and other individuals entitled to federal educational benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 30 or 38 U.S.C. Chapter 33 who enroll in any of the State’s public institutions of higher education eligible for in-state tuition by waiving the twelve-month state residency requirement and to repeal the requirements regarding the Yellow Ribbon program.
- House Bill 118/Senate Bill 126 (2015–16): An act to establish the Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families. This legislation was not enacted.