Governor Mike Pence signed a bill that will help Hoosier heroes and their families by expanding access to the Military Family Relief Fund.
“Veterans face higher rates of unemployment than the general population, as well as other hardships,” said Governor Pence. “Helping our Hoosier veterans who served our nation and sacrificed their lives to protect our freedom is the right thing to do.”
Under Senate Enrolled Act Bill 352, approximately 26,000 post-911 veterans will be eligible to apply for assistance through the Military Family Relief Fund. The bill eliminates the three-year restriction on access to the fund, which provides grants that may be used for needs such as food, housing, utilities, medical services, transportation and other essential family expenses. The Military Family Relief Fund has a balance of more than $7 million, and lifting the cap will ensure those funds are available to support Hoosier veterans and their families. The new law becomes effective on July 1, 2014.
Last year, during the Governor’s first year in office, the Pence Administration announced a budget and the legislature passed bills that made a clear commitment to Hoosiers who have served our nation in uniform, from investing more money in job training to certifying Veteran Service Officers in every Indiana county, in order to ensure our heroes get the benefits they deserve. The administration also set a State procurement goal of 3 percent for veteran-owned businesses and established higher education tuition breaks for veterans.
