Posts Tagged ‘Tim Kaine’
Governor Kaine Signs Legislation On Military and Veterans Issues
Standing with representatives of the armed services, Governor Timothy M. Kaine today ceremonially signed several General Assembly bills providing assistance to military personnel and their families and honoring the Commonwealth’s veterans, demonstrating Virginia’s continued bipartisan support for active duty service members, Guardsmen and Reservists, veterans and their families.
“Virginia owes a great debt to our men and women who have served in the military,” Governor Kaine said. “These bills take important steps toward improving the lives of those who are currently serving our country, and honoring those who have served in the past.
Among the bills signed today was the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (HB 1727/Cole). The compact, which has been signed into law in at least 10 other states, will allow for the uniform treatment, at the state and local district level, of military children transferring between school districts and states, and will also address the timely sharing of their educational records. Virginia currently has more school-aged children of active duty military than any state in the nation (76,352).
Other bills signed during today’s ceremony provide tuition assistance for members of the National Guard that have a minimum of 2 years remaining on their service requirement, increase the homestead exemption for veterans with a 40% or greater service connected disability rating, and make it easier for military and overseas voters and their families to vote absentee.
Virginia is home to 156,000 active military personnel, as well as 26,000 reservists and 10,000 members of the Virginia National Guard. Additionally, 807,000 veterans call the Commonwealth home, meaning that one out of every ten Virginians is a veteran.