45.05(4)
(4) Any city council or village, town or county board may authorize the use of any public property respectively of such city, village, town or county as a site for a memorial, and any county may authorize its public property to be so used by any city, village or town therein.
45.05(5)
(5) Any city council, village, town or county board may by ordinance or contract provide for the management, control or operation of any memorial, and it may enter into a written lease, for a term not exceeding 25 years, with any duly chartered and incorporated veterans' organization established in said town, city or village, such lease to include provisions for the amount of rental and such conditions of public use as it may determine.
45.05(6)
(6) Any county, city, village or town that has previously taken action toward the establishment of a monument or memorial under the statutes of 1943 or prior statutes may continue under such previously existing statutes or may proceed under this section.
45.051
45.051
Sites for veterans' memorial halls. Any city, town or village may donate to any organization specified in
s. 70.11 (9) land upon which is to be erected a memorial hall to contain the memorial tablet specified in said section.
45.051 History
History: 1999 a. 150 s.
603; Stats. 1999 s. 45.051.
45.052
45.052
Memorial corporations organized under 1919 act. 45.052(1)(1)
Additional powers of governing body. Any commission or board of trustees which governs a corporation organized to construct a memorial under
s. 45.057 (5), statutes of 1919 to 1943 (created by
chapter 598, laws of 1919, and repealed by
chapter 301, laws of 1945), shall have the following powers in addition to those it now has:
45.052(1)(a)
(a) All powers vested in the members of such corporation by the articles of incorporation or bylaws, including the power to amend the articles of incorporation.
45.052(1)(c)
(c) It may convey any property under its control to any municipality and lease it back under terms agreed upon by the commission or board of trustees and the municipality.
45.052(1)(d)
(d) It shall have a membership composed of 5 residents of the city, village or town in which the memorial is located, one appointed by the common council, village board or town board of the city, village or town, and 4 by the circuit judge of the county in which the memorial is located. The commission or board may appoint 4 additional members who are residents of this state. The terms of all members shall be 5 years. In order that terms of members may expire at different times, not more than 2 members shall be appointed in any one year in addition to appointments made to fill vacancies occurring by resignation or death. Members shall hold office until their successors are appointed and qualify.
45.052(1)(e)
(e) It may dissolve the corporation and dispose of the real and personal property of the corporation in a manner which it deems will best serve the purposes for which it was organized and the interests of the community.
45.052(2)
(2) Confirming existence and operation. Notwithstanding the repeal of s.
45.057, 1943 stats., by
chapter 301, laws of 1945, the continuing existence of all commissions, boards and corporations organized under
s. 45.057 (5), statutes of 1919 to 1943, is affirmed, and the continuing operation of such commissions, boards and corporations is ratified as to the past and authorized in the future.
45.055
45.055
Joint memorials. Any city council or village, town or county board may contract with or make an appropriation, or both, to any other unit of government or to any nonprofit corporation without capital stock organized expressly for any of the purposes of
s. 45.05 or to any duly chartered and incorporated veterans' organization established in any such city, village, town or county, and for the purpose of raising funds for such memorial purposes or contributions, may levy taxes upon the taxable property located in the county or municipality, or borrow money and issue the bonds of the respective municipalities therefor in the manner and under the regulations provided by
ch. 67; provided that the facilities of such memorial are made available to the residents of the governmental unit making such appropriation to the extent that the governing body of the governmental unit may require.
45.055 History
History: 1985 a. 29.
45.058
45.058
Memorials in populous counties. 45.058(1)
(1) Any county having a population of 500,000 or more may establish and maintain a memorial or memorials under
ss. 45.05 and
45.055 by agreement between the county board of such county and any nonprofit private corporation without capital stock organized under the laws of this state (except as in this section provided) expressly for any of the purposes of
s. 45.05 located in such county.
45.058(2)
(2) The board of directors of such corporation shall be designated as the "memorial board", and its members shall be styled "trustees". The membership of the memorial board may include special members, who need not be members of the corporation.
45.058(3)
(3) The memorial board shall consist of 15 members; of whom 8 may be special members to be elected as provided in this section; and the remaining members shall be elected from the membership of the corporation.
45.058(4)
(4) Special members of the memorial board shall be elected by the county board of such county and consist of:
45.058(4)(b)
(b) Four members elected from among the residents of the county.
45.058(5)
(5) Terms of members of the memorial board shall be:
45.058(5)(a)1.
1. Members elected from the county board shall be elected at the first meeting of the county board following each county board general election and their terms shall commence on that date. They shall hold office during their terms on the county board and until their successors are elected and qualified.
45.058(5)(a)2.
2. Members elected from among the residents shall hold office for 4 years and until their successors are elected, except that the first 4 such members shall be chosen for 1, 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively.
45.058(5)(a)3.
3. Any vacancy in such special membership shall be filled by the county board for the unexpired term, and until a successor is elected and qualified.
45.058(5)(b)
(b) For elected members from the corporate membership: The terms of such trustees shall be for such numbers of years that those of an equal number, as nearly as may be, shall expire in 2, 3, and 4 years, and successive terms of 4 years each thereafter and until their successors are elected and qualified.
45.058(6)
(6) The articles of incorporation of the corporation shall provide originally or by amendment, in addition to other necessary provisions, and as permitted by this section, for the classification of the members of the corporation, for the election of trustees proportionately from and by such classifications, for the terms of the members of the corporation and for the officers, their duties, and the terms thereof to be elected from the membership.
45.058(7)
(7) Any such war memorial may be constructed upon any land ceded before July 15, 1953 by this state to any municipality in this state notwithstanding any restrictions, limitations or conditions as to the nature of the use of any such land contained in the legislative act, granting the land to any such municipality, and notwithstanding such restrictions, limitations or conditions incorporated in any subsequent conveyance of said lands by such municipality.
45.058(8)
(8) Any such war memorial may be constructed in any public park and the use of such park lands as a location for a war memorial shall not be deemed to be inconsistent with the use of the same for park purposes. However, no war memorial shall be constructed in a public park until the park commission, general manager appointed under
s. 27.03 (2) or park board having jurisdiction of such park shall approve the same. The county board of any county may authorize the construction of a war memorial at different intervals of time if the proposed memorial consists of more than one building or structure and any county board subsequently elected shall carry into effect any contract authorized by
s. 45.055 entered into on behalf of such county for the construction or maintenance of such a war memorial. The construction, maintenance and operation of a war memorial in a county park shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the county board and no part of the cost thereof shall be charged against the funds of the park commission, park system or park board of such county.
45.058 History
History: 1985 a. 29.
45.059
45.059
Catalog of memorials. The department shall prepare a catalog of memorials, describing each memorial and giving its location and condition. The department shall update that catalog.
45.059 History
History: 1989 a. 336;
2001 a. 103.
45.06
45.06
Rooms furnished by county or municipality. The action of any county board or municipality, or department thereof, in granting veterans organizations or any other civic, patriotic, educational or historical society, rooms and space within public buildings for the establishment of memorial halls and museums, and occupancy thereof by its members, is authorized and confirmed. Such county board or municipality may permit the use and occupancy of such rooms and space for such term and subject to conditions and provisions as may be imposed by them. Any contract, lien or agreement between said county board, municipality or department thereof and any such organization now in force shall continue in force according to the terms thereof.
45.066
45.066
Memorial trees along highways. No person shall cut or trim any tree planted along any federal or state trunk highway as a memorial to the men and women who served in the armed forces of the United States in time of war, without the written permission of the department of transportation. Violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $200 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both. Nothing in this section shall interfere with the rights of abutting property owners in such trees.
45.066 History
History: 1977 c. 29 s.
1654 (8) (c).
45.10
45.10
County tax for needy veterans. Every county board shall annually levy, in addition to all other taxes, a tax sufficient to carry out the purposes of this section, such tax to be levied and collected as other county taxes for the purpose of providing aid to needy veterans, the needy spouses, surviving spouses, minor and dependent children of such veterans and the needy parents of such veterans entitled to aid under
ss. 45.10 to
45.15, and to carry out the purposes of
ss. 45.16 to
45.185. Aid may not be denied solely on the basis that a person otherwise eligible therefor owns a homestead which the person occupies as such.
45.10 History
History: 1975 c. 94 s.
91 (4), (6);
1975 c. 199.
45.11
45.11
Estimate of amount needed. 45.11(1)
(1) Except as provided under
sub. (2), the county veterans' service commission shall estimate the probable amount required under
s. 45.10 and shall file such estimate with the county board.
45.11(2)
(2) A county veterans' service officer appointed under
s. 45.43 (1) (b) shall have the powers and duties prescribed for the county veterans' service commission under
sub. (1).
45.11 History
History: 1985 a. 29.
45.12
45.12
County veterans' service commission. 45.12(1)
(1) There is created in each county a county veterans' service commission consisting of 3 residents of the county who are veterans appointed for staggered 3-year terms by the county executive or county board chairperson in a county that does not have a county executive.
45.12(2)
(2) The commission shall be organized by the election of one of their number as chairperson. The county executive or county board chairperson in a county which does not have a county executive after the expiration of the terms of those first appointed shall annually on or before the 2nd Monday in December appoint one person as a member of the commission for the term of 3 years. The county executive or county board chairperson shall require each member of the commission and the county veterans' service officer to execute to the county an individual surety bond, with sufficient sureties to be approved by the county executive or county board chairperson, each bond to be in an amount equal to the tax levied in the current year for expenditure by the commission. Each bond shall be filed with the county clerk.
45.12 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
VA 8, Wis. adm. code.
45.13
45.13
Records of meetings and investigations kept by service officer. The county veterans' service officer shall serve as executive secretary of the county veterans' service commission and shall make or direct all necessary investigations to determine eligibility for aid under
s. 45.10 when so requested by the commission. The county service officer, in making such investigation, may use the facilities for investigating that are made available by the county board of the county.
45.13 History
History: 1989 a. 56.
45.14
45.14
Administration of aid. 45.14(1)
(1) In this section, "commission" means the county veterans' service commission.
45.14(1m)
(1m) The commission shall meet, at the courthouse or at any other place that the county board designates, on or before the first Monday of January in each year and at any other times that may be necessary.
45.14(2)(a)(a) Except as provided under
sub. (3), the commission may furnish aid to any person within
s. 45.10 if the right of that person to aid is established to the commission's satisfaction.
45.14(2)(b)
(b) The secretary of the commission shall make and deposit with the county clerk a list containing the name, place of residence, and amount to be paid to each person furnished with aid under
par. (a), which shall be signed by the chairperson and secretary of the commission.
45.14(2)(c)
(c) The total disbursements made by the commission under this subsection shall not exceed the amount collected from the tax levied. When a list under
par. (b) is filed, the county clerk shall issue an order upon the county treasurer for the sum designated in the list in each case and deliver that sum to the person entitled to that sum.
45.14(2)(d)
(d) The commission may furnish aid in a different manner than by supplying money. The commission may request the county clerk to issue an order upon the county treasurer to a purveyor of services or commodities for the purchase of services or commodities, or the commission may furnish supplies, as it considers best.
45.14(2)(e)
(e) The commission shall make a detailed report to the county board at each annual session of the county board showing the amount expended under this subsection.
45.14(3)
(3) A county veterans' service officer appointed under
s. 45.43 (1) (b) or
(4) shall have the administrative powers and duties prescribed for the county veterans' service commission under
sub. (2).
45.15
45.15
Commission, compensation. The county board shall allow the members of the commission a reasonable rate of compensation for services and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to be determined pursuant to
s. 59.22. The county board may provide for the employment of clerical assistance to the commission.
45.15 History
History: 1995 a. 201.
45.16
45.16
Burial allowance. Each county veterans' service officer shall cause to be interred in a decent and respectable manner in any cemetery in this state, other than those used exclusively for the burial of paupers, the body of any person who was living in the county at the time of death, meets the definition of a "veteran" under
s. 45.35 (5) and who dies not leaving sufficient means to defray the necessary expenses of a decent burial, or under financial circumstances that would distress the person's family to pay the expenses of the burial, and the body of a spouse or surviving spouse of the person who dies not leaving such means or under the same financial circumstances and who was living in the county at the time of death, at an expense to the county of not more than $300 in addition to the burial allowance payable under laws administered by the U.S. department of veterans affairs.
45.17
45.17
Investigation and report. Before assuming the burial expense, the county veterans' service officer shall make a careful inquiry into and examination of all the circumstances in the case to ascertain the existence of either financial condition required by
s. 45.16. The officer shall report to the county clerk that the officer found the required financial condition, the facts supporting the finding, the name and date of death of the deceased, the place where buried and an itemized statement of the burial expenses.
45.17 History
History: 1989 a. 56;
1997 a. 116.
45.18
45.18
Order for expenses; headstone. The chairperson of the county board and the clerk of the county on the receipt of the report under
s. 45.17 shall draw an order on the county treasurer for the amount of expenses so incurred, payable to the person designated in the report as being entitled thereto. The county veterans' service officer of each county shall, upon the death and burial of any such person living in the county at the time of death, make application to the proper authorities for a suitable headstone as provided for by act of congress, and at the expense of the county cause the same to be placed at the head of his or her grave.
45.18 History
History: 1983 a. 538;
1987 a. 403 s.
255.
45.185
45.185
Care of soldiers' graves. 45.185(1)
(1) Every town board, village board or common council of every city shall at all times see that the graves and tombstones of all members of the armed forces of the United States, including women's auxiliary organizations created by act of congress, who shall at any time have served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States, and of the spouses or surviving spouses of all such members of the armed forces, receive proper and decent care, and may employ all necessary assistance to carry out this section. The expense of the care of such graves and tombstones shall be borne by the respective counties where the said graves are located, except where suitable care is otherwise provided. The amount of expense so charged the county for such care shall not exceed the charge made for the care of other graves in the same cemetery.
45.185(2)
(2) The municipal governing bodies specified in
sub. (1) shall report to the county clerk of their respective counties, on or before September 1 of each year, the respective locations of the graves cared for by them under
sub. (1), together with the names of the deceased and the amount claimed for care of the graves for the fiscal year from the previous July 1 to June 30.
45.185(3)
(3) The chairperson of the county board and the county clerk, upon receipt of the report under
sub. (2), shall draw an order on the county treasurer for the amount of the expenses incurred in caring for the graves, payable to the person or persons designated in the report as being entitled thereto.
45.19
45.19
Military honors funerals. 45.19(1)
(1) The department shall administer a program to coordinate the provision of military honors funerals to deceased veterans by local units of member organizations of the council on veterans programs and by members of the Wisconsin national guard activated under
s. 21.11 (3). From the appropriation under
s. 20.485 (2) (q), the department shall reimburse a local unit of a member organization of the council on veterans programs for the costs of providing a military honors funeral to a deceased veteran. The reimbursement may not exceed $50 for each military honors funeral.
45.19(2)
(2) The department shall create a tuition voucher form to be used by funeral directors under
sub. (3). The department shall distribute copies of the tuition voucher form, plus an explanation of the form's use, to every operator of a funeral establishment. The department may not charge a fee for the tuition voucher form or for the distribution of the form.
45.19(3)
(3) A funeral director may issue a tuition voucher in the amount of $25 to an individual who sounds "Taps" on a bugle, trumpet, or cornet during a military honors funeral held in this state for a deceased veteran and who is a student in grades 6 to 12 or at an institution of higher education, as defined under
s. 895.515 (1) (b). The tuition voucher may be used at any time for the payment of tuition and required program activity fees at a University of Wisconsin System institution as provided under
s. 36.27 (3r) or a technical college as provided under
s. 38.24 (6). The department shall encourage private institutions of higher education to accept the vouchers. The vouchers are not transferable.
45.19 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
VA 17, Wis. adm. code.
45.21
45.21
Registration of certificate of discharge. Every person who has served in the U.S. armed forces at any time, and who has been honorably discharged or given a certificate of service or relieved from active service may record with the register of deeds of any county, in a suitable book provided by the county for that purpose, a certificate of discharge or release. The certificate shall be accessible only to the discharged person or that person's dependents, the county veterans' service officer, the department, or any person with written authorization from the discharged person or that person's dependents. The register of deeds may not charge for recording, except that in counties where the register of deeds is under the fee system and not paid a fixed salary, the county shall pay the fee specified in
s. 59.43 (2) (ag). The record of any certificate of discharge or release made prior to July 6, 1919, is legalized.
45.25
45.25
Veterans' tuition reimbursement program. 45.25(1g)(1g)
Definition. In this section, "tuition," when referring to the University of Wisconsin System, means "academic fees," as described in
s. 36.27 (1), and when referring to the technical colleges, means "program fees," as described in
s. 38.24 (1m) (a) and
(b).
45.25(1m)
(1m) Administration. The department shall administer a tuition reimbursement program for eligible veterans enrolling as undergraduates in any institution of higher education, as defined in
s. 45.396 (1) (a), in this state, enrolling in a school that is approved under
s. 45.35 (9m), enrolling in a proprietary school that is approved under
s. 45.54, or receiving a waiver of nonresident tuition under
s. 39.47.
45.25(2)
(2) Eligibility. A veteran is eligible for the tuition reimbursement program if he or she meets all of the following criteria:
45.25(2)(c)
(c) The veteran applies for the tuition reimbursement program for courses begun within 10 years after separation from the service.
