45.55 History
History: 1971 c. 41 s.
8;
1971 c. 228 s.
36; Stats. 1971 s. 880.32;
1989 a. 56;
1997 a. 188;
2005 a. 387 s.
457; Stats. 2005 s. 45.55.
45.57
45.57
Veterans homes; transfer of funding. 45.57(1)
(1) The department may transfer all or part of the unencumbered balance of any of the appropriations under
s. 20.485 (1) (g),
(gd),
(gk), or
(i) to the veterans trust fund or to the veterans mortgage loan repayment fund.
45.57 History
History: 2013 a. 20.
FUNERALS, BURIALS, AND CEMETERIES
45.60
45.60
Military funeral honors. 45.60(1)(a)(a) The department shall administer a program to coordinate the provision of military funeral honors in this state to deceased veterans and to deceased persons who have served under honorable conditions in any national guard or in a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces.
45.60(1)(b)
(b) Military funeral honors may be provided by local units of member organizations of the council on veterans programs, by local units of veterans organizations certified by the department to provide military funeral honors, by members of the Wisconsin national guard activated under
s. 321.04 (2) (e), or by staff of the department.
45.60(2)
(2) Stipends. From the appropriation under
s. 20.485 (2) (sm), the department shall reimburse a local unit of a member organization of the council on veterans programs or a local unit of a veterans organization certified by the department to provide military funeral honors for the costs of providing military funeral honors in this state to a person described in
sub. (1). The reimbursement may not exceed $50 for each funeral for which military honors are provided.
45.60(3)(a)(a) The department shall create a tuition voucher form to be used by funeral directors under
par. (b). 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.
45.60(3)(b)
(b) 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 each funeral for which military honors are held in this state for a person described in
sub. (1) 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.
45.60 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
VA 17, Wis. adm. code.
45.61
45.61
Wisconsin veterans cemeteries. 45.61(1)
(1)
Construction and operation of cemeteries. Subject to authorization under
ss. 13.48 (10) and
20.924 (1), the department may construct and operate veterans cemeteries in central, northwestern, and southeastern Wisconsin and may employ any personnel that are necessary for the proper management of the cemeteries. The cemetery in central Wisconsin is the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The cemetery in southeastern Wisconsin is the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The cemetery in northwestern Wisconsin is the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The department may acquire, by gift, purchase, or condemnation, lands necessary for the purposes of the cemeteries. Title to the properties shall be taken in the name of this state. Every deed of conveyance shall be immediately recorded in the office of the proper register of deeds and thereafter filed with the secretary of state. The department may accept for the state all gifts, grants, and bequests for the purposes of maintenance, restoration, preservation, and rehabilitation of the veterans cemeteries constructed under this subsection. All cemeteries operated by the department are exempt from the requirements of
ss. 157.061 to
157.70 and
440.90 to
440.95.
45.61(2)
(2) Eligibility. The following persons are eligible for burial at a cemetery constructed and operated under
sub. (1):
45.61(2)(a)
(a) A person who died while on active duty or who was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable and who was a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry into active service and his or her dependent child and surviving spouse.
45.61(2)(am)
(am) A person who died while on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces.
45.61(2)(b)
(b) A person who was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. armed forces under conditions other than dishonorable and who was a resident of this state at the time of his or her death and his or her dependent child and surviving spouse.
45.61(2)(c)
(c) The spouse or dependent child of a person who meets one of the following conditions:
45.61(2)(c)1.
1. Is serving on active duty at the time of the spouse's or dependent child's death if the person was a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry or reentry into active service.
45.61(2)(c)2.
2. Was a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry or reentry into active service and was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. armed forces under honorable conditions.
45.61(2)(c)3.
3. Was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. armed forces under honorable conditions if the person and spouse or dependent child were residents of this state at the time of the spouse's or dependent child's death.
45.61(2)(d)
(d) A person who was a resident of this state at the time of his or her entry or reentry into service in any national guard or a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces or who was a resident of this state for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding his or her death, and the person's spouse, surviving spouse, and dependent children, if the person is eligible for burial in a national cemetery under
38 USC 2402.
45.61(2)(e)
(e) A person who was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. armed forces under honorable conditions and who was a resident of this state for at least 12 consecutive months after entering or reentering service on active duty.