(a)(1) On or before July 1, 2012, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall publish on the department's Internet web site an informational page listing any benefits, services or programs offered to veterans or their families by any state or federal agency, department or institution. The department shall maintain the informational page after said date and shall update the informational page annually. The department shall publish on the informational page any information concerning the eligibility requirements and application process for such benefits, services or programs, the name and contact information of any entity offering such benefits, services or programs, and a link to the Internet web site for such entity.

1. (2) The department shall also publish on the Internet content dedicated to matters of concern for women veterans, including, but not limited to, any relevant information, links to services and benefits for which women veterans may be eligible and contact information for the veterans' advocacy and assistance unit for purposes of providing front-line support of and assistance with women veterans issues.

2. (b) On and after July 1, 2013, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's designee, shall, within available appropriations, publish a list of qualified veterans' charitable organizations. The commissioner shall place any qualified veterans' charitable organization on such list for a period of three years. Organizations may apply and reapply to the commissioner for inclusion on the list by submitting information regarding such organization's status to the commissioner, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, and any additional information the commissioner deems necessary to determine whether such organization constitutes a qualified veterans' charitable organization. A qualified veterans' charitable organization is one which:

   1. (1) Holds itself out to be established for any benevolent, educational, philanthropic, humane, scientific, patriotic, social welfare or advocacy purpose relating to or on behalf of veterans; and (2) has been (A) a nonstock corporation, organized under chapter 602, or any predecessor thereto, for three or more years, or (B) a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time, for three or more consecutive years. The list of qualified veterans' charitable organizations, a link to such organization's Internet web site, and the qualifications for inclusion on such list set forth in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, shall be published on the informational Internet web site established in this section and shall bear a disclaimer as follows: “This list is prepared for the public solely for the purpose of information. The state of Connecticut provides no warranty about the content or accuracy of the content herein.”.

(P.A. 11-3, S. 1; P.A. 12-195, S. 1; P.A. 16-167, S. 33; 16-192, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 11-3 effective May 9, 2011; P.A. 12-195 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re list of qualified veterans' charitable organizations, effective June 15, 2012; P.A. 16-167 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “Department of Veterans' Affairs” with “Department of Veterans Affairs” and amended Subsec. (b) to replace “Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs” with “Commissioner of Veterans Affairs”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 16-192 amended Subsec. (a) to designate existing provisions re publishing informational page as Subdiv. (1) and add Subdiv. (2) re Internet publication of content dedicated to matters of concern for women veterans.