All money so paid to and received by the American Legion shall be expended by it in furnishing temporary income; subsistence items such as food, wearing apparel, shelter and related expenses; medical or surgical aid or care or relief

1. (1) to, or in bearing the funeral expenses of, soldiers, sailors or marines (A) (i) who performed service in time of war, as defined in section 27-103, in any branch of the military service of the United States, including the Connecticut National Guard, or (ii) who were engaged in any of the wars waged by the United States during said periods in the forces of any government associated with the United States, (B) who are or were veterans, as defined in section 27-103, and (C) who were citizens or resident aliens of the state at the time of entering said armed forces of the United States, including the Connecticut National Guard, or of any such government,
2. (2) to their spouses who are living with them,
3. (3) to their widows or widowers who were living with them at the time of death, or
4. (4) to dependent children under eighteen years of age, who may be in need of the same. All such payments shall be made by the American Legion under authority of its bylaws, which bylaws shall set forth the procedure for proof of eligibility for such aid, provided payments made for the care and treatment of any person entitled to the benefits provided for herein, at any hospital receiving aid from the General Assembly unless special care and treatment are required, shall be in accordance with the provisions of section 17b-239, and provided the sum expended for the care or treatment of such person at any other place than a state-aided hospital shall in no case exceed the actual cost of supporting such person at the Healthcare Center in Rocky Hill maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs, unless special care and treatment are required, when such sum as may be determined by the treasurer of such organization may be paid therefor. Upon the completion of the trust provided for in section 27-138, the principal fund shall revert to the State Treasury.

(1949 Rev., S. 2959; 1949, 1951, 1953, S. 1650d; 1957, P.A. 163, S. 34; 1967, P.A. 850; 1969, P.A. 347, S. 1; P.A. 73-395; P.A. 74-321, S. 19; P.A. 75-483, S. 6, 10; P.A. 91-2, S. 7, 8; 91-213, S. 7, 8; P.A. 97-47, S. 52; P.A. 00-131, S. 1; P.A. 04-169, S. 16; 04-195, S. 1; P.A. 07-187, S. 4; P.A. 14-217, S. 61; P.A. 16-167, S. 48; P.A. 18-47, S. 24; P.A. 21-79, S. 34.)

History: 1967 act provided for use of termination date to be determined by the United States for the end of the Vietnam era and raised cutoff age for eligibility of dependent children from 16 to 18; 1969 act made slight change in wording; P.A. 73-395 substituted “December 31, 1955” for “October 27, 1953”; P.A. 74-321 substituted “spouses” for “wives” and added “or widowers” following “widows”; P.A. 75-483 deleted provisions concerning the dates for the Vietnam era and substituted “as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103”; P.A. 91-2 added provisions re service during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm; P.A. 91-213 changed the beginning of the period of service during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm from August 7, 1990, to August 2, 1990; P.A. 97-47 substituted “trustee” for “board of trustees”; P.A. 00-131 added “performed service in time of war, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103,” and deleted provisions re service dates; P.A. 04-169 changed the name of the Veterans' Home and Hospital to the Veterans' Home, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 04-195 included the Connecticut National Guard in any branch of the military service of the United States and in the armed forces of the United States, effective June 3, 2004; P.A. 07-187 deleted “and shall be approved by the trustee” re bylaws, substituted “the Governor and the General Assembly” for “said trustee” re quarterly accounting, and deleted “so held by said trustee” re principal fund, effective June 6, 2007; P.A. 14-217 added provisions re temporary income, subsistence items and shelter and related expenses as items for which money may be expended and deleted provision re quarterly accounting by treasurer of American Legion to Governor and General Assembly, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 16-167 replaced “Veterans' Home” with “Healthcare Center in Rocky Hill maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs”, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 18-47 added Subdiv., Subpara. and clause designators, replaced reference to Sec. 27-103(a) with reference to Sec. 27-103, added Subdiv. (1)(B)(ii) re funeral expenses of soldiers, sailors or marines with a qualifying condition who have received discharges other than bad conduct or dishonorable; P.A. 21-79 amended Subdiv. (1)(B) to replace provision re soldiers, sailors or marines who have been honorably discharged or honorably released or with qualifying condition with reference to veterans, as defined in Sec. 27-103.