State bonus programs for veterans of World War II and the Korean conflict-Statistical data [Dollar amounts in thousands] 1 Substantially completed by June 30, 1955, in all States with such programs. Except Includes a small number of deceased veterans. See footnote 4 below. 3 Includes $80,000, estimated to be paid to 300 veterans after June 30, 1955. 4 Number shown in "living veterans" column is total; separation between living and Includes $50,000, estimated to be paid to 300 living veterans and 21 deceased veterans Legislation approved May 13, 1955; $26,000,000 bond issue to be voted upon at the 7 Includes $500,000, estimated to be paid to 500 living veterans and to beneficiaries of 8 Includes $14,000, estimated to be paia to 136 veterans after June 30, 1955. 10 Includes World War I veterans covered under the post-World War II program as 11 Legislative resolution passed Mar. 7, 1955, to be voted upon at the November 1956 Source: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, WEST VIRGINIA Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: SECTION 1. Submitting "Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment" to the State Constitution. That the question of the ratification or rejection of an amendment to the constitution of West Virginia, proposed in accordance with the provisions of section two, article fourteen of said constitution, shall be submitted to the voters of the state at the next general election, to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-six, which proposed amendment is as follows: KOREAN VETERANS BONUS AMENDMENT The Legislature shall by law provide for the issuance and sale of state bonds, which shall be in addition to all other state bonds heretofore issued, for the following purposes: (1) The paying of a cash bonus to veterans of the armed forces of the United States who served during the Korean conflict. Such bonus shall be paid to all persons who rendered active service in the armed forces of the United States between the twenty-seventh day of June, one thousand nine hundred fifty, and the twenty-seventh day of July, one thousand nine hundred fifty-three, both dates inclusive, who were bona fide residents of the state of West Virginia at the time of their entry into such service and for a period of at least six months prior thereto, who were not dishonorably discharged from such service, and who within the period specified above actively served in such armed forces for a period of at least ninety days. Such a bonus shall also be paid to any disabled veteran, otherwise qualified, who was discharged within ninety days after entering the services because of a service-connected disability. The amount of such bonus shall be calculated on the basis of ten dollars for each month, or major fraction thereof, served within the territorial limits of the forty-eight states and the District of Columbia, and fifteen dollars for each month, or major fraction thereof, served outside such limits, but such amount shall in no case exceed three hundred dollars for those who served only within the territorial limits specified above, and four hundred dollars for those who served outside such limits. The bonus to which any deceased veteran would be entitled, if living, shall be paid only to the following surviving relatives of such veteran, if such relatives are residents of this state when application for payment is made: Any unmarried widow, or if none, any child or children under the age of sixteen, or if none, any dependent parent or parents. The principal amount of bonds to be issued for the purpose provided in paragraph (1) above shall not exceed the principal amount of the ninety million dollars bonds authorized by the veterans bonus amendment submitted by chapter nineteen of the acts of the Legislature of West Virginia of one thousand nine hundred forty-nine, regular session, and ratified by the people of West Virginia at the general election held on the seventh day of November, one thousand nine hundred fifty (hereinafter referred to as "Veterans Bonus Amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty"), which shall not have been issued on the date of the ratification of this amendment by the people of West Virginia: Provided, however, That such bonds issued under the provisions of paragraph (1) above may be funded or refunded at any time in the manner provided in paragraph (2) below. (2) The funding or refunding of all or any part of the bonds heretofore issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty. Said bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty may be so funded or refunded either on the maturity dates of said bonds or on any date on which said bonds are callable prior to maturity, and if any of said bonds have not matured or are not then callable prior to maturity, the Legislature may nevertheless provide at any time for the issuance of refunding bonds to fund or refund such bonds on the dates when said bonds mature or on any date on which said bonds are callable prior to maturity, and for the investment or reinvestment of the proceeds of such refunding bonds in direct obligations of the United States of America until the date or dates upon which such bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty mature or are callable prior to maturity. The principal amount of bonds issued under the provisions of paragraph (2) above shall not exceed the principal amount of the bonds to be funded or refunded thereby. Such bonds for the purposes authorized in paragraphs (1) (2) above may be issued from time to time as separate issues for such purposes or as combined issues for such purposes. Whenever the Legislature shall provide for the issuance of any bonds under the authority of this amendment, it shall at the same time provide for the levy and collection of an additional cigarette tax, or an additional tax on nonintoxicating beer, or an additional charge on the sale of each bottle of wine and liquor, or an additional general consumers sales tax, or a graduated income tax, or any two or more thereof, in such amount as may be required to pay annually the interest on such bonds and the principal thereof within and not exceeding thirty years, and all such taxes or charges so levied shall be irrevocably dedicated for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds until such principal of and interest on such bonds is finally paid and discharged, and any of the covenants, agreements, or provisions in the acts of the Legislature levying such taxes or charges shall be enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction by any of the holders of said bonds. The additional taxes on cigarettes and nonintoxicating beer and additional charges on the sale of each bottle of alcoholic liquor, provided for in chapter six, one hundred eighty-four and one hundred eighty-seven of the acts of the Legislature of West Virginia, regular session, one thousand nine hundred fifty-one, shall continue to be pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty, or bonds issued pursuant to this amendment to fund or refund such bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty: Provided, however, That upon the funding or refunding of all outstanding bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty, or the deposit in trust of sufficient funds to pay all the principal of and interest on such outstanding bonds issued pursuant to said veterans bonus amendment of one thousand nine hundred fifty to their respective dates of maturity or to the first date upon which said bonds are callable prior to maturity, the taxes and charges provided for in said chapter six, one hundred eighty-four and one hundred eighty-seven of the acts of the Legislature of West Virginia, regular session, one thousand nine hundred fifty-one, may be pledged to the payment of the principal of an i interest on any bonds issued under any of the provisions of this amendment. SEC. 2. Amendment to be Known as the "Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment".-For convenience in referring to said proposed amendment, and in preparation of the form of the ballot hereinafter provided for, said proposed amendment is hereby designated as the "Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment". SEC. 3. Form of Ballot; Election.-For the purpose of enabling the voters of the state to vote on the question of said proposed amendment to the constitution at the said general election to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-six, the board of ballot commissioners of each county is hereby required to place upon, and at the foot of, the official ballot to be voted at that election the following: Ballot on "Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment". For ratification of "Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment." The said election on the proposed amendment at each place of voting shall be superintended, conducted and returned, and the result thereof ascertained by the same officers and in the same manner as the election of officers to be voted for at said election, and all the provisions of the law relating to general elections, including all duties to be performed by any officers or board, as far as practicable, and not inconsistent with anything herein contained, shall apply to the election held under the provisions of this act, except when it is herein otherwise provided. The ballots cast on the question of said proposed amendment shall be counted as other ballots cast at said election. SEC. 4. Certificates of Election Commissioners; Canvass of Vote; Certifying Result.-As soon as the result is ascertained, the commissioners, or a majority of them, and the canvassers (if there be any), or a majority of them, at each place of voting, shall make out and sign two certificates thereof in the following form or the following effect: on the "We, the undersigned, who acted as commissioners (or canvassers, as the case may be) of the election held at Precinct No--------, in the district of in the county of day one thousand nine hundred fifty-six, upon the question of the ratification or rejection of the proposed constitutional amendment, do hereby certify that the result of said election is as follows: of The said two certificates shall correspond with each other in all respects and contain the full and true returns of said election at each place of voting on said question, The said commissioners, or any one of them (or said canvassers or any one of them, as the case may be), shall, within four days, excluding Sunday, after that on which said election was held, deliver one of said certificates to the clerk of the county court of his county, together with the ballots, and the other to the clerk of the circuit court of the county. The said certificates, together with the ballots cast on the question of said proposed amendment, shall be laid before the commissioners of the county court at the courthouse at the same time the ballots, poll books, and the certificates of election of the members of the Legislature are laid before them; and as soon as the result of said election in the county upon the question of such ratification or rejection is ascertained, two certificates of such result shall be made out and signed by said commissioners as a board of canvassers, in the form or to the following effect: "We, the board of canvassers of the county of having carefully and impartially examined the returns of the election held in said county, in each district thereof, on the day of November, one thousand nine hundred fifty-six, do certify that the results of the election in said county, on the question of the ratification or rejection of the proposed amendment is as follows: "For ratification of Korean Veterans Bonus Amendment day of thousand nine hundred and fifty-six." votes. votes. One of the certificates shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the county court, and the other forwarded by mail to the secretary of state, who shall file and preserve the same until the day on which the result of said election in the state is to be ascertained, as hereinafter stated. SEC. 5. Proclamation of Result of Election by Governor.-On the twenty-fifth day after the election is held, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the said certificates shall be laid before the governor, whose duty it shall be to ascertain therefrom the result of said election in the state, and declare the same by proclamation published in one or more newspapers printed at the seat of government. If a majority of the votes cast at said election upon said question be for ratification of said amendment, the proposed amendment so ratified shall be in force and effect from and after the time of such ratification, as part of the constitution of the state. SEC. 6. Publication of Proposed Amendment by Governor.-The governor shall cause the said proposed amendment, with the proper designation for the same as hereinbefore adopted, to be published one time at least three months before such election in some newspaper in every county in which a newspaper is printed, at a price to be agreed upon in advance, in writing, and the cost of such advertising shall be in the first instance, if found necessary by him, be paid out of the governor's contingent fund and be afterwards repaid to such fund by appropriation of the Legislature. RHODE ISLAND CHAPTER 3608. AN ACT Providing for the payment of bonuses in recognition of the patriotic services of residents of the State who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States during hostilities in Korea It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. In recognition of the patriotic services of residents of the state who served in the armed forces of the United States during hostilities in Korea, provision is hereby made for the payment of a veteran's bonus and for the creation of a bonus board, hereinafter referred to as "the board," with full and final authority to determine which residents of the state are entitled to payments under the provisions of this act. |