After months of uncertainty, the Legislature voted to fund County Veteran Service Officers (CVSOs) at a level of $4.7 million for the 2015-17 Biennium, an increase from a $3.7 million level in the 2013-15 budget.
The issue that remained in doubt in recent weeks was whether this budget would be $4.2 million, which was the initial level that was part of SB 5539 (the ODVA agency budget bill). We are happy to report that the additional $500,000 of funding was contained in the Christmas Tree bill (SB 5507). The caveat for this additional $500,000 of funding, like other expenditures in the Christmas Tree bill, is that it is specifically noted to be “one-time” funding. The next piece of advocacy for AOC will be to work with the Legislature to make this half-million part of the base level of ongoing funding for CVSO’s.