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HB 5273

Veterans: trust fund; veterans trust fund act; modify, and remove period of war service requirement. Amends sec. 2 of 1946 (1st Ex Sess) PA 9 (MCL 35.602) & repeals sec. 4a of 1946 (1st Ex Sess) PA 9 (MCL 35.604a). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5260'25

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kelly Breen and 20 co-sponsors

Expands Michigan Veterans' Trust Fund eligibility by removing the wartime service requirement, allowing peacetime veterans to qualify; tied to HB 5260.

bill electronically reproduced 11/12/2025
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Bill Summary · HB 5273

Bill summary — HB 5273 (2025)

Title: Veterans: trust fund; veterans trust fund act; modify, and remove period of war service requirement.
Primary action: Amend section 2 of 1946 (1st Ex Sess) PA 9 (MCL 35.602) and repeal section 4a (MCL 35.604a). Tie-bar with HB 5260.

Purpose / intent

HB 5273 updates the Michigan Veterans’ Trust Fund Act’s eligibility language by altering the statutory definition of “veteran” used for trust fund eligibility and repeals section 4a of the act. The stated effect is to remove the current “period of war” service requirement as a condition for receiving assistance from the Michigan veterans’ trust fund, thereby broadening eligibility.

Key provisions

  • Amends MCL 35.602 (section 2 of the 1946 act) to revise the definition of “veteran” for purposes of the Michigan veterans’ trust fund. The change eliminates the existing requirement that an applicant must have served in active duty during a designated “period of war” for at least 180 days (with a medical-disability exception) to be eligible.
  • Retains other eligibility elements in section 2: status as a veteran under section 1 of 1965 PA 190 (MCL 35.61) and Michigan legal-residency requirements (resident at time of application or immediately prior to entering the U.S. Armed Forces; a continuous absence from Michigan for more than two years may affect eligibility).
  • Repeals section 4a of 1946 (1st Ex Sess) PA 9 (MCL 35.604a). (The bill text does not specify the subject matter of section 4a; repeal may alter administrative or programmatic details tied to the fund.)
  • Conditional enactment: the amendatory act “does not take effect” unless HB 5260 is also enacted (tie-bar).

Who would be affected

  • Primary: Veterans seeking financial assistance from the Michigan Veterans’ Trust Fund — notably veterans who served in peacetime or who do not meet the former “period of war” service requirement.
  • Secondary: Michigan Veterans’ Trust Fund Board of Trustees, county/district committees, and state administrators who implement eligibility, application, and disbursement rules.
  • Fiscal actors: state budget and Ways & Means oversight (broader eligibility could affect fund outlays).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Filed/introduced: March 14, 2025 (filed); electronically reproduced and reintroduced November 12, 2025 by Rep. Tyrone Carter.
  • Committee referrals: Initially read and referred to Ways & Means (April 7, 2025); later referred to Committee on Government Operations (Nov 12, 2025).
  • Companion: SB 654.
  • Effectiveness: The amendment is tied to enactment of HB 5260; it will not take effect unless HB 5260 becomes law.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Expands eligibility for trust fund assistance to veterans who did not meet the prior wartime-service threshold, likely increasing the pool of eligible applicants.
  • Possible fiscal impact: larger demand for trust fund resources; magnitude depends on fund balances, application rates, and any appropriation changes (not detailed in the bill).
  • Administrative adjustments will be required to implement new eligibility rules and to reconcile the repeal of MCL 35.604a (specific programmatic consequences depend on the content of the repealed section).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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