Sec. 9. (a) A county executive:
(1) shall designate and may:
(A) appoint a county service officer for a four (4) year term; or
(B) employ a county service officer; and
(2) may employ service officer assistants;
to serve the veterans of the county.
(b) The mayor of a city may employ a service officer and may employ service officer assistants to serve the veterans of the city.
(c) If the remuneration and expenses of a county or city service officer are paid from the funds of the county or city employing the service officer, the service officer shall:
(1) be:
(A) an honorably discharged veteran who has at least six (6) months of active service in the armed forces of the United States; or
(B) a service officer assistant with not less than two (2) years of experience;
(2) be a resident of Indiana or become a resident of Indiana not more than six (6) months after the service officer's start date; and
(3) serve under the supervision of the director of veterans' affairs.
(d) A service officer assistant must be a resident of Indiana or become a resident of Indiana not later than six (6) months after the service officer assistant's start date and:
(1) satisfy the requirements specified in subsection (c)(1); or
(2) be the spouse, surviving spouse, parent, or child of a person who satisfies the requirements specified in subsection (c)(1).
(e) A rule contrary to subsection (c) or (d) is void.
(f) County and city fiscal bodies may appropriate funds necessary for the purposes described in this section.
[Pre-2003 Recodification Citation: 10-5-1-11.]
As added by P.L.2-2003, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.144-2007, SEC.9; P.L.105-2014, SEC.1; P.L.108-2016, SEC.2; P.L.42-2020, SEC.4.