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FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- Iowa veterans and military families now have more benefits after the 2010 legislative session.

Fact Finder talked with State Senators Becky Schmitz, (D), Fairfield, and Steve Warnstadt, (D), Sioux City.

They told Fact Finder Iowa became the first state in the country to pass all 10 items on the U.S. Department of Defense’s list of 10 “quality of life” issues for military families.

Warnstadt said Iowa already had legislation for six of the issues and finished the final four earlier this year. One of the issues focuses on helping “trailing spouses.”

Warnstadt told Fact Finder when a service member moves or is deployed and the spouse quits their job to spend more time with the family, they can now receive unemployment benefits.

“Many of these families are taking a financial sacrifice while the service member is deployed or having to move, and when you lose that second source of income it is a big financial burden on the family,” Warnstadt said.

Iowa Legislators did not limit themselves to the top 10 list. They also passed a mental health initiative which Schmitz says will help the transition of our troops returning home.

“One of the priorities that I felt particularly important was addressing mental health services,” Schmitz said. “We passed a mental health parity which would provide mental health services…substance abuse and mental health services for veterans.”

Warnstadt said it is all about doing the right thing.

“Every legislator I know has expressed an interest in trying to do something for our service members because society has said, ‘We really did not do right by the Vietnam Veterans and we really do not want that to happen again,’” Warnstadt said.

The following are highlights from the 2010 Legislative session:

Sending veterans to college: We provided more than $3 million this year and more than $13 million over the last four years for the National Guard Education Benefit (SF 2376).

Helping veterans buy a home:  Home loan availability was expanded under the Military Service Member Homeownership Assistance Program (HF 2148).

Keeping families connected: While they are deployed, members of the U.S. Armed forces with child visitation rights can designate a family member to help maintain contact with their children (SF 2226).

Improving veterans mental health care: An advocate familiar with PTSD and other veterans mental health issues will join the two state mental health policy groups (SF 2175).

Supporting injured veterans: The Injured Veterans Grant Program will now include any veteran injured in the line of duty who required at least 30 consecutive days of military hospitalization (HF 755).

Helping families transition: A “trailing spouse” who left a job behind to follow their military spouse on assignment will receive unemployment benefits (HF 2110).

Expanding opportunities for disabled veterans: There will be new outreach to disabled veterans about federally funded job-training opportunities and new job-training programs (HF 2454).

Supporting veteran-owned small businesses: Small businesses owned and operated by disabled veterans will be helped to obtain state contracts (HF 2449).

Improved mental health insurance coverage: All Iowa insurance will cover substance abuse and mental health treatment for Iowa veterans (SF 2201).

Help accessing services: If a veteran is arrested, they must be told that they are entitled to a visit from a veterans' service officer who can help them obtain services, like substance abuse or mental health treatment instead of jail time (HF 2321).

Veterans’ Day off: Employers must give any veteran paid or unpaid time off of work on Veterans’ Day. (HF 2197).

Help with taxes: Service members deployed overseas will receive help filing their tax returns before and after returning to the United States (HF 2384).

Free hunting and fishing permits: Certain state permit fees are waived or reduced for service members, veterans and their families, including hunting and fishing licenses (SF 2297).

New educational benefits: Service members and their family living in Iowa or on the Rock Island Arsenal can receive extended educational benefits at an Iowa community college or state university (SF 2274).

Preserving the USS Iowa: The battleship USS Iowa will be preserved as a permanent naval museum (SJR 2007, HF 2406). 

Senator Schmitz welcomes questions of veterans and military families about these benefits.  She can be reached at home at 641-472-2341 or becky.schmitz@legis.state.ia.us.