S257 - 2026 Appropriations Act. (SL 2026-41)

• Authorizes the Veterans' Affairs Commission (Commission) to delegate its authority to expend funds held in the Veterans Home Trust Fund to the Secretary of the Department, instead of the Assistant Secretary of the Department. However, the Commission's delegation of this authority can only apply to the Secretary holding office at the time a vote was taken to delegate this authority. A new vote to delegate this authority must be taken by the Commission each time a new person is appointed to serve as either (i) the Secretary of the Department or (ii) the Chair of the Commission.  
• Requires the Department to expend funds for the management and maintenance of the State's veterans nursing homes in accordance with appropriations made by the General Assembly, except for funds expended from the Veterans Home Trust Fund for the State's veterans nursing homes.  
• Authorizes the Department to enter into contracts for the management and maintenance of the State's veterans nursing homes and veterans cemeteries in accordance with the provisions of Articles 3, 3C, 3D, and 8 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes and procedures established by the Division of Purchase and Contract and the Office of State Construction, instead of the Commission.
• Requires the Department to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government, the House Appropriations Committee on General Government, the Senate Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology, and the Fiscal Research Division within 24 hours of the Department receiving an assessment report by the Office of State Construction or another entity that causes the Department to determine that a State veterans home requires repair in order to maintain the home in a safe and habitable condition. At a minimum, the report must include the name of the State agency or other entity that conducted the assessment, the reason for the assessment, the dangerous conditions found, the Department's recommendations for remedying the dangerous conditions, and the estimated costs of remedying the dangerous conditions.
• Authorizes the Department to use funds held in the Veterans Home Trust Fund to pay the cost to remodel, repair, construct, modernize, or add improvements to buildings and facilities at veterans nursing homes.
• Authorizes the Department to contract with third parties to operate veterans nursing homes, instead of the Commission.
• Authorizes the Department (i) to appoint and fix the salary for a Program Director for the State veterans home program who does not have to be a veteran and (ii) to hire additional staff.
• Requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government and Fiscal Research Division on the activities of the State Veterans Home Program and on ways to improve the services provided by the homes.
• Requires the Department to include information about facility condition assessments, including any structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, or other issue that affects the integrity of the facility that should be repaired or replaced within the 12 months, in its annual report on the condition of each facility which is a part of the State Veterans Home Program.
• Removes the Secretary of the Department's Authority to call a meeting of the Commission.
• Limits the maximum amount of State funds which can be disbursed to the Veterans Life Center to $750,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

This section became effective July 1, 2026.