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<section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="9-906" title_number="9" title_name="Miscellaneous Executive Agencies" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Department of Veterans and Military Families">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“American braille tactile flag” means a tactile flag designed to allow blind people to experience the American flag, including a flag created by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In this section and in § 9–907 of this subtitle, “eligible decedent” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a veteran;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a qualified reserve member; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>an eligible spouse or dependent.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Eligible dependent” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a child who meets the requirements stated in 38 C.F.R. § 38.620(e);</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a parent who meets the requirements stated in 38 C.F.R. § 38.620(i); or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a parent or child related by blood, marriage, or adoption of a qualified reserve member.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>“Eligible spouse” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a spouse who meets the requirements stated in 38 C.F.R. § 38.620(e); or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a spouse of a qualified reserve member.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>“Qualified reserve member” means a reserve component member who does not meet the requirements for interment at a national veterans’ cemetery but served other than dishonorably and completed the individual’s contractual obligation of service.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>“State veterans’ cemetery” means a cemetery that the Department establishes under this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>“Washington Cemetery” means the Civil War cemetery grounds authorized by Chapter 213 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1870.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Department may establish one or more cemeteries in the State for the burial of eligible decedents as authorized by the Secretary.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Department may accept land, on behalf of the State or a political subdivision of the State, or otherwise acquire land for a State veterans’ cemetery, if the Department has the approval of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the governing body of the county where the State veterans’ cemetery is to be located;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the delegation in the General Assembly for the county where the State veterans’ cemetery is to be located; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the Board of Public Works.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Department shall maintain and supervise each State veterans’ cemetery.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Washington Cemetery shall be under the supervision of the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Department shall provide an interment location in a State veterans’ cemetery, without charge, to a veteran or a veteran’s eligible spouse or dependent who meets the requirements of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>To qualify for an interment location in a State veterans’ cemetery:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the eligible decedent must be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a veteran who meets the requirements for interment at a national veterans’ cemetery;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a qualified reserve member; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>an eligible spouse or dependent who meets the requirements of this subsection; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if a qualified reserve member, the qualified reserve member must also have been a resident of the State:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>when the qualified reserve member entered the reserve component;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>when the qualified reserve member died; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>for 2 years, unless, for a reason that the Department finds compelling, the Department waives the time period.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>To obtain an interment location in a State veterans’ cemetery, an applicant shall submit to the Department an application on the form that the Department provides.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In an interment location that is allotted to a veteran or a qualified reserve member, the Department shall inter:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the veteran or qualified reserve member; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any member of the immediate family who is an eligible spouse or dependent if the family member can be interred in a space above or below the veteran or qualified reserve member or in the next available interment location.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>With each interment location, the Department shall provide an outer burial receptacle or columbarium niche and marker at no cost for the veteran or the veteran’s eligible spouse or dependent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department may not charge a veteran or a veteran’s eligible spouse or dependent for interment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the individual being interred is a qualified reserve member or a qualified reserve member’s eligible spouse or dependent, the Department shall collect at the time of interment a fee that is equal to the annual interment location allowance established by the National Cemetery Administration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The Department shall designate a location for an American braille tactile flag to be placed in one or more State veterans’ cemeteries as authorized by the Secretary to honor members of the uniformed services, veterans, and other individuals in the State who are blind or visually impaired.</text>
  </level>
</section>
