Committee backs bill to dedicate $500,000 in lottery proceeds to veterans grants

The House Appropriations Committee on Monday reported House Bill 175 favorable as amended, moving a proposal that would set aside $500,000 annually from Louisiana Lottery net proceeds for a new veteran service grant fund overseen by a Veterans Service Grant Board.

The bill’s author told the committee the board would be housed in the Department of Veterans Affairs and include state agency designees and veteran organization leaders; eligible applicants would include 501(c)(3) organizations with at least three years’ existence, accredited Louisiana colleges and universities, JROTC programs and established veteran treatment courts. Annual grants would be capped at $50,000 per recipient.

Andrew Ward, who identified himself as representing The Boot, urged support and highlighted recruitment and economic benefits, saying the funding would allow “targeted grants to orgs across the state that are already delivering results on the ground” in workforce development, mental health and housing stability.

Charles McGillian, identified in testimony as the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, described the awards as “microgrants” that can support transition-to-work programs, veteran treatment courts and JROTC needs. Jackson Smith, executive director of Bastion Veterans Organization, urged lawmakers to invest, saying, “I promise you every dollar that you invest into your veteran population will be returned to you, with interest.”

Committee members pressed how the $500,000 would affect the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP). The bill’s sponsor said the amount is a small fraction of lottery net proceeds and that a technical amendment clarifies that any unspent money would transfer back to the lottery proceeds fund that supports the MFP. The panel adopted the amendments by voice and reported the bill favorable as amended; the sponsor also advanced a companion constitutional amendment to place the transfer before voters.

Next steps: the bill, as amended, will move through the legislative process with the constitutional amendment intended for a statewide ballot vote to authorize the transfer of the specified lottery proceeds to the veterans fund.