Legislative declaration

The general assembly hereby finds and declares that there is no veterans' cemetery to serve the military veterans who reside on the western slope of Colorado. The general assembly believes that the state owes a duty to all of its military veterans to assist in providing adequate burial facilities close to where surviving relatives of deceased military veterans reside. The general assembly further finds that the federal department of veterans affairs will reimburse the state for one hundred percent of the costs to establish, expand, or improve a state veterans' cemetery. The general assembly further recognizes that citizens of Colorado may be willing to provide additional funds for the operation and maintenance of such cemetery if given the opportunity. Therefore, the general assembly has enacted this part 19 to provide funding to the western slope military veterans' cemetery fund through voluntary contributions on state individual income tax returns. Source: L. 99: Entire part added, p. 780, § 1, effective May 21.