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(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs is authorized to establish and maintain one (1) or more veterans’ homes at locations selected by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, after seeking advice from the Arkansas Veterans’ Commission.
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(b) The department is authorized to employ staff to operate the veterans’ homes as it deems appropriate and as authorized by biennial appropriation.
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(c)
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(1) Each veterans’ home shall be operated under the supervision of the department.
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(2) The secretary shall be the administrative head of the veterans’ homes.
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(3) The secretary may delegate the administration of each veterans’ home to an employee of the department.
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(d)
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(1) The department shall promulgate appropriate guidelines for determining eligibility of veterans for admission to a veterans’ home and the monetary charges to be made for veterans residing in a veterans’ home. All guidelines shall conform to the federal requirements to qualify veterans’ homes as nursing homes for veterans and to render the veterans’ homes eligible to receive federal financial assistance.
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(2)
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(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 20-8-101 et seq., the veterans’ homes may be used as nursing homes for veterans without obtaining a certificate of need.
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(B) Bed capacity shall not exceed two hundred twenty (220) beds.
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(e) In the administration of the veterans’ homes, the secretary is authorized to do the following:
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(1) Establish accounts to record the receipt and disbursement of funds from resident veterans to pay for a portion of their maintenance at a veterans’ home;
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(2) Develop policies for determining charges to be made to resident veterans;
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(3) Develop accounts and procedures pertaining to incompetent residents;
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(4) Establish procedures and accounts for payment by a veteran’s home to its residents for work performed at the veterans’ home;
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(5) Establish such other accounts as are necessary to the orderly administration of the veterans’ homes; and
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(6) Establish policies necessary for the operation of the veterans’ homes.
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(f) At the end of each fiscal year, the secretary shall certify to the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State the amount of nonrevenues to be retained in the Miscellaneous Agencies Fund Account. All other moneys shall be transferred to the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund according to existing laws.
