Female Veterans Would Have Point Person For Help Under Bill Passed By House

The state would hire a specialist dedicated to helping female veterans under legislation the Indiana House passed unanimously Monday.

Senate Bill 354 now moves back to the Senate, which has already passed a different version of the bill. The Senate can vote to accept the House changes or send the legislation to a conference committee for additional work.

The bill’s author, Rep. Richard Hamm, R-Richmond, said the testimony on the bill in committee “was very, very, very intense.”

“The veterans in the state of Indiana who are women feel like they’ve been left behind because they have a very difficult time talking to men about their problems,” Hamm said.

The position will be located in the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

“This bill is about gender specific needs,” said Rep. Karlee Macer, D-Indianapolis. “It’s about cervical cancer, child birth, advocacy and the work women are doing for this country.”

Lesley Weidenbener is executive editor of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.