OH HB561

Increases the Veterans Service Commission membership from five to seven residents per county, appointed to five-year terms by a court of common pleas judge.

Adds two new commission positions: one for a spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran, and one for a veteran of Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, or Iraq conflicts (including Operation Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn).

Requires commission members to be honorably discharged or separated veterans, except for the spouse/surviving spouse position, with form DD214 filed within 60 days of appointment.

Establishes staggered appointment schedules for the new positions to align with existing five-year terms of the five representatives from major veterans organizations (American Legion, VFW, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, and Military Order of the Purple Heart/Vietnam Veterans/Korean War Veterans Association).

Directs judges to make initial appointments to the new positions within 60 days of the act's effective date, with the new member terms ending January 1, 2015, and January 1, 2016, respectively.