TN HB2143

Local veterans service offices must be staffed by at least one County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO), defined as employees who served in the armed forces, while non-veterans are designated as County Veterans Service Representatives (CVSRs).

All CVSOs and CVSRs must obtain U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs accreditation within 6 months of appointment or be removed from office; background checks are required for all staff.

Counties with populations over 75,000 (per 2020 census) may hire administrative assistants for clerical duties who do not need VA accreditation.

The Department of Veterans Services must provide salary grants to local governments for hiring CVSOs and CVSRs to meet minimum staffing requirements, and may offer additional grants for training costs and performance bonuses.

All state funding to local veterans service offices is restricted to salaries, benefits, supplies, and training expenses, and must be published as a separate line item in local budgets.