D-1 APPENDIX D: COUNCIL ON VETERANS PROGRAMS FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS (DAV) ISSUE PAPER

COUNCIL ON VETERANS PROGRAMS: FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

Current as of June 2010

The State of Wisconsin has a Council on Veterans Programs (COVP). The COVP’s
functions, duties, and membership are as follows:
A. General Functions and Duties. The definition of a State of Wisconsin “Council” is
specified in Wis. Stats. Chapter 15:
15.01(4) “Council” means a part−time body appointed to function on a continuing basis
for the study, and recommendation of solutions and policy alternatives, of the problems
arising in a specified functional area of state government, except the Milwaukee River
revitalization council has the powers and duties specified in s. 23.18, the council on
physical disabilities has the powers and duties specified in s. 46.29 (1) and (2), the state
council on alcohol and other drug abuse has the powers and duties specified in s. 14.24,
and the electronic recording council has the powers and duties specified in s. 706.25 (4).

Similarly, the definitions of “Board,” “Department,” and “head” are specified in Chapter 15:
15.01(1r) “Board” means a part−time body functioning as the policy−making unit for a
department or independent agency or a part−time body with policy−making or
quasi−judicial powers.

15.01(5) “Department” means the principal administrative agency within the executive
branch of Wisconsin state government, but does not include the independent agencies
under subch. III.

15.01(8) “Head”, in relation to a department, means the constitutional officer,

commission, secretary or board in charge of the department. “Head”, in relation to an
independent agency, means the commission, commissioner or board in charge of the
independent agency.

Throughout Chapter 15, Boards, Departments, and Councils are created in the various functional
areas of the State of Wisconsin Executive Branch.
Thus,” all but four State Councils derive their basic functions and duties from the Chapter 15
definition: “to function on a continuing basis for the study, and recommendation of
solutions and policy alternatives, of the problems arising in a specified functional area of
state government.”
Those four exceptions are: Milwaukee river revitalization council; council on physical
disabilities; council no alcohol and other drug abuse; electronic recording council). In each
D-2 APPENDIX D: COUNCIL ON VETERANS PROGRAMS FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES

instance of a specified exception to the standard definition of “Council,” the powers and duties of
the exception are specified in functional chapters of the Statutes.
B. Additional Duties. In addition to the general functions and duties of the Council specified in
Chapter 15, Chapter 45 provides additional specified duties for the Council on Veterans
Programs:
45.03(3)(a) The council on veterans programs created under s. 15.497 shall advise the
board and the department on solutions and policy alternatives relating to the problems of
veterans.

45.03(3)(b) The council on veterans programs and the department, jointly or separately,
shall submit a report regarding the council on veterans programs to the chief clerk of each
house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) by
September 30 of every odd-numbered year. The report shall include a general summary
of the activities and membership over the past 2 years of the council and each
organization on the council.

C. Council Membership. The Council on Veterans Programs and its membership is created in
Wis. Stats. Chapter 15. The membership includes a permanent seat for a representative of each
of 23 organizations, including the DAV.
15.497(2) Council on veterans programs. There is created in the department of veterans
affairs a council on veterans programs consisting of all of the following representatives
appointed for one-year terms by the organization that each member represents:
15.497(2)(a) One representative each of the state departments of the American Legion,
the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Marine Corps
League, the Navy Club of the U.S.A., the Veterans of World War II (AMVETS), the
American Ex-prisoners of War, the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Inc., the Vietnam
Veterans of America, Inc., the Catholic War Veterans of the U.S.A., the Jewish War
Veterans of the U.S.A., the Polish Legion of American Veterans, the National
Association for Black Veterans, Inc., the Army and Navy Union of the United States of
America, the Wisconsin Association of Concerned Veteran Organizations, the United
Women Veterans, Inc., the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II, the Wisconsin
Vietnam Veterans, Inc., and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
15.497(2)(b) One representative of the American Red Cross.
15.497(2)(c) One representative of the Wisconsin county veterans service officers.
15.497(2)(d) One representative of the Wisconsin chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of
America.
15.497(2)(e) One representative of the Wisconsin Council of the Military Officers
Association of America.
15.497(2)(f) One representative of The Retired Enlisted Association.
15.497(2)(g) One representative of the Wisconsin American GI Forum.

2009 Wisconsin Act 298 adds the following, effective July 1, 2010:

15.497(2)(h) One representative of the Blinded Veterans Association of Wisconsin.