Jay Nixon signs bill in Cape to fund veterans homes

Gov. Jay Nixon visited the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau on Thursday, signing legislation providing the state's seven veterans homes with a dedicated funding source.

With a room full of residents and veterans group representatives watching, Nixon signed House Bill 1731, which increases the transfer amount from the Missouri Gaming Commission Fund to the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund. This provides dedicated annual funding of $32 million for ongoing operations of veterans homes and cemeteries.

More than 1,300 Missouri veterans rely on veterans homes care, including Leon Palmer of Cape Girardeau, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1950 to 1954. He and his wife, Patsy, attended the signing ceremony.

Gov. Jay Nixon presents copies of legislation he signed to veterans Thursday, May 31, 2012 at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

"We are so fortunate to be able to be here," said Patsy Palmer. She moved her husband, who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease, into the Cape Girardeau veterans home in August.

"I kept him at home as long as I could," she said.

Patsy Palmer believes the country has an obligation to help take care of veterans, like her husband.

Gov. Jay Nixon speaks to veterans Thursday, May 31, 2012 at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

"It's important they have access to this help," she said.

Having this dedicated funding source will help veterans home administrators in Missouri better prepare for future replacements and repairs, Nixon said.

"We here in Missouri will continue to stand with our military veterans to ensure they have the support that they need and deserve," he said.

Demand for the services the veterans homes provide is greater than ever, Nixon said.

Currently there are more than 1,650 veterans in Missouri on waiting lists for the state's veterans homes, said Viviane Rains, administrator of the Cape Girardeau home. The local home houses its maximum capacity of 150 veterans and has 330 residents on its waiting list, she said.

The facility employs about 200 people.

"For the veterans who are residing here to now have this authority to know this home is going to continue, the other homes in Missouri are going to continue, we're going to be able to better serve their generation and generations to come, it's just a great relief," Rains said.

Depending on their level of disability, some veterans do pay a portion of the cost of their care, Rains said, however, it's much less than the cost of a comparable private sector facility.

The legislation goes into effect July 1.

mmiller@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

2400 Veterans Memorial Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO