Veterans initiatives announced at Capitol news conference

LANSING — State Rep. Ray Franz, R-Onekama, today joined Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, state veterans advocates and other lawmakers at a news conference in the Capitol to unveil several initiatives to assist the more than 650,000 military veterans who live in Michigan.

Among the proposals the Legislature will be working on with the Johnson are a veteran designation on state driver’s licenses and identification cards, and creating a fundraising license plate for veterans’ service organizations.

“Both these measures, and the Secretary of State’s commitment to helping deliver veterans’ program information through branch offices, is good news for the men and women who honorably served their country,” said Franz, a Vietnam veteran and vice chair of the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. “Not only will veterans be able to proudly display their patriotic service on their license, it will help link them to the department’s benefits programs and do away with submitting the paperwork proof necessary for others.”