# Indiana SB 344: Veterans service officers.

Indiana SB 344, Veterans service officers., is a First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Fady Qaddoura (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-01-28 (Senator Tomes added as second author) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB344-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Indiana SB 344
- State: Indiana
- Session: First Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2025)
- Title: Veterans service officers.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-13
- Last action: 2025-01-28, Senator Tomes added as second author
- Sponsor: Fady Qaddoura (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: veterans affairs and the military
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Defines "qualified part-time service officer". Establishes the county service officer grant fund to provide grants to counties for salaries for county service officers, including qualified part-time service officers. Requires the Indiana department of veterans' affairs commission (commission) to adopt rules establishing minimum annual salaries that a county must pay for county service officers, including qualified part-time service officers, in order for the county to receive a grant. Provides that the Indiana department of veterans' affairs (department) shall administer the fund. Requires a county or city service officer appointed or employed after June 30, 2025, to be accredited by the National Association of County Service Officers. Requires each county to appoint a county service officer. (Current law provides that a county may appoint a county service officer.) Requires a county that does not contain a consolidated city to employ: (1) a full-time service officer or two qualified part-time service officers if the county has at least 5,000 veterans residing in the county; and (2) an additional qualified part-time service officer for each additional 2,500 veterans. Requires a county containing a consolidated city to hire at least one full-time service officer or two qualified part-time service officers for each 10,000 veterans residing in the county. Requires that a county or city service officer appointed or employed before July 1, 2025, must be accredited by the National Association of County Service Officers before July 1, 2027. Makes an appropriation.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Fady Qaddoura (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: James Tomes (Republican), Senate

## Actions (3)

- 2025-01-28: Senator Tomes added as second author (Senate)
- 2025-01-13: First reading: referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs and The Military (Senate)
- 2025-01-13: Authored by Senator Qaddoura (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced Senate Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0344/versions/SB0344.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 324: Criminal procedures. (signed)
- SB 231: Various corrections matters. (signed)
- SB 80: Code publication. (signed)
- SB 453: Various tax matters. (signed)
- SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit. (signed)
- SB 371: Workforce matters. (signed)

## Sources
- [Introduced Senate Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2025/bills/SB0344/versions/SB0344.01.INTR?format=pdf)

## Related
- [SB 324: Criminal procedures.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB324-2025)
- [SB 231: Various corrections matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB231-2025)
- [SB 80: Code publication.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB80-2025)
- [SB 453: Various tax matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB453-2025)
- [SB 464: Financial institutions and consumer credit.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB464-2025)
- [SB 371: Workforce matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB371-2025)
- [Indiana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana/bills)
- [Indiana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-SB344-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).