Georgia Senate backs creation of women’s veterans program
The Georgia Department of Veterans Service has long sought to create a program for the state's growing population of women's veterans.
On Thursday, state Senate unanimously backed the idea, too.
Senate Bill 108, sponsored by state Sen. Larry Walker III, R-Perry, seeks to address the unique needs of a population that numbers to about 100,000, or about 15 percent of veterans in Georgia.
Women veterans are the fastest growing segment of the state’s homeless veterans population, Walker said, and are more likely to be caretakers of their parents. They’re also more likely to be younger — about 84 percent are considered to be of working age, 17 to 64 years old.
Gov. Nathan Deal this year has also backed the idea, and has proposed funding for it in his fiscal 2018 budget under consideration in the Legislature.
Thursday’s vote sends SB 108 to the state House for consideration.
