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Kentucky · Snapshot 09/05/2026

KRS 40.010: Definitions for chapter.

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  1. KRS Chapter 40

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Administrator" means the adjutant general of the Commonwealth;

(2) "Veteran" means a person who served in the active Armed Forces of the United

States, during the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, or the

Korean conflict, for a period of nin ety (90) days or more (exclusive of time spent

AWOL; or in penal confinement as a result of a sentence imposed by court -martial;

or in service for which no allowance is made according to KRS 40.040), with some

portion of service within the respective herei nafter prescribed dates, who is still in

the Armed Forces, or was released, separated, discharged, or retired therefrom

under honorable conditions;

(3) "Duty in active Armed Forces" includes active duty, and any period of inactive duty

training during which the individual concerned was disabled; and if a person in the

active Armed Forces was released, separated, or discharged therefrom by reason of

disability incurred in line of duty before serving as much as ninety (90) days, such

person shall be qualified for entitlement to a bonus payment under this chapter,

notwithstanding failure to remain in service for the minimum time otherwise

prescribed;

(4) "Armed Forces" means the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force,

Space Force, and Coast Guard, in cluding the reserve components thereof on active

duty;

(5) "Qualified veteran" means a person answering to the specifications set forth in

subsections (2) and (3), and who

(a) Was a resident of the Commonwealth at the time of entry into active service

in the Armed Forces and for at least six (6) months prior thereto; and

(b) Who has not received a bonus or like compensation from another state; and

(c) Who is not subject to the forfeiture provisions of this chapter;

(6) "Resident of the Commonwealth at the time of entry into the active service" means

any person who gave the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or any specific place in this

Commonwealth, as his or her place of residence at such time of entry, without

regard to the pl ace of enlistment, commission, or induction. Conclusive and

exclusive evidence of such giving of place of residence shall be the official records

on file in the Department of Defense of the United States, or any official record

thereof in the files of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; but if it be

shown to the satisfaction of the administrator that for any reason no such record was

made, or that the same has been lost, misplaced, or destroyed, or that an

authenticated copy thereof cannot be obtained within a reasonable time, other

evidence of bona fide residence may be accepted if deemed sufficient by the

administrator;

(7) "Resident," in any context other than as in subsection (6), means a legal resident as

determined by generally establishe d principles of law, as may be defined, and

subject to proof, according to such regulations as the administrator may promulgate;

(8) "Beneficiary" means, in this order, widow, child or children (sharing equally),

mother, father, and no other;

(9) (a) "Widow" means a woman who was the wife of a veteran at the time of his

death, and who had not deserted him (except where there was a separation

which was due to the misconduct of, or procured by, the veteran without the

fault of the wife), and who had not remar ried, (unless the purported

remarriage was void or had been annulled);

(b) The term "widow" also includes "widower" in the case of a man who was the

husband of a female veteran at the time of her death;

(10) "Child" means a person:

(a) Who is under the age of eighteen (18); or

(b) Who, before attaining the age of eighteen (18) years, became permanently

incapable of self-support; or

(c) Who, after attaining the age of eighteen (18) years and until completion of

education or training (but not after attaining the age of twenty-one (21) years)

is pursuing a course of instruction at a bona fide educational institution; and

who, in relationship to the veteran, is a child born in lawful wedlock; a legally

adopted child; a stepchild who is a member of a veteran's ho usehold or was a

member at the time of the veteran's death; or a child born out of wedlock, but,

as to the alleged father, only if acknowledged in writing signed by him, or if

he had, before his death, been judicially decreed to be the father of such child;

(11) "Mother" means a mother, a mother through adoption, or a woman who for a period

of not less than one (1) year stood in the relationship of a mother to a qualified

veteran before his or her entry into active service in the Armed Forces, or if two (2)

persons stood in such relationship for one (1) year or more, the person who last

stood in such relationship before the veteran's last entry into active service in the

Armed Forces;

(12) "Father" means a father, a father through adoption, or a man who for a period of not

less than one (1) year stood in the relationship of a father to a qualified veteran

before his or her entry into active service in the Armed Forces, or if two (2) persons

stood in such relationship for one (1) year or more, the person who l ast stood in

such relationship before the veteran's last entry into active service in the Armed

Forces;

(13) "In the continental United States" means any place in the District of Columbia and

the states of the United States which are on the North American continent,

exclusive of Alaska;

(14) "Outside the continental United States" means any place elsewhere than as defined

in subsection (13);

(15) "Spanish-American War":

(a) Means the period beginning on April 21, 1898, and ending on July 4, 1902;

(b) Includes the Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion; and

(c) In the case of a veteran who served with the United States military forces

engaged in hostilities in the Moro Province, means the period beginning on

April 21, 1898, and ending on July 15, 1903;

(16) "World War I":

(a) Means the period beginning on April 6, 1917, and ending on November 11,

1918; and

(b) In the case of a veteran who served with the United States military forces in

Russia, means the period beginning on April 6, 1917, and ending o n April 1,

1920; and

(c) Any service between April 6, 1917, and July 1, 1921, if some part thereof was

between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, both dates being inclusive;

(17) "World War II" means the period beginning December 7, 1941, and ending

December 31, 1946;

(18) "Korean conflict" means the period beginning on June 27, 1950, and ending

January 31, 1955;

(19) "Bonus" and "veterans' bonus" means the compensation authorized by this chapter;

(20) "Bonus claim" means a claim or potential claim for a veterans' bonus;

(21) "Claimant" means one who seeks to obtain payment of a bonus claim.

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