(1)(a) The county veterans service committee shall meet at least once each year or on call of the chairperson or of any three members of the committee. It shall determine the amount it considers necessary for providing aid, including food, shelter, fuel, wearing apparel, medical or surgical aid, or funeral expenses, for the purposes identified in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this subsection. The county veterans service committee shall certify the amount so determined to the county board, which amount shall be reviewed and considered by the county board in making a levy for an aid fund.

(b) The county veterans service committee shall determine the amount of aid described in subdivision (a) of this subsection for persons who are in need of the aid and who:

(i) Served in the armed forces of the United States;

(ii) Were discharged or otherwise separated with a characterization of honorable or general (under honorable conditions) or died while in service or as a direct result of that service; and

(iii) Have legal residence in the State of Nebraska for a period of not less than one year and in the county in which application is made for a period of not less than six months.

(c) The county veterans service committee shall determine the amount of aid described in subdivision (a) of this subsection for:

(i) Husbands and wives, surviving spouses, and minor children under eighteen years of age of veterans described in subdivision (b) of this subsection; and

(ii) Payment of expenses of last illness and burial when a veteran described in subdivision (b) of this subsection or a surviving spouse described in subdivision (c)(i) of this subsection passes away leaving no next of kin.

(2) The county board of each county shall annually make such levy or levies as needed to raise the required aid fund referred to in subsection (1) of this section as the county board determines is necessary, not exceeding one cent on each one hundred dollars upon the taxable value of all the taxable property of such county. Any unexpended balance of the aid fund at the end of any fiscal year shall remain in the fund, without reappropriation, for future use. The committee or a majority thereof shall fix the amount to be paid to each claimant, subject to any amounts in the aid fund, and promptly disburse the same to or for the benefit of the claimant. The county clerk shall issue a warrant to the committee or to the county veterans service officer as directed by the committee upon the county treasurer for such amount as the committee shall from time to time request and as amounts in the aid fund permit. The committee shall at the end of each year make a detailed report of its transactions to the county board. Such reports shall be accompanied with vouchers for all money disbursed.