(c) A legally adopted child of a veteran;

(d) A stepchild, if a member of a veteran's household either at the time of application or, in the event of the veteran's death, at the time of death, and who thereafter continues as a member of the household; or

(e) An illegitimate child A child born to an unwed mother, when a veteran has been judicially ordered or decreed to contribute to that child's support, or judicially decreed to be the putative father, or has acknowledged under oath and in writing that he is the father of the child.

(2) "Federally recognized period of conflict" means World War I, April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918, or to March 31, 1920, if service was in Russia; World War II, December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946; Korean Conflict, June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955; the Vietnam War, August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975; and the Persian Gulf War, August 7, 1990 to April 11, 1991.

(3) "Parent" means the father or mother of a veteran with whom the veteran lived during that veteran's minority and for whom that veteran would be legally responsible under the laws of this State; or the foster father or mother of the veteran.

(4) "Spouse" means the person currently legally married to a living veteran or the widow or widower of a deceased veteran who has not become the dependent of another person.

(5) "Veteran" means any person who served in the United States Armed Forces during any federally recognized period of conflict and was not dishonorably discharged; is disabled and a resident of the State; or is deceased and at time of death was a resident of the State. A veteran of the Vietnam War must have served on active duty for a period of more than 90 days unless that veteran died in service, or was discharged for a service-connected disability and any part of that active duty service occurred after August 4, 1964 and before May 7, 1975.

SUMMARY

This bill removes from the Maine Revised Statutes the references to "illegitimate" or "bastard" child and substitutes the phrase "child born to an unwed mother."