Certain veterans or former members of the armed forces who have forfeited federal benefits made ineligible for state-funded benefits, services, or programs; and environmental hazards information and assistance program for veterans discontinued.
HF 3544 changes eligibility for Minnesota veterans' state benefits and discontinues a specific program. It prohibits veterans or former military members who have forfeited federal benefits (per U.S. law) from receiving state-funded benefits, services, or programs. The bill also ends the environmental hazards information and assistance program, which provided veterans with health risk information related to chemical exposures like Agent Orange. This is accomplished by repealing specific statutes (196.19-196.26, 197.225) that previously established the program and its requirements. The law directly affects veterans who lost federal benefits and those who relied on the discontinued environmental hazards program.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Feb 19, 2026
Signed Apr 21, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduction
→
1st Engrossment
·
3 edits
·
Mar 18, 2026
MINOR
This bill version updates the title and effective date to reflect its first engrossment status. The primary substantive change clarifies that state-funded veterans benefits are denied to individuals who forfeited federal benefits, specifically expanding the scope of affected state laws to include chapters 196 through 198. Additionally, the appendix was updated to replace a generic repealed statute reference with the specific bill number.
Scope change
The bill's applicability was expanded from unspecified state-funded benefits to explicitly include benefits under chapters 196 to 198.
SCOPE
The definition of affected benefits was broadened to explicitly cover state-funded veterans benefits under chapters 196 to 198, whereas the previous version did not specify the chapters.
TECHNICAL
The bill title was changed from 'Introduction' to '1st Engrossment' and the posting date was updated from February 26, 2026, to April 21, 2026.
The appendix reference for repealed statutes was updated from a generic number to the specific bill identifier 'H3544-1'.
Floor votes · House Apr 13, 2026
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
22
Key actions
6
Committee
3
Apr 21, 2026
Signed into law
Governor's action Approval 04/21/26
executive
Apr 21, 2026
Introduced
Secretary of State, Filed 04/21/2026
lower
Apr 21, 2026
Signed into law
Governor approval 04/21/2026
executive
Apr 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third reading Passed
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Committee
Referred to Rules and Administration for comparison with SF4072, now on General Orders
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Introduced
Introduction and first reading
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Introduced
Received from House
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill was passed
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt as amended
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report, to adopt and re-refer to Health Finance and Policy
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Introduced
Introduction and first reading, referred to Veterans and Military Affairs Division
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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