SF 586 appropriates $50,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $50,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs. The funds are designated for grants to Veterans on the Lake to cover expenses related to veteran retreats, including therapy, transportation, and customized activities. This bill directly affects veterans participating in these retreats by providing funding for support services through the Veterans on the Lake organization. The legislation is a funding measure with no substantive policy changes beyond the specified appropriations.
HF 3214 amends Minnesota law to exempt Purple Heart medal recipients from paying replacement fees for special license plates on their vehicles. This means veterans awarded the Purple Heart medal who hold designated plates displaying "COMBAT WOUNDED VET" and a Purple Heart emblem will not incur costs when replacing lost, stolen, or damaged plates. The bill updates existing statutes to explicitly include Purple Heart recipients in the category of veterans already exempt from such fees (previously applied to Medal of Honor and former POW plate holders). This change directly affects Purple Heart medal recipients who own vehicles registered with these special plates.
This bill allocates $1.2 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to design and build a memorial honoring Native American U.S. veterans on the Minnesota Capitol complex. It requires forming a 13-member advisory task force (including tribal veteran representatives) to select a Native American artist, materials, and design, with final approval from the Indian Affairs Council. The memorial must use Minnesota-made materials and be constructed within specified Capitol complex boundaries. The task force must complete its work by late 2025, with the artist selection process beginning by September 2025.
SF 1959 is an omnibus bill that combines multiple veteran policy changes and funding allocations into a single measure. It directly affects veterans in Minnesota and state agencies managing veteran services, including the Department of Veterans Affairs. Key provisions include new funding for veteran housing assistance, healthcare access programs, and benefits administration, alongside updates to eligibility rules. The bill became law on May 23, 2025, and takes effect July 1, 2025.
This bill appropriates $150,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to preserve the oral histories of Hmong veterans who served in the U.S.-sponsored Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War era. The funds will support Special Guerrilla Units Veterans and Families of USA, Inc. in collecting, documenting, archiving, and preserving these personal accounts. The bill also requires creating educational resources to teach the public and future generations about the history, legacy, and cultural heritage of Hmong communities in Minnesota. This directly affects Hmong veterans and Minnesota's Hmong population by ensuring their wartime experiences are preserved and shared.
HF 2820 allocates $100,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $100,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the state general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs. The funds are specifically designated to provide a grant to the YMCA of the North for three programs: Military and Veteran Family Retreats, Military Child BOLD and GOLD Outdoor Leadership Programs, and Military and Veteran Service Program Discounts. This bill directly supports veterans, military families, and military children through these targeted services. The funding is a one-time appropriation for these established programs, with no new policy requirements.
HF 3102 appropriates $40,000 from Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to fund the planning of a veterans memorial park in Lake County. The grant is specifically for creating a park that honors veterans and recognizes Minnesota history. This bill directly affects Lake County, providing funds to develop the memorial park through the commissioner of veterans affairs. The legislation focuses solely on funding the planning phase, not construction or ongoing maintenance.
This bill appropriates $150,000 for fiscal year 2026 and another $150,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the arts and cultural heritage fund to fund veteran retreats at Camp Bliss in Walker. It directs the commissioner of administration to issue a grant to Independent Lifestyles, Inc., to cover expenses for eligible veterans and their family members. The grant reimburses the organization $850 per eligible veteran or family member per visit (up to two visits yearly) for services like therapy, transportation, and camp maintenance. Eligible veterans include former service members with a DD-214 or current active/reserve members, and family members include spouses, domestic partners, or children.
This bill appropriates $1 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat, a nonprofit organization. The funds will support building a new shooting range and retreat designed specifically for disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities. The grant covers predesign, construction, furnishing, and equipment to create an accessible facility. This is a one-time appropriation with funds available until the project is completed.
HF 236 amends Minnesota's tax code to allow veterans and surviving spouses of veterans to subtract all of their taxable Social Security benefits from their state taxable income, without the income-based phaseouts that apply to other taxpayers. Currently, Minnesota reduces Social Security benefit subtractions for higher-income earners, but this bill creates an exception for veterans and their surviving spouses. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024, and defines "veteran" per Minnesota Statute 197.447. This directly benefits eligible veterans and surviving spouses by reducing their state income tax burden on Social Security benefits.
