This bill establishes a task force within the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs to improve access to mental health services for veterans living in rural areas. The task force will be responsible for reviewing current challenges and developing recommendations to address veterans' mental health needs in these regions. Funding is allocated to support the task force's operations over three fiscal years, with the exact amounts to be determined later. The legislation directly affects rural veterans and the state veterans affairs agency tasked with their care.
This bill would allow veterans with a total service-connected disability to park for free at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for up to ten days within any 90-day period starting January 1, 2027. To qualify, veterans must show proof of their 100 percent disability rating through a driver's license, military ID, or a letter from the Veterans Administration. The airport commission must create a process to handle these fee waivers by December 1, 2026, and inform veterans statewide about how to use the benefit.
This bill creates a permanent Commanders Task Force to advise Minnesota's governor, legislature, and Department of Veterans Affairs on issues affecting veterans and their families. The task force will be composed of elected leaders from eight major veteran service organizations operating in the state, including the American Legion, VFW, and Disabled American Veterans. Members will meet regularly to discuss policy matters and act as a communication bridge between state government and veteran groups, but they will not receive any payment or expense reimbursement for their service.
This bill modifies eligibility requirements for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries to include honorably discharged National Guard and reserve component members along with their spouses and dependent children. It establishes a fee schedule for these new eligible groups that covers actual interment costs while allowing fee waivers for indigent applicants, while maintaining free burial for service members who die on active duty and other eligible veterans. The legislation also clarifies that cemeteries must operate solely for the burial of these specified groups and their families.
This bill expands state veterans benefits to include Minnesota residents who served in the Secret War in Laos, specifically those who were naturalized under the federal Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act or who served honorably with special guerrilla units or irregular forces in Laos between 1961 and 1975. The legislation directs the commissioner of veterans affairs to create an eligibility verification process and issue certificates of eligibility for these veterans, granting them access to benefits such as veteran designation on driver's licenses, civil service recruitment opportunities, employment preference, and burial fee waivers. The bill also allows the commissioner to establish a fee schedule for interment of eligible spouses and dependents of these veterans, with provisions for fee waivers for indigent applicants. Technical changes are made to existing statutes to incorporate these new definitions and benefits, with an effective date of July 2, 2025 for most provisions.
HF 3741 modifies Minnesota's educational assistance program for veterans' families, providing an annual $750 stipend for eligible children and spouses of veterans. It affects children and spouses of deceased veterans (including those who died in service), prisoners of war, or missing in action personnel who meet residency requirements and maintain satisfactory academic progress at Minnesota public institutions. The bill specifies the stipend cannot be used by individuals who have already earned a bachelor's degree. It updates definitions to clarify eligibility criteria and repeals an outdated provision, ensuring funds are directed to qualifying family members pursuing higher education in Minnesota.
HF 3532 expands eligibility for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries to include honorably discharged National Guard members and other reserve component veterans, along with their spouses and dependent children. It modifies existing rules to explicitly cover these new groups while maintaining fee-free burial for active-duty service members and veterans as defined by federal law. The bill also establishes a fee schedule for the new eligibility group and requires the Veterans Affairs commissioner to create a policy for waiving fees for indigent applicants. These changes directly affect National Guard/reserve veterans and their families seeking burial in state cemeteries.
This bill creates a new high school diploma in Minnesota specifically for veterans who did not complete high school before joining the military. It allows the state education commissioner to award a standard diploma to eligible veterans who served in the Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, or left high school to join active duty, provided they were honorably discharged and have a Minnesota connection (current resident, former student, or resident at time of death). The diploma is based on military service knowledge and experience, not traditional coursework. The Department of Education and Veterans Affairs will collaborate to assist veterans with applications.
HF 3540 amends Minnesota's Human Rights Act to explicitly protect veterans from discrimination. It adds "veteran or military status" to the list of protected characteristics in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services, and education. The bill defines "veteran or military status" to include active/reserve military members and veterans as defined in federal law. This means employers, housing providers, and public services cannot discriminate against individuals based on their military service or veteran status. The change makes existing anti-discrimination protections apply to veterans in all covered areas of Minnesota law.
SF 3957 modifies Minnesota's educational assistance program for children and spouses of veterans. It provides an annual $750 stipend for eligible children and spouses of deceased veterans (or veterans who were prisoners of war/missing in action), replacing a previous single payment. To qualify, recipients must be Minnesota residents enrolled in a public Minnesota institution of higher education, making satisfactory academic progress, and not yet holding a bachelor's degree. The bill updates eligibility definitions and repeals an outdated section of law, focusing specifically on children and surviving spouses rather than veterans themselves.
