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Senate passes veterans omnibus bill directing millions to veterans homes, education and services
Summary
The Minnesota Senate passed Senate File 1959, an omnibus veterans bill that provides operating and program funding for veterans homes and services, recognizes Hmong veterans and includes amendments addressing memorials and claims assistance.
Senator Piazza presented and the Senate approved an omnibus veterans bill that provides new funding and policy changes for veterans services in Minnesota.
The bill, Senate File 1959, passed on third reading with an announced roll-call tally of 65 ayes and 0 nays. Senator Piazza described the measure as aimed at reopening veterans homes to full capacity and increasing supports for county veteran service officers.
The legislation dedicates $39,000,000 to support veterans homes, language in the proceedings says, and includes a $1,000,000 operating adjustment for the Department of Military Affairs for the upcoming biennium. Senator Piazza said the bill also dedicates $120,000 for technical support for county veteran service officers to assist women veterans, justice-involved veterans and veterans contemplating suicide. "This bill is about veterans, but it's also about respect," Piazza told the chamber during floor debate.
The bill contains policy provisions that will allow surviving spouses and children to maintain access to certain education benefits and adds formal recognition of those who fought in the so-called "secret war" in Laos. Piazza referenced the Hmong Veterans Service Recognition Act passed at the federal level in 2017 while urging Minnesota to acknowledge the service of Hmong veterans.
Senator Brooke Putnam offered the A17 and A25 amendments. Putnam described the A17 amendment as largely technical and related to a gold-and-blue star memorial plaque to be handled by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board. Putnam said the A25 amendment removes language about claims that had raised concern during committee consideration to allow more time to work on that topic, adding, "No penny that should go to a veteran should go to someone who helped them fill out the form." Senator Lang spoke in support of the A25 amendment, saying members were "90% together on this" and praising efforts to protect veterans from fraudulent claims assistance.
After the amendments were offered and considered on the floor, the Senate completed third reading. The chamber recorded a unanimous passage vote, and the bill's title was agreed to.
The bill text and amendments forwarded by the Senate now move on for any further steps required by the legislative process.
