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Committee adopts amendment and forwards bill to set temporary closure procedures for veterans homes
Summary
Senate File 3955 would add a subsection to Minn. Stat. 198.01 to set procedures for temporary closure of Minnesota veterans homes after involuntary termination notices from federal or state surveys. The subcommittee adopted a friendly amendment clarifying the temporary nature and recommended passage to the full committee.
Sen. Kupak introduced Senate File 3955 on March 4, saying the bill creates a new subsection in Minn. Stat. 198.01 to provide procedures if a Minnesota veterans home must be temporarily closed because of an involuntary termination notice.
John Kelly, MDVA director of government affairs, told the committee the department has no intention of permanently closing any veterans homes and that the change responds to federal and Minnesota Department of Health survey requirements that agencies have a closure plan. "This is about temporary closure, not a permanent closure," Kelly said, adding MDH told the agency it needed a closure plan after a recent survey.
Sen. Howe offered an A1 amendment to make explicit that closures are temporary unless the legislature approves a permanent closure. Authors and MDVA described the amendment as friendly; MDH counsel told the committee it would not materially change the bill.
After adopting the amendment, the subcommittee recommended Senate File 3955, as amended, to pass and be referred to the full committee by voice vote.
What happens next: The bill was recommended to pass and will be considered by the full committee for final action.
