There were 15 Veterans bills heard this last throughout six legislative committees, with the first and second deadlines less than two weeks away.

The first bill was heard on Monday, March 9 in the House Transportation committee. Rep. Ethan Cha presented HF 3919 which continues the work of last session’s bill that extended limited benefits to Veterans of the Secret War in Laos. This bill establishes an eligibility application process and makes recommended changes from the Veterans of Special Guerrilla Units and Irregular Forces in Laos Task Force.

The Senate Subcommittee on Veterans heard three bills as well on Monday, March 9. The first was the companion bill to HF 3919, SF 4075 authored by Sen. Susan Pha.. The subcommittee approved the bill for action from the whole Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development committee.

The next bill heard in the subcommittee was SF 3956 from Sen. Heather Gustafson. A department proposal, it allows MDVA to collaborate using non-monetary resources with organizations working on Veteran initiatives. The bill was approved and sent to the full committee for action.

The final bill heard in the subcommittee, SF 4056, came from Sen. Mary Kunesh. The bill would add Veterans and currently serving military to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Like the other two bills, it was approved and sent to the full committee.

On Tuesday, March 10, MDVA presented its bonding recommendations to the Capital Investment committees in the House and the Senate. Requests include $23.7 million in asset preservation for the agency’s infrastructure and using previously appropriated funds to renovate buildings that house the domiciliary programs in Hastings and Minneapolis.

The House Veterans and Military Affairs committee met for its weekly meeting on Wednesday, March 11. Three bills were heard along with a presentation from MDVA regarding the Veteran Suicide Prevention Report.

HF 3727 from Rep. Bjorn Olson was heard first. This bill increases the amount for the Disabled Veteran Homestead Market Exclusion which hasn’t been raised in 18 years since the benefit was first established. The committee approved the bill and re-referred it to the committee on Taxes.

The next bill, HF 3684, was authored by co-chair Rep. Matt Bliss. It would create standards for use of competitive grants issued by MDVA. The committee approved the bill and sent it to the House floor.

HF 3467 by Rep. Kari Rehrauer was the last bill heard in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee. It’s the companion to SF 3956. The bill was approved and sent to the House floor.

The House Health Finance and Policy committee heard Rep. Aaron Repinski’s bill, HF 3544, on Wednesday, March 11, as well. This bill is MDVA’s Housekeeping and Federal conformity bill. It seeks to reclassify the agency Chief of Staff position as the Deputy Commissioner for Administration, align federal forfeited benefits with state benefits and repeal outdated statutes. The committee approved the bill and sent it to the House floor.

To close out Wednesday, March 11, the full Senate committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development met. It quickly approved the following bills and sent them to the next stop:

• SF 4075 (Pha) re-referred to the Transportation committee
• SF 2957 (Seeberger) sent to the Senate floor
• SF 3956 (Gustafson) sent to the Senate floor
• SF 3955 (Kupec) sent to the Senate floor
• SF 4072 (Kupec) sent to the Senate floor
• SF 4056 (Kunesh) re-referred to the Judiciary and Public Safety committee

The last bill heard this week was on Thursday, March 12 in the House Judiciary and Civil Law Committee. Rep. Bliss authored HF 3540, which is the companion to SF 4056, and adds Veterans and Military status to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. After some discussion, the bill was laid over for future consideration.

This week, both the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans and the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee are not expected to meet.