Three committees heard seven Veterans related bills this past week. There will be at least 15 Veterans related bills heard in committees next week at the legislature.

On Monday, the House Veterans Affairs Division heard the following five bills:

• HF 936: Rep. Rob Ecklund presented his bill that would modify the lottery for bear-hunting permits when there is a limit on who can hunt in a specified area determined by the DNR Commissioner. The bill requires that one permit be reserved with first preference given to a resident of a Minnesota Veterans Home. The bill was passed and re-referred to Environment and Natural Resources.
• HF 965: This bill seeks to place a plaque in the Court of Honor on the Capitol grounds to honor all Minnesota Veterans who served both at home and abroad during World War I. The current plaque in the Court of Honor only honors those who served abroad. Rep. Erin Maye Quade is the author. This is the companion bill to SF 106 which was heard in the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee on February 9, 2017.
• HF 1096: Rep. Maye Quade also authored this legislation. This bill would eliminate the eight year limitation of the disabled Veterans homestead exclusion for the spouse after the death of the Veteran. It was passed and re-referred to the Tax committee.
• HF 1109: This bill would provide state funding for the building and operation of Veterans homes in Montevideo and Bemidji. Rep. Tim Miller is the author of this bill. The bill was approved and re-referred to State Government Finance.
• HF 1209: Rep. Tony Cornish is the author of this bill that would require businesses to disclose to Veterans that they may be able to receive the same services at no-charge from Veterans Service Organizations. It would also create a $1,000 fine for violators of the law. The bill was approved and re-referred to Civil Law.

The House State Government Finance committee heard Rep. Dettmer's HF 505. This bill would provide funding to the Veterans Defense Project. The Veterans Defense Project must use the money to support education, outreach and legal assistance for Veterans who are involved with the criminal justice system. It was laid over for possible inclusion in the State Government Finance bill.

The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee heard two bills on Thursday:

• SF 693 is authored by Sen. John Jasinski (Navy Veteran). This bill would fund the completion for the Rice County Veterans Memorial in Faribault. It is the companion bill to HF 667. The bill was approved and re-referred to the Environment and Natural Resources and Legacy Finance committee.
• Chair Bruce Anderson presented SF 1133 which would appropriate a $700,000 grant to Veterans Journey Home which must use the money to support the development of new or rehabbed affordable housing dedicated for lower income Veterans and their families. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the Veterans and Military Affairs Finance bill.

Next week the House Property Tax Division will meet on Monday, Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building. It will hear HF 910. This legislation would allow an extension and increase to the maximum exclusion for the disabled Veterans homestead credit.

The House Veterans Affairs Division will meet on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, at 1 p.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building. The following bills are on the agenda:

• HF 1223: Military and Veteran eligibility requirements for permits and licenses modified.
• HF 1318: Veterans preference in hiring in the legislature and state courts established.
• HF 1597: State Veterans cemetery burial fee for spouses and dependents of eligible Veterans removed.
• HF 1438: Veterans Journey Home grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
• HF 1526: Veterans Journey Home grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
• HF 1527: Support Our Troops account money use modified.

The Senate Committee on Taxes will hear the following bills at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 in Room 15 of the State Capitol:

• SF 84:  Disabled Veterans homestead valuation exclusion benefit eligibility extension to surviving spouse.
• SF 71: Disabled Veterans homestead property tax exclusion modification.
• SF 205: Homestead valuation exclusion for disabled Veterans modification.

The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee will meet on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. in Room 1100 of the Minnesota Senate Building. The following bills are on the agenda:

• SF 568: Congressionally chartered Veterans organizations reduced class property tax rate authorization.
• SF 76: Past military service income tax credit exemption increase and expansion.
• SF 1316: Support Our Troops account money uses modification.
• SF 1209: Veterans benefits services disclosure requirements authorization and disclosure statement establishment.
• SF 1130: Veterans hiring preference establishment on the legislature and state courts.

More information regarding these bills will be available on the /mdva/news/legislative-updates/state-bill-tracker/index.jspState Bill Tracker.