The first deadline for the legislature is a week from today and will significantly cut down on the number of bills that could be enacted into law. With that in mind, many committees are holding hearings outside of their scheduled meeting times to approve legislation.

This week, there were 12 Veteran related bills heard throughout the many committees of the legislature. Each of the bills descriptions and actions taken will follow:

• SFs 160 and 1940 were heard concurrently in the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee. SF 160 is authored by Sen. Greg Clausen and 1940 is authored by Sen. Jim Abeler. Both bills allow the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board to install a new memorial plaque to be placed in the court of honor on the Capitol grounds, replacing the current plaque, to honor all Minnesota Veterans who served during World War I. The bills were approved and sent to the Senate floor.
• Rep. Marion O’Neill’s HF 203 was heard in the House Judiciary and Civil Law committee. It allows County Veterans Service Officers and County Assessors the ability to share private data so that the county can properly apply the disabled Veterans Homestead valuation exclusion. The committee approved the bill and it was sent to Taxes.
• HFs 204 and 205 are authored by Rep. Bob Dettmer and were heard in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee. They seek to modify the Homestead valuation exclusion benefit for disabled Veterans. HF 204 eliminates the 8-year limit for surviving spouses. HF 205 changes the deadline application to Dec. 15 rather than July 1. It also allows a one-time transfer of the exclusion to a new property of equal or lesser value. Both bills were approved by the committee and re-referred to Taxes.
• Sen. Jeff Howe’s SF 656 was heard in the Tax committee. It modifies the income definition to exclude certain Veterans benefits so that Veterans would be able to receive a higher Property Tax Refund. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the tax bill.
• HF 731 is authored by Rep. Jeff Brand and was heard in the Environment and Natural Resources Finance committee. This bill provides exemptions from various fees and taxes on motor vehicle registration and titling as well as driver’s licenses and Minnesota identification cards, for Veterans that have a total service-connected disability. It was approved and sent to the Veterans and Military Affairs committee.
• Rep. John Heinrich’s HF 810 was heard in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee. This bill allows the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board to install a new memorial plaque to be placed in the court of honor on the Capitol grounds, replacing the current plaque, to honor all Minnesota Veterans who served during World War I. The bill was approved and re-referred to State Government Finance.
• HF 826 was presented by Reps. Dan Fabian and Dave Lislegard in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee. This piece of legislation is a resolution urging Congress and the President to hold a state funeral when the last Medal of Honor recipient of World War II passes away. There are just four awardees still living. The committee approved and sent it to the House floor where it will await a vote of the full House of Representatives.
•  Rep. Rob Ecklund’s HF 998 was heard in the House Judiciary and Civil Law committee. This bill would establish sentencing guidelines for Veterans who commit criminal offenses connected to a service-related disorder. The committee tabled a decision on the bill until next week after a lengthy discussion.
• HF 1189 is authored by Chair Rob Ecklund. It funds the Care Management, Outreach, Referral, and Education (C.O.R.E.) program that is administrated by Lutheran Social Services through a grant from MDVA. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a Veterans and Military Affairs finance bill.
• SF 1923 is authored by Sen. Bruce Anderson. It would give funding for a memorial commemorating Minnesota Medal of Honor recipients. The funding would only be accessible if a certain threshold of private donations are raised. The bill was laid over for possuible inclusion in a Veterans and Military Affairs finance bill.

In addition to bill hearings, MDVA provided the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee an overview of Governor Walz’s budget recommendations for the department.

Next week the House Judiciary and Civil Law committee will wrap up its work on HF 998, it is scheduled to meet on Monday at 5 p.m. in Room 10 of the State Office Building. The House Veterans and Military Affairs committee is scheduled to hear six bills on Monday at 2:30 p.m. in Room 120 of the Capitol. The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee will be on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in Room 1100 of the Minnesota Senate Building. An agenda wasn’t posted on Friday afternoon.