A few Veterans related bills are set up for final passage after making it through the committee process. The bills now await votes on the floors of the House and Senate.

The following bills are awaiting floor votes. They are all MDVA initiatives.

• HF88/SF93 would authorize MDVA to provide adult day care programs at the Minnesota Veterans Homes
• HF291/SF91 would authorize MDVA to provide dental services for Veterans home residents
• HF585/SF92 makes technical changes to the Minnesota GI Bill benefit

It should be noted that HF88 will likely be approved by the House Ways and Means committee on Monday morning, setting it up for a future floor vote.

The House Labor, Industry, Veterans and Military Affairs committee met on Wednesday afternoon and heard three Veterans related bills.

HF592 is authored by Rep. Shelly Christensen of Stillwater. The bill authorizes MDVA to establish a Veterans stable housing initiative and authorizes data sharing among partner entities working to end Veterans homelessness. The bill was approved and sent to Judiciary and Civil Law.

Rep. Julie Sandstede of Hibbing authored HF585 which as noted above, makes technical changes to the Minnesota GI Bill. It was approved and sent to the House floor.

The final Veterans bill that was heard was HF478 from Rep. Sandra Feist of New Brighton. This is the Veterans Restorative Justice Act. After the committee approved the bill, it was re-referred to Judiciary and Civil Law.

The committee will meet again next week with hearings in the afternoon on Tuesday and Wednesday. The hearing on Wednesday will include Veterans related bills.

On Thursday, the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs committee heard from MDVA. The presentation was about staffing at the Minnesota Veterans Homes throughout the last year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee will meet again next Thursday morning.