Last week featured two committee presentations in the House and the Senate as MDVA shared its budget recommendations with both Veterans committees. No official action was taken after the overviews.

MDVA is pursuing the following budget initiatives during this legislative session:

• Increase the funding level for the post-9/11 Veterans Service Bonus, including Veterans that received the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal and allowing all Veterans that live in Minnesota to receive the bonus, not just those who entered military service from the state.
• Operational funding for the three new Veterans Homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston.
• Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) supportive housing grants.
• Funding for MACV’s direct Veterans Assistance line to provide more homelessness prevention resources.
• Extend the spending authority for the MNVEST housing vouchers for those not eligible for federal Housing and Urban Development – Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers.
• Funding to establish a Veterans Community Health Program within MDVA. This program would work to ensure Minnesota Veterans and their families are connected to the necessary resources for mental and physical health care, as well as hospice and other end of life care.
• Funding for the Recently Separated Veterans Programs to allow the agency to update technology systems to validate Veteran status while also communicating with Veteran population on new benefits that may be implemented like the PACT act.
• Amending the MN GI Bill to increase the lifetime benefit from $10,000 to $15,000 per Veteran.
• Operating and funding adjustments to maintain current staffing and service levels for multiple parts of the agency including LinkVet service line, the State Veterans Cemeteries, the Homeless Veterans Registry and more.

One Veterans related bill was heard in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee. HF2130 would provide grant funding from MDVA to the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum to ensure museum staff provide direct services to Veterans and their families. The bill is authored by Rep. Nathan Coulter of Bloomington. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a Veterans and Military Affairs omnibus bill.

This week is the first committee deadline which will begin to limit which bills may still be enacted into law. As such, there are six bills on the agenda in the House Veterans and Military Affairs committee that meets on Monday at 1 p.m. in Room 5 of the State Office Building. More Veterans bills may be added to agendas.