1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to the military; requiring leaves of absence for the immediate family 
1.3 	members of a seriously injured or killed member of the armed forces; providing 
1.4 	for and funding certain programs benefiting veterans; creating an individual 
1.5 	income tax subtraction for military pensions; requiring educational fairness; 
1.6 	appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, sections 
1.7 	192.502, by adding a subdivision; 290.01, subdivision 19b; 290.091, subdivision 
1.8 	2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 181; 197.
1.9 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10 	Section 1. [181.947] LEAVE FOR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF 
1.11 	MILITARY PERSONNEL INJURED OR KILLED IN ACTIVE SERVICE.
1.12 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this 
1.13 	section.
1.14 	(b) "Active service" has the meaning given in section 190.05, subdivision 5.
1.15 	(c) "Employee" means a person, independent contractor, or person working for an 
1.16 	independent contractor who performs services for compensation, in whatever form, for 
1.17 	an employer.
1.18 	(d) "Employer" means a person or entity located or doing business in this state 
1.19 	and having one or more employees, and includes the state and all political or other 
1.20 	governmental subdivisions of the state.
1.21 	(e) "Immediate family member" means a person's parent, child, grandparents, 
1.22 	siblings, or spouse.
1.23 		Subd. 2.Unpaid leave required. An employer must grant a leave of absence 
1.24 	without pay to an employee whose immediate family member, as a member of the United 
1.25 	States armed forces, has been injured or killed while engaged in active service. Leave must 
1.26 	be granted for a reasonable amount of time necessary to attend to an immediate family 
2.1 	member who has been injured and for a reasonable amount of time necessary to attend 
2.2 	services for and attend to the affairs of an immediate family member who has been killed.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Notice. An employee must give as much notice to the employee's employer 
2.4 	as practicable of the employee's intent to exercise the leave guaranteed by this section.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Relationship to other leave. The length of leave provided under this 
2.6 	section may be reduced by any period of paid leave provided by the employer. Nothing 
2.7 	in this section prevents an employer from providing leave benefits in addition to those 
2.8 	provided in this section or otherwise affects an employee's rights with respect to other 
2.9 	employment benefits.

2.10 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 192.502, is amended by adding a 
2.11 	subdivision to read:
2.12 		Subd. 3.Unpaid leave for families of injured or deceased military members.
 2.13 	Employees are entitled to unpaid leave, as required by section 181.947, when an 
2.14 	immediate family member, as a member of the United States armed forces, has been 
2.15 	injured or killed while engaged in active service.

2.16 	Sec. 3. [197.585] HIGHER EDUCATION VETERANS ASSISTANCE OFFICES.
2.17 	If there is a need as determined by the commissioner of veterans affairs, each campus 
2.18 	of the University of Minnesota and each institution within the Minnesota State Colleges 
2.19 	and Universities system shall provide adequate space for a veterans assistance office to 
2.20 	be administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and each private college and 
2.21 	university in Minnesota is requested to provide adequate space for a veterans assistance 
2.22 	office to be administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The veterans assistance 
2.23 	office must provide information and assistance to veterans who are students or family 
2.24 	members of students at the school so that they know what state, federal, local, and private 
2.25 	resources are available to them.

2.26 	Sec. 4. [197.775] HIGHER EDUCATION FAIRNESS.
2.27 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this 
2.28 	section.
2.29 	(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of veterans affairs.
2.30 	(c) "State college or university" means a unit of the University of Minnesota or 
2.31 	Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
2.32 		Subd. 2.Recognition of courses. (a) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 
2.33 	must recognize courses and award educational credits for courses that were part of a 
3.1 	veteran's military training or service if the courses meet the standards of the American 
3.2 	Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credits.
3.3 	(b) The University of Minnesota and private colleges and universities in Minnesota 
3.4 	are encouraged to recognize courses and award educational credits for courses that were 
3.5 	part of a veteran's military training or service if the courses meet the standards of the 
3.6 	American Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credits.
3.7 		Subd. 3.Tuition status. A state college or university must treat a veteran as a 
3.8 	Minnesota resident for purposes of determining the veteran's undergraduate tuition rate. A 
3.9 	state college or university must treat a veteran as a Minnesota resident for purposes of 
3.10 	determining the veteran's graduate school tuition rate if the veteran was a Minnesota 
3.11 	resident on entering military service and starts attending the state college or university 
3.12 	graduate program within two years of completing military service.
3.13 		Subd. 4.Delayed payment of tuition. A state college or university may not assess 
3.14 	late fees or other late charges for veterans who are eligible to receive federal educational 
3.15 	assistance and who have applied for that assistance but not yet received it, nor may they 
3.16 	prevent these students from registering for a subsequent term because of outstanding 
3.17 	tuition charges that arise from delayed federal payments. The state college or university 
3.18 	may request without delay the amount of tuition above expected federal educational 
3.19 	assistance and may require payment of the full amount of tuition owed by the veteran 
3.20 	within 30 days of receipt of the expected federal educational assistance.

3.21 	Sec. 5. [197.783] TAX DEDUCTION FOR MILITARY RETIREMENT PAY; 
3.22 	PURPOSE.
3.23 	The legislature and the governor of the state of Minnesota recognize that military 
3.24 	service entails many sacrifices, including significant personal and family financial 
3.25 	sacrifices. One common financial sacrifice for career service members involves foregoing 
3.26 	the opportunity for significant financial gain that typically accrues from long-term 
3.27 	homeownership. By comparison, homeownership is often the primary investment tool 
3.28 	for many Minnesotans employed in stable civilian occupations. Thus, in recognition of 
3.29 	the patriotic service and sacrifices of career military personnel and their families, it is 
3.30 	the policy of the state of Minnesota to compensate service members and their families 
3.31 	by exempting their military retirement pay from state taxation, as provided in sections 
3.32 	290.01, subdivision 19b, and 290.091, subdivision 2. 

3.33 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for taxable years beginning after 
3.34 	December 31, 2005.

4.1 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 290.01, subdivision 19b, is 
4.2 	amended to read:
4.3 		Subd. 19b.Subtractions from federal taxable income. For individuals, estates, 
4.4 	and trusts, there shall be subtracted from federal taxable income:
4.5 	(1) net interest income on obligations of any authority, commission, or 
4.6 	instrumentality of the United States to the extent includable in taxable income for federal 
4.7 	income tax purposes but exempt from state income tax under the laws of the United States;
4.8 	(2) if included in federal taxable income, the amount of any overpayment of income 
4.9 	tax to Minnesota or to any other state, for any previous taxable year, whether the amount 
4.10 	is received as a refund or as a credit to another taxable year's income tax liability;
4.11 	(3) the amount paid to others, less the amount used to claim the credit allowed under 
4.12 	section 290.0674, not to exceed $1,625 for each qualifying child in grades kindergarten 
4.13 	to 6 and $2,500 for each qualifying child in grades 7 to 12, for tuition, textbooks, and 
4.14 	transportation of each qualifying child in attending an elementary or secondary school 
4.15 	situated in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, or Wisconsin, wherein a 
4.16 	resident of this state may legally fulfill the state's compulsory attendance laws, which 
4.17 	is not operated for profit, and which adheres to the provisions of the Civil Rights Act 
4.18 	of 1964 and chapter 363A. For the purposes of this clause, "tuition" includes fees or 
4.19 	tuition as defined in section 290.0674, subdivision 1, clause (1). As used in this clause, 
4.20 	"textbooks" includes books and other instructional materials and equipment purchased 
4.21 	or leased for use in elementary and secondary schools in teaching only those subjects 
4.22 	legally and commonly taught in public elementary and secondary schools in this state. 
4.23 	Equipment expenses qualifying for deduction includes expenses as defined and limited in 
4.24 	section 290.0674, subdivision 1, clause (3). "Textbooks" does not include instructional 
4.25 	books and materials used in the teaching of religious tenets, doctrines, or worship, the 
4.26 	purpose of which is to instill such tenets, doctrines, or worship, nor does it include books 
4.27 	or materials for, or transportation to, extracurricular activities including sporting events, 
4.28 	musical or dramatic events, speech activities, driver's education, or similar programs. For 
4.29 	purposes of the subtraction provided by this clause, "qualifying child" has the meaning 
4.30 	given in section 32(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
4.31 	(4) income as provided under section 290.0802;
4.32 	(5) to the extent included in federal adjusted gross income, income realized on 
4.33 	disposition of property exempt from tax under section 290.491;
4.34 	(6) to the extent not deducted in determining federal taxable income by an individual 
4.35 	who does not itemize deductions for federal income tax purposes for the taxable year, an 
4.36 	amount equal to 50 percent of the excess of charitable contributions over $500 allowable 
5.1 	as a deduction for the taxable year under section 170(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and 
5.2 	under the provisions of Public Law 109-1;
5.3 	(7) for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, the amount of the federal 
5.4 	small ethanol producer credit allowed under section 40(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 
5.5 	which is included in gross income under section 87 of the Internal Revenue Code;
5.6 	(8) for individuals who are allowed a federal foreign tax credit for taxes that do not 
5.7 	qualify for a credit under section 290.06, subdivision 22, an amount equal to the carryover 
5.8 	of subnational foreign taxes for the taxable year, but not to exceed the total subnational 
5.9 	foreign taxes reported in claiming the foreign tax credit. For purposes of this clause, 
5.10 	"federal foreign tax credit" means the credit allowed under section 27 of the Internal 
5.11 	Revenue Code, and "carryover of subnational foreign taxes" equals the carryover allowed 
5.12 	under section 904(c) of the Internal Revenue Code minus national level foreign taxes to 
5.13 	the extent they exceed the federal foreign tax credit;
5.14 	(9) in each of the five tax years immediately following the tax year in which an 
5.15 	addition is required under subdivision 19a, clause (7), or 19c, clause (15), in the case 
5.16 	of a shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, an amount equal to one-fifth 
5.17 	of the delayed depreciation. For purposes of this clause, "delayed depreciation" means 
5.18 	the amount of the addition made by the taxpayer under subdivision 19a, clause (7), or 
5.19 	subdivision 19c, clause (15), in the case of a shareholder of an S corporation, minus the 
5.20 	positive value of any net operating loss under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code 
5.21 	generated for the tax year of the addition. The resulting delayed depreciation cannot be 
5.22 	less than zero;
5.23 	(10) job opportunity building zone income as provided under section 469.316;
5.24 	(11) the amount of compensation paid to members of the Minnesota National Guard 
5.25 	or other reserve components of the United States military for active service performed 
5.26 	in Minnesota, excluding compensation for services performed under the Active Guard 
5.27 	Reserve (AGR) program. For purposes of this clause, "active service" means (i) state 
5.28 	active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5a, clause (1); (ii) federally 
5.29 	funded state active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5b; or (iii) federal 
5.30 	active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5c, but "active service" excludes 
5.31 	services performed exclusively for purposes of basic combat training, advanced individual 
5.32 	training, annual training, and periodic inactive duty training; special training periodically 
5.33 	made available to reserve members; and service performed in accordance with section 
5.34 	190.08, subdivision 3;
6.1 	(12) the amount of compensation paid to Minnesota residents who are members 
6.2 	of the armed forces of the United States or United Nations for active duty performed 
6.3 	outside Minnesota;
6.4 	(13) an amount, not to exceed $10,000, equal to qualified expenses related to a 
6.5 	qualified donor's donation, while living, of one or more of the qualified donor's organs 
6.6 	to another person for human organ transplantation. For purposes of this clause, "organ" 
6.7 	means all or part of an individual's liver, pancreas, kidney, intestine, lung, or bone marrow; 
6.8 	"human organ transplantation" means the medical procedure by which transfer of a human 
6.9 	organ is made from the body of one person to the body of another person; "qualified 
6.10 	expenses" means unreimbursed expenses for both the individual and the qualified donor 
6.11 	for (i) travel, (ii) lodging, and (iii) lost wages net of sick pay, except that such expenses 
6.12 	may be subtracted under this clause only once; and "qualified donor" means the individual 
6.13 	or the individual's dependent, as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. An 
6.14 	individual may claim the subtraction in this clause for each instance of organ donation for 
6.15 	transplantation during the taxable year in which the qualified expenses occur;
6.16 	(14) in each of the five tax years immediately following the tax year in which an 
6.17 	addition is required under subdivision 19a, clause (8), or 19c, clause (16), in the case of a 
6.18 	shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, an amount equal to one-fifth of the 
6.19 	addition made by the taxpayer under subdivision 19a, clause (8), or 19c, clause (16), in the 
6.20 	case of a shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, minus the positive value of 
6.21 	any net operating loss under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code generated for the 
6.22 	tax year of the addition. If the net operating loss exceeds the addition for the tax year, a 
6.23 	subtraction is not allowed under this clause;
6.24 	(15) to the extent included in federal taxable income, compensation paid to a 
6.25 	nonresident who is a service member as defined in United States Code, title 10, section 
6.26 	101(a)(5), for military service as defined in the Service Member Civil Relief Act, Public 
6.27 	Law 108-189, section 101(2); and
6.28 	(16) international economic development zone income as provided under section 
6.29 	469.325.; and
6.30 	(17) to the extent included in federal taxable income, a percentage of compensation, 
6.31 	up to a maximum amount received from a pension or other retirement pay from the 
6.32 	government for service in the armed forces of the United States, regardless of whether the 
6.33 	recipient served in the military. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005, and 
6.34 	before January 1, 2007, the percentage is 25 percent and the maximum amount is $7,500; 
6.35 	for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006, and before January 1, 2008, the 
6.36 	percentage is 50 percent and the maximum amount is $15,000; for taxable years beginning 
7.1 	after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2009, the percentage is 75 percent and the 
7.2 	maximum amount is $22,500; and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, 
7.3 	the percentage is 100 percent and there is no maximum amount.

7.4 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for taxable years beginning after 
7.5 	December 31, 2005.

7.6 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 290.091, subdivision 2, is 
7.7 	amended to read:
7.8 		Subd. 2.Definitions. For purposes of the tax imposed by this section, the following 
7.9 	terms have the meanings given:
7.10 	(a) "Alternative minimum taxable income" means the sum of the following for 
7.11 	the taxable year:
7.12 	(1) the taxpayer's federal alternative minimum taxable income as defined in section 
7.13 	55(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code;
7.14 	(2) the taxpayer's itemized deductions allowed in computing federal alternative 
7.15 	minimum taxable income, but excluding:
7.16 	(i) the charitable contribution deduction under section 170 of the Internal Revenue 
7.17 	Code:
7.18 	(A) for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2006, to the extent that the 
7.19 	deduction exceeds 1.0 percent of adjusted gross income;
7.20 	(B) for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005, to the full extent of the 
7.21 	deduction.
7.22 	For purposes of this clause, "adjusted gross income" has the meaning given in 
7.23 	section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code;
7.24 	(ii) the medical expense deduction;
7.25 	(iii) the casualty, theft, and disaster loss deduction; and
7.26 	(iv) the impairment-related work expenses of a disabled person;
7.27 	(3) for depletion allowances computed under section 613A(c) of the Internal 
7.28 	Revenue Code, with respect to each property (as defined in section 614 of the Internal 
7.29 	Revenue Code), to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, 
7.30 	the excess of the deduction for depletion allowable under section 611 of the Internal 
7.31 	Revenue Code for the taxable year over the adjusted basis of the property at the end of the 
7.32 	taxable year (determined without regard to the depletion deduction for the taxable year);
7.33 	(4) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the 
7.34 	amount of the tax preference for intangible drilling cost under section 57(a)(2) of the 
7.35 	Internal Revenue Code determined without regard to subparagraph (E);
8.1 	(5) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the 
8.2 	amount of interest income as provided by section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clause (1); and
8.3 	(6) the amount of addition required by section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clauses 
8.4 	(7), (8), and (9);
8.5 	less the sum of the amounts determined under the following:
8.6 	(1) interest income as defined in section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (1);
8.7 	(2) an overpayment of state income tax as provided by section 290.01, subdivision 
8.8 	19b, clause (2), to the extent included in federal alternative minimum taxable income;
8.9 	(3) the amount of investment interest paid or accrued within the taxable year on 
8.10 	indebtedness to the extent that the amount does not exceed net investment income, as 
8.11 	defined in section 163(d)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Interest does not include 
8.12 	amounts deducted in computing federal adjusted gross income; and
8.13 	(4) amounts subtracted from federal taxable income as provided by section 290.01, 
8.14 	subdivision 19b, clauses (9) to (16) (17).
8.15 	In the case of an estate or trust, alternative minimum taxable income must be 
8.16 	computed as provided in section 59(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
8.17 	(b) "Investment interest" means investment interest as defined in section 163(d)(3) 
8.18 	of the Internal Revenue Code.
8.19 	(c) "Tentative minimum tax" equals 6.4 percent of alternative minimum taxable 
8.20 	income after subtracting the exemption amount determined under subdivision 3.
8.21 	(d) "Regular tax" means the tax that would be imposed under this chapter (without 
8.22 	regard to this section and section 290.032), reduced by the sum of the nonrefundable 
8.23 	credits allowed under this chapter.
8.24 	(e) "Net minimum tax" means the minimum tax imposed by this section.

8.25 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for taxable years beginning after 
8.26 	December 31, 2005.

8.27 	Sec. 8. APPROPRIATIONS.
 8.28 		Subdivision 1.State soldiers' assistance fund. $3,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal 
8.29 	year 2007 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs to be deposited 
8.30 	in the state soldiers' assistance fund established in Minnesota Statutes, section 197.03. 
8.31 	The appropriations in this subdivision are in addition to other appropriations made to 
8.32 	the commissioner of veterans affairs for that fund and are to be used to assist veterans 
8.33 	to provide financial security, family therapy, and other similar special needs while those 
9.1 	veterans are seeking needed benefits from the United States Department of Veterans 
9.2 	Affairs.
9.3 		Subd. 2.Centralized Web site for veterans services. $200,000 is appropriated 
9.4 	in fiscal year 2007 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs to 
9.5 	fund a veterans service coordinator and a veterans assistance Web manager within 
9.6 	the Department of Veterans Affairs, whose mission is to create a centralized Web site 
9.7 	containing information on all state, federal, local, and private agencies and organizations 
9.8 	that provide goods or services to veterans or their families.
9.9 		Subd. 3.Incentive-based county veterans service officers service enhancement 
9.10 	grants. $3,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2007 from the general fund to the 
9.11 	commissioner of veterans affairs to provide incentive-based grants to counties for 
9.12 	enhancing the benefits, programs, and services they provide to veterans based on 
9.13 	benchmarks and standards established by the commissioner. A county may not reduce its 
9.14 	veterans service office budget by any amount received as a grant under this section. This 
9.15 	grant program is in addition to grants made under Minnesota Statutes, section 197.608.
9.16 		Subd. 4.Higher education veterans assistance offices. (a) $2,600,000 is 
9.17 	appropriated in fiscal year 2007 from the general fund for the purposes of Minnesota 
9.18 	Statutes, section 197.585.
9.19 	(b) Of the amount in paragraph (a), $2,500,000 is to the commissioner of veterans 
9.20 	affairs for the veterans assistance offices under Minnesota Statutes, section 197.585. The 
9.21 	commissioner must, in consultation with the Office of Higher Education, determine the 
9.22 	most appropriate method of allocating this appropriation to align with the needs of the 
9.23 	students at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the University of Minnesota 
9.24 	who are veterans. Methods may include, but are not limited to, providing grants for veteran 
9.25 	work study positions and providing central liaison and coordination staff from a veteran 
9.26 	pool as needed to enhance the ability of higher education institutions to be responsive to 
9.27 	students who are veterans. The commissioner shall designate a liaison who is a veteran 
9.28 	to the University of Minnesota and a liaison who is a veteran to the private colleges and 
9.29 	universities in Minnesota for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 197.585. 
9.30 	(c) Of the amount in paragraph (a), $100,000 is to the Board of Trustees of the 
9.31 	Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to fund a systemwide coordinator to facilitate 
9.32 	the provision of assistance to veterans at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 
9.33 	campuses under Minnesota Statutes, section 197.585.

9.34 	Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 10.1 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final enactment and apply to the 
10.2 	immediate family members of military personnel injured or killed on or after that date, as 
10.3 	well as to the immediate family members of military personnel who, on the effective date, 
10.4 	are recovering from injuries that occurred prior to that date.