1.1A bill for an act1.2relating to veterans; requiring an interview for certain veterans claiming veterans 1.3preference for positions of state government employment; applying to state civil 1.4service certain removal provisions in current local government law; requiring 1.5a report of certain state employment statistics pertaining to veterans; changing 1.6funding for supportive housing for veterans and homeless persons;amending 1.7Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 43A.11, subdivision 7; 197.455, subdivision 1.81; Laws 2006, chapter 258, sections 19, subdivisions 1, 4, as amended; 22, 1.9subdivisions 1, 3.1.10BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:1.11    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 43A.11, subdivision 7, is amended to read:1.12    Subd. 7. Ranking of veterans. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications 1.13for a vacant position and claim disabled veteran's preference shall be listed in the applicant 1.14pool ahead of all other applicants. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for a 1.15vacant position and claim nondisabled veteran's preference shall be listed in the applicant 1.16pool after those claiming disabled veteran's preference and ahead of nonveterans. Each 1.17recently separated veteran who meets minimum qualifications for a vacant position 1.18and has claimed a veterans or disabled veterans preference must be considered for the 1.19position. The top five recently separated veterans must be granted an interview for the 1.20position by the hiring authority.1.21    The term "recently separated veteran" means a veteran, as defined in section 1.22197.447, who has served in active military service, at any time on or after September 1.2311, 2001, and who has been honorably discharged from active service, as shown by the 1.24person's form DD-214.1.25EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2009, and applies to all 1.26vacancies posted on or after that date.2.1    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 197.455, subdivision 1, is amended to read:2.2    Subdivision 1. Application.(a) This section shall govern preference of a veteran 2.3under the civil service laws, charter provisions, ordinances, rules or regulations of a 2.4county, city, town, school district, or other municipality or political subdivision of this 2.5state. Any provision in a law, charter, ordinance, rule or regulation contrary to the 2.6applicable provisions of this section is void to the extent of such inconsistency. 2.7(b) Sections 
         197.46 to 
         197.48 shall not 197.481 also apply to state civil service. a 2.8veteran who is an incumbent in a classified appointment in the state civil service and has 2.9completed the probationary period for that position, as defined under section 43A.16. 2.10In matters of dismissal from such a position, a qualified veteran has the irrevocable 2.11option of using the procedures described in sections 197.46 to 197.481, or the procedures 2.12provided in the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the person, but not both. 2.13For a qualified veteran electing to use the procedures of sections 197.46 to 197.481, the 2.14matters governed by those sections must not be considered grievances under a collective 2.15bargaining agreement, and if a veteran elects to appeal the dispute through those sections, 2.16the veteran is precluded from making an appeal under the grievance procedure of the 2.17collective bargaining agreement.2.18EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2009, and applies to 2.19appointments to state and local government positions of employment made on or after 2.20that date.2.21    Sec. 3. Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 19, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

2.222.232.24Subdivision 1. To the commissioner of 
                  		administration for the purposes specified in this 
                  		section12,090,00021,418,000

2.25    Sec. 4. Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 19, subdivision 4, as amended by Laws 2008, 2.26chapter 365, section 15, is amended to read:

2.272.28Subd. 4. Hastings Veterans Home Supportive Housing700,00010,028,000

2.29(a) $700,000 is to design 60 units of 2.30permanent supportive housing for veterans 2.31with disabilities. 2.32The commissioner of veterans affairs and 2.33the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency 2.34must work together cooperatively on 3.1the development of a viable permanent 3.2supportive housing project to serve primarily 3.3veterans on the campus of the Hastings 3.4home. For purposes of this project, the 3.5commissioners of veterans affairs and 3.6administration may enter into financing 3.7agreements with the Minnesota Housing 3.8Finance Agency to obtain money to design, 3.9construct, and furnish housing for veterans 3.10upon terms and conditions acceptable to the 3.11commissioners.3.12(b) $9,328,000 is to construct 60 units of 3.13permanent supportive housing for low- 3.14and moderate-income veterans and other 3.15low- and moderate-income households who 3.16have experienced long-term homelessness 3.17or are at risk of experiencing long-term 3.18homelessness. At least 90 percent of the units 3.19must be occupied by households who either 3.20have been without a permanent residence 3.21for at least 12 months or on at least four 3.22occasions in the last three years, or who are 3.23at significant risk of  lacking a permanent 3.24residence for at least 12 months or on at least 3.25four occasions in the last three years. The 3.26housing must provide or coordinate with 3.27linkages to services necessary for residents 3.28to maintain housing  stability and maximize 3.29opportunities for  education and employment.3.30    Sec. 5. Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

3.313.32Subdivision 1. To the Housing Finance Agency 
                  		for the purposes specified in this section19,500,00010,172,000

3.33    Sec. 6. Laws 2006, chapter 258, section 22, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

4.14.2Subd. 3.Supportive Housing for Long-term Homeless17,500,0008,172,000

4.3For loans and grants for publicly owned 4.4permanent rental housing under Minnesota 4.5Statutes, section 
         462A.202, subdivision 3a, 4.6for persons who either have been without a 4.7permanent residence for at least 12 months 4.8or on at least four occasions in the last 4.9three years, or who are at significant risk of 4.10lacking a permanent residence for at least 12 4.11months or on at least four occasions in the 4.12last three years. The housing must provide 4.13or coordinate with linkages to services 4.14necessary for residents to maintain housing 4.15stability and maximize opportunities for 4.16education and employment. 4.17Preference among comparable proposals 4.18must be given to proposals that (1) colocate 4.19housing and services accessible to the 4.20general public as well as to the residents, and 4.21(2) provide housing affordable to a range of 4.22household income levels.4.23    Sec. 7. REPORTING REQUIRED.4.24(a) The commissioner of finance must collect the following data annually from each 4.25cabinet-level state agency, with the exception of the Metropolitan Council, and must report 4.26those data, by agency, by the second week of each legislative session, beginning in 2011, 4.27to the chairs and ranking minority members of each of the house of representatives and 4.28senate committees having responsibility for veterans policy and finance issues:4.29(1) the total number of persons employed in full-time positions by the state agency;4.30(2) the total number of employees identified in clause (1) who are veterans;4.31(3) the total number of vacant full-time positions in the agency filled by hiring or 4.32appointment during the designated fiscal year;4.33(4) the total number of applications received for the positions identified in clause (3);4.34(5) the total number of applications identified in clause (4) for which veterans 4.35preference was elected by the applicant;5.1(6) the total number of applications identified in clause (5) for which the veteran 5.2applicant was judged by the hiring authority as meeting minimum requirements for the 5.3open positions of employment;5.4(7) the total number of veteran applicants identified in clause (6) who were 5.5interviewed by the hiring authority for the open positions of employment in the agency;5.6(8) the total number of veteran applicants identified in clause (7) who were selected 5.7for and offered employment within the open positions of employment in the agency;5.8(9) the total number of veteran applicants identified in clause (8) who were hired 5.9into the open positions of employment in the agency;5.10(10) the total number of veteran applicants identified in clause (6) who were sent a 5.11rejection letter, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 43A.11, subdivision 9; and5.12(11) any other data or information deemed important by the commissioner of 5.13administration and reflecting on the efforts of the subject agency to recruit and hire 5.14veterans.5.15(b) The data must reflect one full fiscal year or one full calendar year, as determined 5.16by the commissioner of finance.5.17(c) The term "veteran" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 197.447.5.18EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2009.