HF 3741
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/23/2026 05:46 p.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to veterans; modifying educational assistance for veterans' children and
spouses; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 197.75,
subdivisions 2, 3, 5, by adding a subdivision; 197.791, subdivision 8; Minnesota
Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 197.75, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2024, section 197.752.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 197.75, subdivision 1, is amended
to read:
Subdivision 1.
Definitions.
(a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.
(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of veterans affairs.
(c) "Deceased veteran" means a veteran who has died as a result of the person's military
service, as determined by the United States new text begin Department of new text end Veterans deleted text begin Administration, and
who was a resident of this state: (1) within six months of entering the United States armed
forces, or (2) for the six months preceding the veteran's date of deathdeleted text end new text begin Affairs or United
States Department of Defensenew text end .
(d) "Eligible child" means a person who:
(1) is the natural or adopted child or stepchild ofnew text begin :
new text end
new text begin (i)new text end a deceased veteran; deleted text begin anddeleted text end new text begin or
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(ii) a person who served as a prisoner of war or was declared a person missing in action,
if the child was born or legally adopted by the person or was in the legal custody of the
person before or during the period that the person served as a prisoner of war or was declared
a person missing in action;
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(2) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher
educationdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ;
new text end
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(3) is a resident student, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and
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(4) has applied for educational assistance under this section before the end of the academic
term for which the assistance is being requested.
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(e) "Eligible institution" means a postsecondary educational institution located in this
state that either is operated by this state deleted text begin ordeleted text end new text begin ,new text end the Board of Regents of the University of
Minnesota, new text begin or a Tribally controlled college new text end or is licensed or registered with the Office of
Higher Education.
(f) "Eligible spouse" means new text begin a person who:
new text end
new text begin (1) is new text end the new text begin spouse or new text end surviving spouse ofnew text begin :
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new text begin (i)new text end a deceased veteran, regardless of whether the surviving spouse remarriesdeleted text begin .deleted text end new text begin ; or
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(ii) a person who served as a prisoner of war or was declared a person missing in action;
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(2) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher
education;
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(3) is a resident student, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and
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(4) has applied for educational assistance under this section before the end of the academic
term for which the assistance is being requested.
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deleted text begin
(g) "Eligible veteran" means a veteran who:
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(1) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher
education;
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(2) had Minnesota as the person's state of residence at the time of the person's enlistment
or any reenlistment into the United States armed forces, as shown by the person's federal
form DD-214 or other official documentation to the satisfaction of the commissioner;
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(3) except for benefits under this section, has no remaining military or veteran-related
educational assistance benefits for which the person may have been entitled; and
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(4) while using the educational assistance authorized in this section, remains a resident
student as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8.
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(g) "Prisoner of war" and "person missing in action" mean any person who, while serving
in the United States armed forces, has been declared to be a prisoner of war or to be a person
missing in action as established by the Secretary of Defense after August 1, 1958.
new text end
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(h) "Public postsecondary educational institution" means an institution operated by the
state or the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.
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deleted text begin (h)deleted text end new text begin (i)new text end "Satisfactory academic progress" has the meaning given in section 136A.101,
subdivision 10.
deleted text begin (i)deleted text end new text begin (j)new text end "Student" has the meaning given in section 136A.101, subdivision 7.
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(k) "Surviving spouse" means a person who was legally married, as recognized by the
state of Minnesota, to a veteran at the time of the veteran's death.
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(l) "Tribally controlled college" has the meaning given in section 136A.1796, subdivision
1, paragraph (d).
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(m) "Tuition and fees" means the tuition and fees charged by an institution.
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deleted text begin (j)deleted text end new text begin (n)new text end "Veteran" has the meaning given in section 197.447.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.75, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Benefits; eligibility.
(a) The commissioner of veterans affairs deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end spend
a biennial appropriation to provide an educational assistance stipend of $750 each year for
each eligible child and each eligible spousedeleted text begin , and a single payment of $750 for each eligible
veterandeleted text end . deleted text begin Thisdeleted text end new text begin Thenew text end stipend new text begin under this subdivision new text end is not available for any person who has
attained a bachelor's or equivalent degree.
(b) Each eligible child and each eligible spouse deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be admitted to any new text begin eligible
new text end Minnesota public deleted text begin eligibledeleted text end new text begin postsecondary educationalnew text end institution free of tuition new text begin and fees new text end until
the person has attained a bachelor's or equivalent degree.
(c) new text begin After the commissioner approves of an applicant's eligibility for educational assistance,
the applicant must be awarded a financial stipend on a funds-available basis. new text end Payments of
benefits authorized under this section deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be made directly to the participating eligible
institutions or to eligible individuals, as determined by the commissioner.
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(d) Once a person qualifies as an eligible child under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), the
person remains an eligible child, regardless of any change in circumstance, including:
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(1) the return of the person's parent who was a prisoner of war or person missing in
action; or
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(2) the reported death of the person's parent who was a prisoner of war or person missing
in action.
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(e) Once a person qualifies as an eligible spouse under subdivision 1, paragraph (f), the
person remains an eligible spouse, regardless of any change in circumstance, including:
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(1) the return of the person's spouse who was a prisoner of war or person missing in
action; or
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(2) the reported death of the person's spouse who was a prisoner of war or person missing
in action.
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Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.75, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Proof of eligibility.
new text begin A person seeking new text end approval for benefits under this section
deleted text begin shall require submission ofdeleted text end new text begin must submit new text end the following evidence: new text begin an new text end application, proof of
military service, and, deleted text begin wheredeleted text end new text begin ifnew text end applicable, proof of residency deleted text begin and a statement from the United
States Veterans Administration that the veteran has exhausted entitlement to federal
educational benefits through use thereofdeleted text end new text begin , proof of service-connected disability,new text end or deleted text begin thatdeleted text end new text begin proof
thatnew text end the veteran died deleted text begin of service connected disabilitiesdeleted text end new text begin as a result of the veteran's military
service as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or United States
Department of Defensenew text end . Upon submission of satisfactory proof of eligibility, benefits deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin
mustnew text end be provided from the date of application and notification of approval deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be
sent to the educational institution and applicant.
Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.75, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Participation by eligible institutions.
(a) Each Minnesota public postsecondarynew text begin
educationalnew text end institution must continue to participate in the educational assistance program
authorized in this section during both peacetime and times of war.
(b) Any participating eligible institution not described in paragraph (a) may suspend or
terminate its participation in the program at the end of any academic semester or other
academic term.
Sec. 5.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.75, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin Subd. 7. new text end
new text begin Reports. new text end
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(a) An eligible institution must submit an annual report by September
30 each year to the commissioner that describes:
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(1) program activity and the number of students that the institution served under this
section;
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(2) enrollment and graduation data for all students awarded education benefits under
this section; and
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(3) the aggregate cost of tuition and awarded tuition waivers for students who received
benefits under this section.
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(b) A public or regionally accredited private postsecondary educational institution must
provide information to eligible children and spouses according to this section and other
information and links that are useful to students and parents who are in the process of
selecting a college or university and on the institution's website by providing a veterans
education benefits page with links to the federal and state veterans education benefits
programs.
new text end
Sec. 6.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.791, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
Subd. 8.
Appropriation.
The amount necessary to pay the benefit amounts in subdivisions
5, deleted text begin 5a, and 5bdeleted text end new text begin 6, and 7, and section 197.75new text end is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner. During any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2012, the amount paid
under this subdivision must not exceed $6,000,000.
Sec. 7. new text begin REPEALER.
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Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.752,
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is repealed.
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APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 26-06000
197.752 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO POW/MIA DEPENDENTS.
Any dependent of a prisoner of war or a person missing in action, upon being duly accepted for enrollment in any Minnesota public postsecondary institution, shall be allowed to attend the institution to obtain a bachelor's degree or certificate of completion, while eligible, free of tuition or charge. A dependent who enrolls as an undergraduate in any private Minnesota postsecondary institution shall be entitled to payment by the state of tuition and fees at a rate not to exceed $250 per year for so long as the dependent is eligible to attend the institution and is working toward a bachelor's degree or certificate of completion.
"Prisoner of war" and "persons missing in action" for purposes of this section mean any person who was a resident of the state at the time the person entered service of the United States armed forces, or whose official residence is within the state, and who, while serving in the United States armed forces has been declared to be a prisoner of war, or to be a person missing in action as established by the Secretary of Defense after August 1, 1958.
"Dependent" for purposes of this section means the spouse of a prisoner of war or person missing in action, or any child born before or during the period of time the child's parent served as a prisoner of war or was declared a person missing in action, or any child legally adopted or in the legal custody of the parent prior to and during the time the parent served as a prisoner of war or was declared to be a person missing in action. Once a person qualifies as a dependent under the terms and provisions of this section there shall be no situation such as the return of the spouse or parent or the reported death of the spouse or parent that will remove the dependent from provisions or benefits of this section.