HF 3161

2nd Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to veterans; providing for a current listing of deceased Minnesota
military personnel; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 13.785, by adding
a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 197.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 13.785, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Deceased veterans data. new text end

new text begin Data relating to veterans deceased as a result of
service-connected causes are classified under section 197.225.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [197.225] LIST OF DECEASED MILITARY PERSONNEL.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of veterans affairs shall collect and maintain data about
Minnesota residents who have died of service-connected causes while serving in the
United States armed forces. The data may include deceased service members who are
the immediate family members of Minnesota residents, but who themselves were not
Minnesota residents at the time of death. The commissioner shall collect the following
data: the individual's full name, military rank, branch of service, age at the time of death,
and Minnesota hometown or if not a Minnesota resident at the time of death, the service
member's home state.
new text end

new text begin (b) Data collected pursuant to this section are nonpublic data, but may be
disseminated to the individual's next of kin, and for ceremonial or honorary purposes to
veterans' organizations, civic organizations, the news media, and researchers. No other
use or dissemination of the data is permitted.
new text end

new text begin (c) The next of kin of a veteran whose data is collected may request that the data
not be disseminated for any purpose. Upon receiving such a request, the Department of
Veterans Affairs must exclude the deceased veteran's data from any data disseminated for
ceremonial or honorary purposes as permitted by paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (d) Data collected pursuant to this section shall not be indicative of any person's
status with regard to qualification for veterans benefits or other benefits.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end