HF 3220

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to the military; protecting the health of members of the armed forces
returning from service in the Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, or
Operation Iraqi Freedom; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 192.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [192.525] EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this
section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Depleted uranium" means uranium containing less uranium 235 than the
naturally occurring distribution of uranium isotopes.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Eligible member" means a member who served in the Persian Gulf War, as
defined in United States Code, title 38, section 101, or in an area designated as a combat
zone by the President of the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Member of the armed forces" or "member" means a member of the armed
forces of the United States, including the Minnesota National Guard, who is a resident of
this state.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Veteran" means a person who served as an eligible member.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Health screening test. new text end

new text begin On and after August 1, 2006, any eligible member
or veteran who returns or has returned to this state after service in an area designated
as a combat zone by the President of the United States, and who has been assigned a
risk level I or II for depleted uranium exposure by the member's branch or service, or
any other member or veteran who has reason to believe that the member or veteran was
exposed to depleted uranium during service in an area described in this subdivision, has
the right to a best practice health screening test for exposure to depleted uranium using a
bioassay procedure involving sensitive methods capable of detecting depleted uranium at
low levels and the use of equipment with the capacity to discriminate between different
radioisotopes in naturally occurring levels of uranium and the characteristic ratio and
marker for depleted uranium.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin On or before October 1, 2006, the adjutant general shall submit a
report to the appropriate committees in the senate and the house of representatives on the
scope and adequacy of training received by members of the armed forces on detecting
whether their service as eligible members is likely to entail, or to have entailed, exposure
to depleted uranium. The report must include an assessment of the feasibility and cost of
adding predeployment training concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and
other toxic chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat and
noncombat conditions while in a combat zone.
new text end