1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to veterans homes; providing sales tax 
  1.3             rebates are not income for the support test for 
  1.4             residents; providing for programs to assist homeless 
  1.5             or disabled veterans; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.6             1998, section 198.03, subdivision 1; proposing coding 
  1.7             for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 198. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 198.03, 
  1.10  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [DISCRETIONARY ADMISSION.] Any person 
  1.12  otherwise eligible for admission to the Minnesota veterans 
  1.13  homes, except that the person has means of support, may, at the 
  1.14  discretion of the board, be admitted to one of the Minnesota 
  1.15  veterans homes upon entering into and complying with the terms 
  1.16  of a contract made by the person with the board, providing for 
  1.17  reasonable compensation to be paid by such person to the state 
  1.18  of Minnesota for care, support, and maintenance in the home.  
  1.19  Any earnings derived by the person from participating in a work 
  1.20  therapy program while the person is a resident of the home may 
  1.21  not be considered a means of support.  Refunds or rebates of 
  1.22  state sales taxes may not be considered a means of support. 
  1.23     Sec. 2.  [198.37] [TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.] 
  1.24     The board may establish programs to assist homeless or 
  1.25  disabled veterans on the campuses of the veterans homes.  The 
  1.26  board may use federal grant money for the Hastings veterans home 
  2.1   to purchase single-family dwellings, make necessary repairs and 
  2.2   improvements with the help of the department of administration, 
  2.3   and operate the program.  Continuation of these programs will be 
  2.4   contingent on the availability of federal funds. 
  2.5      Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.6      Section 1 is effective for tax refunds or rebates paid 
  2.7   after June 30, 1999.