Minnesota Session Laws - 1983, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1983 

                        CHAPTER 147--S.F.No. 843
           An act relating to veterans; authorizing the 
          commissioner of veterans affairs to accept gifts; 
          revising the procedure for purchasing veterans grave 
          markers; authorizing an imprest cash fund at veterans 
          homes; providing for the disposal of abandoned 
          property of veterans at veterans homes; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 197.23; proposing new 
          law coded in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 196 and 198; 
          and repealing Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 198.055.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [196.052] [GIFT ACCEPTANCE AND INVESTMENT.] 
    On the behalf of the state, the commissioner may accept any 
gift, grant, bequest, or devise made for the purposes of 
chapters 196, 197, and 198.  The commissioner must administer 
the funds as directed by the donor.  All funds must be deposited 
in the state treasury and, except as provided for in sections 
198.16, 198.161, and 198.23, are credited to the veterans 
affairs endowment, bequest, and devises fund.  The balance of 
the fund is annually appropriated to the commissioner of 
veterans affairs to accomplish the purposes of chapters 196, 
197, and 198.  Funds received by the commissioner under this 
section or 198.16, 198.161, and 198.23 in excess of current 
needs must be invested by the state board of investment in 
accordance with section 11A.24.  Disbursements from this fund 
must be in the manner provided for the issuance of other state 
warrants.  The commissioner may refuse to accept any gift, 
grant, bequest, or devise if acceptance would not be in the best 
interest of the state or Minnesota's veterans.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 197.23, is 
amended to read: 
    197.23 [MAY PROVIDE MARKERS PURCHASE OF GRAVE MARKERS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORIZATION.] The commissioner of 
veterans affairs may, upon the petition of any five reputable 
freeholders of any township or municipality, or of any patriotic 
or ex-servicemen's organization, procure for and furnish to the 
petitioners some suitable and appropriate metal socket and an 
appropriate marker for the grave of each and every soldier, 
sailor, marine, or nurse who served with honor in the forces of 
the United States and who is buried within the limits of the 
state, to be placed on the grave of such soldier, sailor, 
marine, or nurse for the purpose of permanently marking and 
designating the grave for memorial purposes provide, within 
available funds and upon request of a county veterans service 
officer or any congressionally chartered veterans organization, 
an appropriate marker for the grave of any veteran as defined 
under section 197.447.  Any marker provided must be used for 
memorial purposes to permanently mark the grave of a veteran 
buried within the limits of the state.  
    Subd. 2.  [ACCOUNT FOR MARKER PURCHASE.] An account must be 
created by the department of finance under the control of the 
commissioner of veterans affairs that must be used to purchase 
markers.  The commissioner shall provide the available funds for 
each county in the ratio of the number of markers placed in the 
county to the total number of markers placed in approximately 
the same ratio as funds that may be received from that county to 
the total amount of funds.  The funds of each county includes 
the county government and any donations from organizations and 
individuals that are headquartered or resident in the county.  
    Sec. 3.  [198.231] [PERSONAL PROPERTY OF DISCHARGED 
RESIDENTS.] 
    Personal property of discharged residents of the veterans 
home that remains unclaimed for one year after his or her 
discharge may be inventoried, appraised, and sold.  The proceeds 
from the sale must be deposited into the state treasury. 
Proceeds from the sale of personal property and any funds held 
on behalf of the resident in the member's depository accounts 
must be credited to a separate state account and disposed of in 
accordance with sections 345.41 to 345.43.  
    Sec. 4.  [198.266] [IMPREST CASH FUNDS.] 
    The commissioner may establish an imprest cash fund in 
accordance with section 15.191, subdivision 2.  The purpose of 
the fund is to maintain sufficient money to satisfy normal 
demand withdrawal requests from residents of the veterans homes 
as provided for in section 198.265.  The fund may also be 
utilized for the payment of costs for residents to participate 
in on campus work therapy programs.  
    Sec. 5.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 198.055, is repealed. 
    Approved May 17, 1983