Minnesota Session Laws - 2026 Regular Session

CHAPTER 49--H.F.No. 3741

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 death deleted text end new text begin Affairs or United States Department of Defense new text end .

(d) "Eligible child" means a person who:

(1) is the natural or adopted child or stepchild of new text begin : new text end

new text begin (i) new text end a deceased veteran; deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin or new text end

new text begin (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; new text end

(2) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher education deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (3) is a resident student, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and new text end

new text begin (4) has applied for educational assistance under this section before the end of the academic term for which the assistance is being requested. new text end

(e) "Eligible institution" means a postsecondary educational institution located in this state that either is operated by this state deleted text begin or deleted 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 of new text begin : new text end

new text begin (i) new text end a deceased veteran, regardless of whether the surviving spouse remarries deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or new text end

new text begin (ii) a person who served as a prisoner of war or was declared a person missing in action; new text end

new text begin (2) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher education; new text end

new text begin (3) is a resident student, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8; and new text end

new text begin (4) has applied for educational assistance under this section before the end of the academic term for which the assistance is being requested. new text end

deleted text begin (g) "Eligible veteran" means a veteran who: deleted text end

deleted text begin (1) is a student making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher education; deleted text end

deleted text begin (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; deleted text end

deleted text begin (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 deleted text end

deleted text begin (4) while using the educational assistance authorized in this section, remains a resident student as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8. deleted text end

new text begin (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

new text begin (h) "Public postsecondary educational institution" means an institution operated by the state or the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota. new text end

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.

new text begin (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. new text end

new text begin (l) "Tribally controlled college" has the meaning given in section 136A.1796, subdivision 1, paragraph (d). new text end

new text begin (m) "Tuition and fees" means the tuition and fees charged by an institution. new text end

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 shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end spend a biennial appropriation to provide an educational assistance stipend of $750 each year for each eligible child and each eligible spouse deleted text begin , and a single payment of $750 for each eligible veteran deleted text end . deleted text begin This deleted text end new text begin The new 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 shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be admitted to any new text begin eligible new text end Minnesota public deleted text begin eligible deleted text end new text begin postsecondary educational new 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 shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be made directly to the participating eligible institutions or to eligible individuals, as determined by the commissioner.

new text begin (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: new text end

new text begin (1) the return of the person's parent who was a prisoner of war or person missing in action; or new text end

new text begin (2) the reported death of the person's parent who was a prisoner of war or person missing in action. new text end

new text begin (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: new text end

new text begin (1) the return of the person's spouse who was a prisoner of war or person missing in action; or new text end

new text begin (2) the reported death of the person's spouse who was a prisoner of war or person missing in action. new text end

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 of deleted 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 where deleted text end new text begin if new 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 thereof deleted text end new text begin , proof of service-connected disability, new text end or deleted text begin that deleted text end new text begin proof that new text end the veteran died deleted text begin of service connected disabilities deleted 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 Defense new text end . Upon submission of satisfactory proof of eligibility, benefits deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be provided from the date of application and notification of approval deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new 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 postsecondary new text begin educational new 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

new text begin (a) An eligible institution must submit an annual report by September 30 each year to the commissioner that describes: new text end

new text begin (1) program activity and the number of students that the institution served under this section; new text end

new text begin (2) enrollment and graduation data for all students awarded education benefits under this section; and new text end

new text begin (3) the aggregate cost of tuition and awarded tuition waivers for students who received benefits under this section. new text end

new text begin (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 5b deleted text end new text begin 6, and 7, and section 197.75 new 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. new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 197.752, new text end new text begin is repealed. new text end

Presented to the governor April 20, 2026