1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; establishing a budget for military affairs and veterans 
1.3 	affairs.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 | Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
1.6 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the agencies 
1.7 	and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the general fund, 
1.8 	or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. 
1.9 	The figures "2020" and "2021" used in this article mean that the appropriations listed under 
1.10 	them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, or June 30, 2021, respectively. 
1.11 	"The first year" is fiscal year 2020. "The second year" is fiscal year 2021. "The biennium" 
1.12 	is fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

1.13 | | | | APPROPRIATIONS
1.14 | | | | Available for the Year
1.15 | | | | Ending June 30
1.16 | | | | | 2020 | | 2021

1.17 | Sec. 2. MILITARY AFFAIRS | | | |

1.18 | Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation | $ | 24,197,000 | $ | 24,197,000
1.19 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
1.20 	purpose are specified in the following 
1.21 	subdivisions.

2.1 | Subd. 2.Maintenance of Training Facilities | | 9,701,000 | | 9,701,000

2.2 | Subd. 3.General Support | | 3,382,000 | | 3,382,000
2.3 	$258,000 each year is for re-integration 
2.4 	activities. If the amount for fiscal year 2020 
2.5 	is insufficient, the amount for 2021 is available 
2.6 	in fiscal year 2020. Any unencumbered 
2.7 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
2.8 	year and is available for the second year.

2.9 | Subd. 4.Enlistment Incentives | | 11,114,000 | | 11,114,000
2.10 	The appropriations in this subdivision are 
2.11 	available until June 30, 2023, except that any 
2.12 	unspent amounts allocated to a program 
2.13 	otherwise supported by this appropriation are 
2.14 	canceled to the general fund upon receipt of 
2.15 	federal funds in the same amount to support 
2.16 	administration of that program.
2.17 	If the amount for fiscal year 2020 is 
2.18 	insufficient, the amount for 2021 is available 
2.19 	in fiscal year 2020. Any unencumbered 
2.20 	balance does not cancel at the end of the first 
2.21 	year and is available for the second year.

2.22 | Sec. 3. VETERANS AFFAIRS | | | |

2.23 | Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation | $ | 75,691,000 | $ | 75,914,000
2.24 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.25 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.26 	subdivisions.

2.27 | Subd. 2.Veterans Programs and Services | | 17,930,000 | | 18,153,000
2.28 	CORE Program. $750,000 each year is for 
2.29 	the Counseling and Case Management 
2.30 	Outreach Referral and Education (CORE) 
2.31 	program.
2.32 	Veterans Service Organizations. $353,000 
2.33 	each year is for grants to the following 
3.1 	congressionally chartered veterans service 
3.2 	organizations as designated by the 
3.3 	commissioner: Disabled American Veterans, 
3.4 	Military Order of the Purple Heart, the 
3.5 	American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 
3.6 	Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, and 
3.7 	Paralyzed Veterans of America. This funding 
3.8 	must be allocated in direct proportion to the 
3.9 	funding currently being provided by the 
3.10 	commissioner to these organizations.
3.11 	Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.
3.12 	$750,000 each year is for a grant to the 
3.13 	Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans 
3.14 	to provide assistance throughout Minnesota 
3.15 	to veterans and their families who are 
3.16 	homeless or in danger of homelessness, 
3.17 	including assistance with the following:
3.18 	(1) utilities;
3.19 	(2) employment; and
3.20 	(3) legal issues.
3.21 	The assistance authorized under this paragraph 
3.22 	must be made only to veterans who have 
3.23 	resided in Minnesota for 30 days prior to 
3.24 	application for assistance and according to 
3.25 	other guidelines established by the 
3.26 	commissioner. In order to avoid duplication 
3.27 	of services, the commissioner must ensure that 
3.28 	this assistance is coordinated with all other 
3.29 	available programs for veterans.
3.30 	State's Veterans Cemeteries. $1,647,000 in 
3.31 	the first year and $1,672,000 in the second 
3.32 	year are for the state's veterans cemeteries.
3.33 	Honor Guards. $200,000 each year is for 
3.34 	compensation for honor guards at the funerals 
4.1 	of veterans under Minnesota Statutes, section 
4.2 	197.231.
4.3 	Minnesota GI Bill. $200,000 each year is for 
4.4 	the costs of administering the Minnesota GI 
4.5 	Bill postsecondary educational benefits, 
4.6 	on-the-job training, and apprenticeship 
4.7 	program under Minnesota Statutes, section 
4.8 	197.791.
4.9 	Gold Star Program. $100,000 each year is 
4.10 	for administering the Gold Star Program for 
4.11 	surviving family members of deceased 
4.12 	veterans.
4.13 	County Veterans Service Office. $1,100,000 
4.14 	each year is for funding the County Veterans 
4.15 	Service Office grant program under Minnesota 
4.16 	Statutes, section 197.608.

4.17 | Subd. 3.Veterans Health Care | | 57,761,000 | | 57,761,000
4.18 	These appropriations may be transferred to a 
4.19 	veterans homes special revenue account in the 
4.20 	special revenue fund in the same manner as 
4.21 	other receipts are deposited according to 
4.22 	Minnesota Statutes, section 198.34, and are 
4.23 	appropriated to the commissioner of veterans 
4.24 	affairs for the operation of veterans homes 
4.25 	facilities and programs.
4.26 	No later than January 15, 2020, the 
4.27 	commissioner of veterans affairs must submit 
4.28 	a report to the legislative committees with 
4.29 	jurisdiction over veterans affairs on reserve 
4.30 	amounts maintained in the veterans homes 
4.31 	special revenue account. The report must detail 
4.32 	current and historical amounts maintained as 
4.33 	a reserve, and uses of those amounts. The 
4.34 	report must also include data on the utilization 
5.1 	of existing veterans homes, including current 
5.2 	and historical bed capacity and usage, staffing 
5.3 	levels and staff vacancy rates, and 
5.4 	staff-to-resident ratios.
5.5 	Maximize Federal Reimbursements. The 
5.6 	commissioner shall seek opportunities to 
5.7 	maximize federal reimbursements of 
5.8 	Medicare-eligible expenses and provide annual 
5.9 	reports to the commissioner of management 
5.10 	and budget on the federal Medicare 
5.11 	reimbursements received. Contingent upon 
5.12 	future federal Medicare receipts, reductions 
5.13 	to the homes' general fund appropriation may 
5.14 	be made.