Bill Text: MN HF2557 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: County veterans service officer duties, commissioner of veterans affairs' federal funding-related duties, and eligibility for veterans homes modified.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-03 - Introduction and first reading, referred to State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs [HF2557 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-HF2557-Introduced.html
1.2relating to veterans; modifying certain county veterans service officer duties;
1.3modifying certain duties of the commissioner of veterans affairs related to
1.4federal funding; modifying eligibility for the veterans homes; requiring a report;
1.5amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 197.603, subdivision 1; 198.003,
1.6subdivision 4a; 198.01; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 196.30.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.603, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.9 Subdivision 1. Veterans benefits and assistance. It shall be the duty of the county
1.10veterans service officer to aid all residents of the governmental subdivision by which the
1.11officer is employed in securing benefits provided by law on account of the service of any
1.12person in the armed forces of the United States, from which the person has a discharge
1.13other than dishonorable. The county veterans service officer shall aid all veterans who are
1.14residents of the governmental subdivision by which the officer is employed, regardless of
1.15the nature of discharge, in securing counseling or treatment concerning alcohol and drug
1.16dependency and abuse. The county veterans service officer shall encourage all veterans
1.17covered by this subdivision to participate in MNsure, long-term care insurance, and dental
1.18insurance. The county veterans service officer shall also assist all veterans covered by this
1.19subdivision in attaining health insurance, long-term care insurance, and dental insurance
1.20as necessary.
1.21 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 198.003, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
1.22 Subd. 4a. Federal funding. The commissioner is authorized to apply for and accept
1.23federal funding for purposes ofthis section operating, maintaining, and making repairs
1.24for purposes of this section. The commissioner may not apply for federal funds for the
2.1purpose of new home construction absent express legislative authority if those funds are
2.2contingent on a subsequent appropriation of state funds.
2.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.4 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 198.01, is amended to read:
2.5198.01 VETERANS HOME; ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS.
2.6(a) The Minnesota veterans homes shall provide nursing care and related health
2.7and social services for veterans and their spouses who meet eligibility and admission
2.8requirements of the Minnesota veterans homes in accordance with paragraph (b). The
2.9word "veteran" as used in this section has the meaning provided in section197.447 .
2.10(b) When determining admissions under section 198.022, the commissioner shall
2.11assign priority to applicants based on the following criteria:
2.12(1) Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of foreign wars,
2.13Purple Heart recipients, and veterans with 70 percent or higher service-connected
2.14disability shall be given first priority in admission to a state-run veterans home;
2.15(2) all other veterans shall be given second priority for admission to a state-run
2.16veterans home;
2.17(3) priority under clauses (1) and (2) shall be given to veterans with a documented
2.18two-year residency in this state immediately prior to admission, or to those veterans who
2.19lived in this state at the time they entered the armed forces;
2.20(4) spouses of veterans who are over age 65 shall be given third priority for
2.21admission to a state-run veterans home;
2.22(5) priority under clause (4) shall be given to spouses with a documented two-year
2.23residency in this state immediately prior to admission, or to those spouses who lived in
2.24this state at the time their veteran-spouse entered the armed forces; and
2.25(6) Gold Star parents, as defined in section 168.1253, subdivision 1, paragraph
2.26(c), shall be given fourth priority.
2.27EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.28 Sec. 4. REPORT AND STUDY ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
2.29LONG-TERM CARE ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT.
2.30In order to facilitate a legislative review of long-term care for veterans, the
2.31commissioner shall review the long-term care recommendations contained in the
2.322007 Minnesota Governor's Long-Term Care Advisory Commission Report created in
2.33accordance with executive order 07-02. The commissioner shall indicate which of these
3.1recommendations have been adopted and which have not, providing explanations for any
3.2recommendations which were not adopted where possible. The commissioner shall report
3.3the findings to the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over
3.4veterans housing, and to the governor, by February 1, 2015.
3.5 Sec. 5. REPEALER.
3.6Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 196.30, is repealed.
1.3modifying certain duties of the commissioner of veterans affairs related to
1.4federal funding; modifying eligibility for the veterans homes; requiring a report;
1.5amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 197.603, subdivision 1; 198.003,
1.6subdivision 4a; 198.01; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 196.30.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.603, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.9 Subdivision 1. Veterans benefits and assistance. It shall be the duty of the county
1.10veterans service officer to aid all residents of the governmental subdivision by which the
1.11officer is employed in securing benefits provided by law on account of the service of any
1.12person in the armed forces of the United States, from which the person has a discharge
1.13other than dishonorable. The county veterans service officer shall aid all veterans who are
1.14residents of the governmental subdivision by which the officer is employed, regardless of
1.15the nature of discharge, in securing counseling or treatment concerning alcohol and drug
1.16dependency and abuse. The county veterans service officer shall encourage all veterans
1.17covered by this subdivision to participate in MNsure, long-term care insurance, and dental
1.18insurance. The county veterans service officer shall also assist all veterans covered by this
1.19subdivision in attaining health insurance, long-term care insurance, and dental insurance
1.20as necessary.
1.21 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 198.003, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
1.22 Subd. 4a. Federal funding. The commissioner is authorized to apply for and accept
1.23federal funding for purposes of
1.24for purposes of this section. The commissioner may not apply for federal funds for the
2.1purpose of new home construction absent express legislative authority if those funds are
2.2contingent on a subsequent appropriation of state funds.
2.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.4 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 198.01, is amended to read:
2.5198.01 VETERANS HOME; ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS.
2.6(a) The Minnesota veterans homes shall provide nursing care and related health
2.7and social services for veterans and their spouses who meet eligibility and admission
2.8requirements of the Minnesota veterans homes in accordance with paragraph (b). The
2.9word "veteran" as used in this section has the meaning provided in section
2.10(b) When determining admissions under section 198.022, the commissioner shall
2.11assign priority to applicants based on the following criteria:
2.12(1) Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of foreign wars,
2.13Purple Heart recipients, and veterans with 70 percent or higher service-connected
2.14disability shall be given first priority in admission to a state-run veterans home;
2.15(2) all other veterans shall be given second priority for admission to a state-run
2.16veterans home;
2.17(3) priority under clauses (1) and (2) shall be given to veterans with a documented
2.18two-year residency in this state immediately prior to admission, or to those veterans who
2.19lived in this state at the time they entered the armed forces;
2.20(4) spouses of veterans who are over age 65 shall be given third priority for
2.21admission to a state-run veterans home;
2.22(5) priority under clause (4) shall be given to spouses with a documented two-year
2.23residency in this state immediately prior to admission, or to those spouses who lived in
2.24this state at the time their veteran-spouse entered the armed forces; and
2.25(6) Gold Star parents, as defined in section 168.1253, subdivision 1, paragraph
2.26(c), shall be given fourth priority.
2.27EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2014.
2.28 Sec. 4. REPORT AND STUDY ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
2.29LONG-TERM CARE ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT.
2.30In order to facilitate a legislative review of long-term care for veterans, the
2.31commissioner shall review the long-term care recommendations contained in the
2.322007 Minnesota Governor's Long-Term Care Advisory Commission Report created in
2.33accordance with executive order 07-02. The commissioner shall indicate which of these
3.1recommendations have been adopted and which have not, providing explanations for any
3.2recommendations which were not adopted where possible. The commissioner shall report
3.3the findings to the house of representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over
3.4veterans housing, and to the governor, by February 1, 2015.
3.5 Sec. 5. REPEALER.
3.6Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 196.30, is repealed.
