Bill Text: MN SF536 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Veterans service office grant program modification and appropriation
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-14 - Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Finance [SF536 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF536-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to veterans; modifying the veterans service office grant program;
1.3appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608,
1.4subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608,
1.5subdivision 2a.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.8 Subdivision 1. Grant program. A veterans service office grant program is
1.9established to be administered by the commissioner of veterans affairs consisting of grants
1.10to counties to enable them to enhance the effectiveness of their veterans service offices.
1.11 "Commissioner" as used in this section means the commissioner of veterans affairs.
1.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.13 Subd. 3. Eligibility. (a) To be eligible for a grant underthis program subdivision 6,
1.14a county must employ a county veterans service officer as authorized by sections197.60
1.15and197.606 , who is certified to serve in this position by the commissioner.
1.16(b) A county that employs a newly hired county veterans service officer who is
1.17serving an initial probationary period and who has not been certified by the commissioner
1.18is eligible to receive a grant under subdivision2a 6 for one year from the date the county
1.19veterans service officer is appointed.
1.20(c)Except for the situation described in paragraph (b), A county whose county
1.21veterans service officer does not receive certificationduring any year of the three-year
1.22cycle is not eligible to receive a grant during the remainder of that cycle or the next
1.23three-year cycle by the end of the first year of the county veterans service officer's
2.1appointment is ineligible for the grant under subdivision 6 until the county veterans
2.2service officer receives certification.
2.3 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.4 Subd. 4. Grant process. (a) The commissioner shall determine the process for
2.5awarding grants. A grant may be used only for the purpose of enhancing the operations of
2.6the County Veterans Service Office.
2.7(b) The commissioner shall provide a list of qualifying uses for grant expenditures
2.8as developed in subdivision 5 and shall approve a grant under subdivision 6 only for a
2.9qualifying use and if there are sufficient funds remaining in the grant program to cover the
2.10full amount of the grant.
2.11(c) The commissioner is authorized to use any unexpended funding for this program
2.12to provide training and education for county veterans service officers.
2.13 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
2.14 Subd. 5. Qualifying uses. The commissioner shall consult with the Minnesota
2.15Association of County Veterans Service Officers in developing a list of qualifying uses for
2.16grants awarded underthis program subdivision 6.
2.17The commissioner is authorized to use any unexpended funding for this program to
2.18provide training and education for county veterans service officers.
2.19 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.20 Subd. 6. Grant amount. (a) Each county is eligible to receive an annual grant of
2.21$7,500 for the following purposes:
2.22(1) to provide outreach to the county's veterans;
2.23(2) to assist in the reintegration of combat veterans into society;
2.24(3) to collaborate with other social service agencies, educational institutions, and
2.25other community organizations for the purposes of enhancing services offered to veterans;
2.26(4) to reduce homelessness among veterans; and
2.27(5) to enhance the operations of the county veterans service office.
2.28(b) In addition to the grant amount in paragraph (a), each county is eligible to receive
2.29an additional annual grant under this paragraph. The amount of each additional annual
2.30grant must be determined by the commissioner and may not exceed:
2.31(1)$1,400 $0, if the county's veteran population is less than 1,000;
2.32(2)$2,800 $2,500, if the county's veteran population is 1,000 or more but less than
2.333,000;
3.1(3)$4,200 $5,000, if the county's veteran population is 3,000 or more but less then
3.210,000 than 4,999; or
3.3(4)$5,600 $7,500, if the county's veteran population is 10,000 5,000 or more. but
3.4less than 9,999;
3.5(5) $10,000, if the county's veteran population is 10,000 or more but less than 19,999;
3.6(6) $15,000, if the county's veteran population is 20,000 or more but less than
3.729,999; or
3.8(7) $20,000, if the county's veteran population is 30,000 or more.
3.9(c) The Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers is eligible to
3.10receive an annual grant of $50,000. The grant shall be used for administrative costs of
3.11the association, certification of mandated county veterans service officer training and
3.12accreditation, and costs associated with reintegration services.
3.13The veteran population of each county shall be determined by the figure supplied by
3.14the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as adopted by the commissioner.
3.15 Sec. 6. VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE; APPROPRIATION.
3.16$1,005,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2014 and $1,005,000 is appropriated
3.17in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs for
3.18the grants authorized under section 197.608, subdivision 6. This amount is added to
3.19the agency's base budget.
3.20 Sec. 7. REPEALER.
3.21Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 2a, is repealed.
1.3appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608,
1.4subdivisions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608,
1.5subdivision 2a.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.8 Subdivision 1. Grant program. A veterans service office grant program is
1.9established to be administered by the commissioner of veterans affairs consisting of grants
1.10to counties to enable them to enhance the effectiveness of their veterans service offices.
1.11 "Commissioner" as used in this section means the commissioner of veterans affairs.
1.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.13 Subd. 3. Eligibility. (a) To be eligible for a grant under
1.14a county must employ a county veterans service officer as authorized by sections
1.15and
1.16(b) A county that employs a newly hired county veterans service officer who is
1.17serving an initial probationary period and who has not been certified by the commissioner
1.18is eligible to receive a grant under subdivision
1.19veterans service officer is appointed.
1.20(c)
1.21veterans service officer does not receive certification
1.22
1.23
2.1appointment is ineligible for the grant under subdivision 6 until the county veterans
2.2service officer receives certification.
2.3 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.4 Subd. 4. Grant process. (a) The commissioner shall determine the process for
2.5awarding grants. A grant may be used only for the purpose of enhancing the operations of
2.6the County Veterans Service Office.
2.7(b) The commissioner shall provide a list of qualifying uses for grant expenditures
2.8as developed in subdivision 5 and shall approve a grant under subdivision 6 only for a
2.9qualifying use and if there are sufficient funds remaining in the grant program to cover the
2.10full amount of the grant.
2.11(c) The commissioner is authorized to use any unexpended funding for this program
2.12to provide training and education for county veterans service officers.
2.13 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
2.14 Subd. 5. Qualifying uses. The commissioner shall consult with the Minnesota
2.15Association of County Veterans Service Officers in developing a list of qualifying uses for
2.16grants awarded under
2.17
2.18
2.19 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.20 Subd. 6. Grant amount. (a) Each county is eligible to receive an annual grant of
2.21$7,500 for the following purposes:
2.22(1) to provide outreach to the county's veterans;
2.23(2) to assist in the reintegration of combat veterans into society;
2.24(3) to collaborate with other social service agencies, educational institutions, and
2.25other community organizations for the purposes of enhancing services offered to veterans;
2.26(4) to reduce homelessness among veterans; and
2.27(5) to enhance the operations of the county veterans service office.
2.28(b) In addition to the grant amount in paragraph (a), each county is eligible to receive
2.29an additional annual grant under this paragraph. The amount of each additional annual
2.30grant must be determined by the commissioner and may not exceed:
2.31(1)
2.32(2)
2.333,000;
3.1(3)
3.2
3.3(4)
3.4less than 9,999;
3.5(5) $10,000, if the county's veteran population is 10,000 or more but less than 19,999;
3.6(6) $15,000, if the county's veteran population is 20,000 or more but less than
3.729,999; or
3.8(7) $20,000, if the county's veteran population is 30,000 or more.
3.9(c) The Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers is eligible to
3.10receive an annual grant of $50,000. The grant shall be used for administrative costs of
3.11the association, certification of mandated county veterans service officer training and
3.12accreditation, and costs associated with reintegration services.
3.13The veteran population of each county shall be determined by the figure supplied by
3.14the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as adopted by the commissioner.
3.15 Sec. 6. VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE; APPROPRIATION.
3.16$1,005,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2014 and $1,005,000 is appropriated
3.17in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs for
3.18the grants authorized under section 197.608, subdivision 6. This amount is added to
3.19the agency's base budget.
3.20 Sec. 7. REPEALER.
3.21Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 197.608, subdivision 2a, is repealed.
