SF 4056 amends Minnesota's Human Rights Act to add "veteran or military status" as a protected class under state anti-discrimination law. This means veterans and active-duty military personnel in Minnesota are now explicitly protected from discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, public services, and education. The bill defines "veteran or military status" using the federal standard from U.S. Code Title 38. It directly affects veterans and military personnel by expanding existing protections previously not specifically included in Minnesota's law.
HF 3685 creates a new high school diploma option for Minnesota veterans who did not complete high school before joining the military. It allows the state education commissioner to award a standard diploma based on military service experience to veterans who: (1) served in the Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, or left school before graduation to join active duty; (2) are Minnesota residents or former residents with an honorable discharge; and (3) apply through a joint process with the Education and Veterans Affairs departments. The bill directly affects veterans who left school early for military service but have not earned a high school diploma. It establishes concrete eligibility criteria and an application pathway without altering existing diploma requirements for other students.
SF 3956 allows Minnesota's Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to direct available agency resources toward specific veterans' initiatives, including addressing food insecurity, homelessness, and suicide prevention. The bill directly affects veterans by enabling targeted support for these critical issues through state agency funding. Key provisions require the commissioner to annually report by October 15 to the governor and relevant legislative committees, detailing resources used and the specific initiatives supported in the previous year. This creates a formal mechanism for prioritizing veterans' needs while ensuring transparency in how state resources are allocated.
This bill establishes education benefits for dependents of disabled veterans in Minnesota. It provides tuition, fee, and book coverage at state-operated colleges or University of Minnesota institutions for dependent children of veterans with a 100% permanent disability or a 70%+ disability rating. The benefit covers 100% of costs (after subtracting other aid) for the highest disability tier and 50% for the 70%+ tier. Payments are processed through the Office of Higher Education upon institution verification of student eligibility and enrollment.
Minnesota Senate File 395 creates special veterans' license plates for each branch of the U.S. armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine). It allows eligible veterans who do not qualify for existing veteran plates to obtain free plates displaying "VETERAN" and their branch's emblem, provided they pay standard registration fees and meet ownership criteria for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, or specific trucks. The plates must be designed in consultation with veterans' organizations and can be transferred to another qualifying vehicle owned by the same person. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026.
This bill eliminates all-terrain vehicle (ATV) registration fees for Minnesota veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. Specifically, it exempts these veterans from the $60 public-use or $6 private-use registration fees under Minnesota Statutes §84.922, providing a three-year free registration. To qualify, veterans must provide proof of their 100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or military retirement board. The exemption directly affects eligible veterans, not all ATV owners or general veterans.
SF 388 removes burial fees for spouses and dependents of eligible veterans at Minnesota state veterans cemeteries. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 197.236, subdivision 9, to prohibit charging any fees for these groups' interment, replacing the previous fee schedule and waiver process. It appropriates funds from the general fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to cover these uncompensated burial costs. This directly affects spouses and dependent children of veterans meeting eligibility criteria under U.S. Code, title 38, section 101(2). The policy change eliminates a cost barrier for families of veterans, ensuring no burial fees apply to these specific groups.
HF 2682 appropriates $6,000 from Minnesota's general fund to provide a $1,200 bonus to eligible veterans who served in qualifying campaigns under Minnesota law but did not receive a bonus under existing provisions (Minnesota Statutes, section 197.79). Veterans must submit military discharge documents (DD214) confirming their service to the state veterans affairs commissioner by December 31, 2028, to qualify for the payment. The funds are available until June 20, 2029, to cover eligible bonus payments. This bill directly affects veterans meeting specific service criteria who were previously excluded from bonus eligibility under current state law.
SF 866 requires Minnesota's commissioner of veterans affairs to provide grave markers for veterans upon request from county veterans service officers or approved veterans organizations. It amends Minnesota Statutes section 197.23, making the provision of markers mandatory (replacing "may" with "shall") within available funds. The bill appropriates specific funding for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to cover these markers, which must permanently mark veterans' graves within Minnesota. This directly affects veterans' families and the commissioner's office by establishing a funded process for grave markers.
HF 2409 modifies Minnesota's state veterans cemetery eligibility rules to explicitly include honorably discharged National Guard members and reserve component service members alongside active-duty personnel and veterans. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes section 197.236 to expand the definition of eligible individuals under the burial program. It also appropriates unspecified funds from the general fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to cover costs associated with this expanded eligibility. The change directly affects National Guard and reserve veterans who were previously excluded from the defined eligibility criteria under state law.
