1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to veterans; modifying appropriation for Veterans Campground wastewater 
1.3 	system upgrade;amending Laws 2022, chapter 54, article 1, section 3, subdivision 
1.4 	2.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Laws 2022, chapter 54, article 1, section 3, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

1.7	Subd. 2.Veterans Programs and Services
 		-0-
		52,351,000
	
1.8 	(a) Base Adjustment. The base is increased 
1.9 	$4,091,000 in fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal 
1.10 	year thereafter.
1.11 	(b) Veterans Homes. $16,544,000 is for 
1.12 	transfer to the commissioner of administration 
1.13 	for the design, construction, and equipping of 
1.14 	site and building improvements at the Bemidji, 
1.15 	Montevideo, and Preston state veterans home 
1.16 	building projects. This appropriation may also 
1.17 	be utilized for furniture, fixtures, and 
1.18 	equipment. Of this amount, $4,351,000 is for 
1.19 	the Bemidji state veterans home, $5,269,000 
1.20 	is for the Montevideo state veterans home, and 
1.21 	$6,924,000 is for the Preston state veterans 
1.22 	home. This is a onetime appropriation and is 
1.23 	available until the project is completed or 
2.1 	abandoned subject to Minnesota Statutes, 
2.2 	section 16A.642.
2.3 	(c) Veterans Bonus Program. $24,880,000 
2.4 	in fiscal year 2023 is for service bonuses to 
2.5 	Post-9/11 Veterans and Gold Star families 
2.6 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 197.79. This 
2.7 	is a onetime appropriation and is available 
2.8 	until June 30, 2025.
2.9 	(d) Veterans Service Organizations Grant 
2.10 	Program. $147,000 in fiscal year 2023 is for 
2.11 	grants to congressionally chartered veterans 
2.12 	service organizations meeting eligibility 
2.13 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.14 	section 197.61, subdivision 3, as designated 
2.15 	by the commissioner.
2.16 	(e) County Veterans Service Office Grant 
2.17 	Program. $450,000 in fiscal year 2023 is for 
2.18 	funding the County Veterans Service Office 
2.19 	grant program under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.20 	section 197.608.
2.21 	(f) Fisher House. $500,000 in fiscal year 2023 
2.22 	is for the purpose of supporting the creation 
2.23 	of a new Fisher House near the Fargo Veterans 
2.24 	Affairs (VA) Medical Center campus. The 
2.25 	facility will provide temporary 
2.26 	accommodations at no charge to families and 
2.27 	caregivers of veterans receiving care at the 
2.28 	Fargo VA Health Care System. This is a 
2.29 	onetime appropriation and is available until 
2.30 	the project is completed or abandoned, subject 
2.31 	to Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642.
2.32 	(g) Redwood Falls State Veterans Cemetery.
2.33 	$830,000 in fiscal year 2023 is for operations 
3.1 	of the state's veterans cemeteries, including 
3.2 	operations in Redwood County.
3.3 	(h) Minnesota Assistance Council for 
3.4 	Veterans. $5,412,000 in fiscal year 2023 is 
3.5 	for a grant to the Minnesota Assistance 
3.6 	Council for Veterans to provide assistance 
3.7 	throughout Minnesota to veterans and former 
3.8 	service members and their families who are 
3.9 	homeless or in danger of homelessness, 
3.10 	including assistance with the following:
3.11 	(1) supportive services to maintain housing;
3.12 	(2) employment;
3.13 	(3) legal issues;
3.14 	(4) housing and housing-related costs; and
3.15 	(5) transportation.
3.16 	The assistance authorized under this paragraph 
3.17 	must be made only to veterans or former 
3.18 	service members who have resided in 
3.19 	Minnesota for 30 days prior to application for 
3.20 	assistance and according to other guidelines 
3.21 	established by the commissioner. In order to 
3.22 	avoid duplication of services, the 
3.23 	commissioner must ensure that this assistance 
3.24 	is coordinated with all other available 
3.25 	programs for veterans.
3.26 	This appropriation must be used for the 
3.27 	establishment and management of permanent 
3.28 	supportive housing options for homeless 
3.29 	veterans and former service members.
3.30 	This is a onetime appropriation. Any 
3.31 	unencumbered balance remaining in this 
3.32 	subdivision in fiscal year 2023 is available in 
3.33 	fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
4.1 	(i) Increase Engagement and Outreach 
4.2 	Activities; Support Temporary Housing 
4.3 	Options. $1,714,000 in fiscal year 2023 is for 
4.4 	temporary alternative housing options for 
4.5 	homeless veterans and former service 
4.6 	members and for staff to increase outreach 
4.7 	activities to end homelessness. The 
4.8 	commissioner of veterans affairs may use 
4.9 	funds for personnel, research, marketing, and 
4.10 	professional or technical contracts.
4.11 	(j) Tenancy Supports and Landlord 
4.12 	Engagement. $1,100,000 in fiscal year 2023 
4.13 	is for incentives for landlords to assist in 
4.14 	housing homeless veterans and former service 
4.15 	members, staff, and funding to remove barriers 
4.16 	to permanent housing. The commissioner of 
4.17 	veterans affairs may use funds for financial 
4.18 	assistance, personnel, research, marketing, and 
4.19 	professional or technical contracts. The base 
4.20 	in fiscal year 2024 and each year thereafter is 
4.21 	$950,000.
4.22 	(k) Veterans Campground Wastewater 
4.23 	System Upgrades. $774,000 in fiscal year 
4.24 	2023 is for one or more grants to the Veterans 
4.25 	Campground on Big Marine Lake, a 501(c)(3) 
4.26 	nonprofit organization, to design, engineer, 
4.27 	permit, and construct wastewater systems on 
4.28 	campground property to increase the capacity 
4.29 	of wastewater systems. This is a onetime 
4.30 	appropriation. Notwithstanding Minnesota 
4.31 	Statutes, section 16A.28, any unencumbered 
4.32 	balance does not cancel and is available until 
4.33 	June 30, 2025.

4.34 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from July 1, 2022.