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Bill Summary · SF 4807

Summary of SF 4807 (2025-2026) – Omnibus Veterans Policy and Supplemental Appropriations (Minnesota)

This bill focuses on pay for Minnesota-based active-duty state service members, governance of legislatively directed competitive and direct veterans grants, burial eligibility and costs in state veterans cemeteries, and related administrative provisions. It also repeals a prior statute related to pay and allowances for enlisted personnel.

1) Main purpose and intent

  • To adjust and standardize pay for commissioned officers and enlisted members engaged in state active service.
  • To establish standards and processes for competitively awarded and legislatively directed grants administered by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA).
  • To modify eligibility criteria and rules for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries, including cost provisions and verification processes.
  • To repeal an existing provision in the 192.49 pay statute and replace it with updated requirements.

2) Key provisions and changes

A. Pay for state active service (Section 1)

  • Repeals/updates the pay framework for officers and enlisted personnel when called into state active service.
  • Establishes that basic pay must be no less than $130 per day for active service pay (E-5 basic pay floor as defined by federal military pay tables), while ensuring alignment with the rates paid to federal equivalents of the same grade and length of service.
  • The updated pay rate is drawn from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) tables and remains subject to lawful pay and allowances.

B. Grants administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (Section 2)

  • Creates a structured framework for legislatively directed competitive and direct grants:
    • Subdivision definitions for “ActiveserviceMember,” “Grantee,” “Dependent child,” and “Immediate family member.”
    • Grantee eligibility criteria:
    • Minnesota-based nonprofit operating for at least five years.
    • In good standing with the Minnesota Attorney General.
    • Has a current IRS Form 990 on file.
    • Certain grants are exempt from these eligibility requirements.
    • Limitations on grant use:
    • Grants must serve Minnesota veterans, active service members, and their immediate family or deceased veterans’ immediate family.
    • When resources are insufficient, priority is given to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
    • Grant application scoring system:
    • Must assess applicants’ demonstrated history of serving veterans and measurable outcomes.
    • Grant amount determination:
    • Based on scoring outcomes; applicants cannot rely on their own grant amount requests as a factor in awarding.
    • Oversight and accountability:
    • Commissioner may suspend grant funds for fraud, criminal investigations, reputational harm, or failure to deliver services.
    • Reporting:
    • Beginning in 2027, grantees must annually report specified information (purpose, funding, prior grants, other funding, numbers served, outcomes, charitable giving ratio).
    • The Commissioner must report annually to legislative chairs and ranking minority members starting March 1, 2027, summarizing grantee data.
    • Administrative costs:
    • The Commissioner may retain up to 5% of grant appropriations to cover admin and compliance costs.
    • Interaction with other law:
    • Grants requirements are additive to existing state grant management laws.

C. Burial honors and cremation/ burial governance (Sections 3–5)

  • Section 3: Honor Guards
    • The MDVA may pay local veterans organizations up to $50 for honor guard details at funerals for eligible individuals (deceased veterans, Laos secret war veteran, or reserve/NG members and certain National Guard members).
    • If a student plays “Taps,” the unit may allocate some or all of the $50 to the student.
  • Section 4: State Veterans Cemeteries Eligibility and Rules
    • Eligibility for state veterans cemeteries is clarified to cover service members who die on active duty, eligible veterans and their spouses/dependent children, reserve members with honorable discharge or who died while in good standing, and certain spouses/children as defined by law.
    • Willful misconduct disqualifications and other eligibility nuances clarified.
    • A process to verify “stolen valor” convictions for burial eligibility must be established by January 1, 2027.
  • Section 5: Burial Fees
    • Establishes a fee schedule for interment of eligible spouses and dependent children (to cover nearly the actual cost of interment, excluding plot value).
    • Allows waivers or reductions for indigent eligible applicants.
    • No fees for burial of service members who die on active duty or eligible veterans.

D. Repeal (Section 6)

  • Repeals Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 192.49, subdivision 2 (the previous pay/subsistence framework for enlisted personnel when called into state active service), effectively replacing it with the updated pay provisions in Section 1.

3) Who is affected

  • Commissioned officers and enlisted members of the Minnesota National Guard and other state active service forces, who would receive updated state pay rates.
  • Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations seeking and administering veterans-related grants (legislatively directed competitive and direct grants).
  • Veterans, active service members, and their immediate family members who may benefit from enhanced grant support, burial services, and cemetery eligibility.
  • Local veterans organizations and their honor guard activities (through the $50 per funeral provision).
  • Applicants for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries, including their spouses and dependent children.
  • MDVA and related state agencies responsible for grants administration, cemetery management, and burial services.

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective timeline:
    • By January 1, 2027: Implement a process to verify that burial applicants have not been convicted of stolen valor.
    • Beginning in 2027: Grantee reporting requirements commence (annual reports due by February 15; legislative reports due by March 1 of each year).
  • Administrative cap:
    • Grants administration may use up to 5% of appropriated funds for compliance and administration.

Notes

  • The bill includes standardizing pay to ensure a federal-aligned baseline for state active service.
  • It emphasizes accountability, measurable outcomes, and transparency in grant administration, with annual reporting to the Legislature.
  • It preserves and clarifies burial protections and costs for eligible veterans and their families while adding a verification step for stolen valor.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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