Bill
SF 674
Funds mental health services and outdoor activity programs for Minnesota's active-duty personnel and veterans, expanding access to care and nature-based support.
Overview
- Bill: SF 674
- Title: Mental health services and outdoor activities for currently serving military personnel and veterans appropriation
- Purpose: An appropriation aimed at funding mental health services and outdoor-activity programs for Minnesota’s currently serving military personnel and veterans.
- Introduced: January 27, 2025
- Status: Author added Lang; companion HF 492 in the House
- Related bill: HF 492 (companion)
- Committees: Referred on introduction to Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development; subsequent action shows additions of authors Dornink (Feb 13) and Lang (Mar 10)
What the bill would do (purpose and intent)
- Establish an appropriation directed toward mental health services and outdoor activities specifically for individuals who are currently serving in the military and for veterans.
- The underlying goal appears to be improving access to mental health care and expanding participation in outdoor, recreation-based or nature-linked activities as a component of mental health support.
Key provisions (what is expected in an appropriation bill of this nature)
- Funding allocation: The bill would authorize a state appropriation to support mental health services and outdoor activity programs. Specific dollar amounts, duration, and disbursement mechanisms are not provided in the available information.
- Program administration: Likely to involve one or more state agencies (commonly the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs or related health/grants agencies) and possibly partnerships with nonprofit or charitable organizations to deliver services and activities.
- Eligible recipients: Currently serving military personnel and veterans in Minnesota; potential use of grants to nonprofit or charitable organizations to provide services and outdoor programs.
- Service scope: Mental health services supported by the appropriation, along with organized outdoor activities or nature-based programs intended to support mental health and well-being.
- Accountability: As with typical appropriations, provisions (not explicitly stated here) would generally include reporting, performance metrics, or fiscal accountability requirements.
Who would be affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Minnesota’s active-duty military personnel and veterans.
- Service providers: State agencies (likely including veterans affairs) and eligible nonprofit/charitable organizations that administer mental health services or run outdoor activity programs for the target population.
- Broader impacts: Potentially enhanced access to mental health care and participation in outdoor, therapeutic activities for those connected to the military community.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduced: January 27, 2025
- Early actions: Referred to the Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development committee on introduction; subsequent actions include the addition of authors Dornink and Lang.
- Next steps: If enacted, the bill would proceed through committee consideration, potential amendments, and floor votes in the Senate; a House companion (HF 492) would move through its own chamber with similar steps.
Notes and considerations
- Specific fiscal details (amounts, duration, and administrative structure) are not provided in the available information. The fiscal note, if any, would clarify funding levels, oversight, and implementation timelines.
- The bill’s success may hinge on the alignment of the appropriation with existing veterans’ services programs and partner nonprofit capacity, as well as coordination with the House companion (HF 492).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
