MN SF2487

Appropriates $1,455,000 in fiscal year 2013 to the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans services, including $250,000 for the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, $100,000 for GI Bill on-the-job training and apprenticeship administration, $100,000 for veteran funeral honor guards, and $1,005,000 for county Veterans Service Office grants.

Transfers $80,000 from the plant management fund and $6,512 from the special revenue fund to the general fund in fiscal year 2012, representing proceeds from asset sales and completed energy program accounts.

Clarifies military burial honors provision to limit compensation to honor guards for funerals of deceased veterans occurring within Minnesota.

Modifies the Minnesota GI Bill program to expand eligibility to on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs with benefit limits of $1,500 per six months or $6,000 lifetime for such programs, while maintaining $10,000 lifetime cap across all GI Bill benefits.

Restructures county veterans service officer grant eligibility and grant amounts, eliminating grants for counties with veteran populations under 1,000 and creating tiered amounts up to $20,000 for counties with 30,000+ veterans, plus $50,000 annual grant for the Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers.