S.F. No. 4329 Summary

• Establishes a veterans service organization grant program administered by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to provide grants to congressionally chartered veterans service organizations for enhancing veterans services.

• Eligible organizations must provide accredited representation for VA benefit claims, maintain state/department-level veterans service officers, or provide statewide transportation services to veterans.

• Grant amounts determined by commissioner based on dollar amount per full member and a dollar amount based on organization's share of VA claims workload for Minnesota veterans and dependents.

• Increases annual appropriation for Veterans Service Organizations Grant Program from $353,000 to $500,000 each year, with funds distributed to organizations including Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

• Grants may only be used for approved qualifying uses; if organization fails to use grant properly or leaves funds unspent, commissioner must seek recovery of the grant amount.