1.1    .................... moves to amend H.F. No. 3981 as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.5	Section 1. SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS.

1.6    The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are added to or, if shown
1.7in parentheses, subtracted from the appropriations in Laws 2007, chapter 45, articles 1 to
1.83, to the agencies and for the purposes specified in this act. The appropriations are from
1.9the general fund or another named fund and are available for the fiscal years indicated for
1.10each purpose. The figures "2008" and "2009" used in this article mean that the addition
1.11to or subtraction from the appropriation listed under them is available for the fiscal year
1.12ending June 30, 2008, or June 30, 2009, respectively. Supplemental appropriations and
1.13reductions to appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, are effective the
1.14day following final enactment.

1.15				APPROPRIATIONS
1.16				Available for the Year
1.17				Ending June 30
1.18					2008		2009

1.19

Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

$

(200,000)

$

2,453,000

1.20$302,000 is a reduction in fiscal year 2009 of
1.21administrative services.
1.22$2,695,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for grants
1.23to livestock producers via the livestock
1.24investment grant program in Minnesota
1.25Statutes, section 17.118, if enacted. This is a
2.1onetime appropriation and is available until
2.2spent.
2.3The $200,000 appropriation in Laws 2007,
2.4chapter 45, article 1, section 3, subdivision
2.54 for a grant to the Elk River Economic
2.6Development Authority for a bioenergy
2.7project is cancelled to the general fund.
2.8$60,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for a grant
2.9to the Washington Center for Internships
2.10and Academic Seminars. The Center
2.11must use the funds for an agricultural
2.12renewable energy internship pilot program
2.13that awards scholarships to students
2.14enrolling in a Minnesota four-year college or
2.15university beginning in the spring semester
2.16of 2009. This appropriation must be
2.17matched two-to-one by funding from the
2.18United States Department of Agriculture.
2.19The Center must work with Minnesota
2.20colleges and universities and the Minnesota
2.21Department of Agriculture to achieve racial,
2.22ethnic, and gender diversity, as well as
2.23rural-urban balance among scholarship
2.24recipients and must award the scholarships
2.25to Minnesota students who are economically
2.26disadvantaged, who demonstrate need
2.27of financial assistance, and who are
2.28underrepresented in higher education. This
2.29is a onetime appropriation.

2.30

Sec. 3. BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH

$

472,000

$

2,252,000

2.31For monitoring, testing, eradication,
2.32education and outreach, and other activities
2.33the board is required to undertake to comply
2.34with federal regulations concerning cattle,
2.35bison, goats, and farmed cervidae under
3.1a USDA modified accredited status. This
3.2appropriation is added to the base.

3.3    Sec. 4. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

3.4

Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation

$

(5,250,000)

$

1,357,000

3.5	Appropriations by Fund
3.6		FY2008	FY2009
3.7	General Fund	$(5,250,000)	$1,695,000
3.8 3.9	Special Revenue Fund	$-0-	$(338,000)

3.10The amounts that may be spent for each
3.11purpose are specified in the following
3.12subdivision.
3.13    Subd. 2. Appropriations by purpose.
3.14$500,000 in fiscal year 2009 is added to
3.15the base for grants to counties for veterans
3.16service offices as provided under Laws 2007,
3.17Ch.45, Art. 2, sec. 1(b).
3.18By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
3.19report to the chair and ranking minority
3.20member of each committee in the senate and
3.21house of representatives with jurisdiction
3.22over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
3.23regarding activities and expenditures under
3.24this program during fiscal years 2008 and
3.252009, including an explanation of the role of
3.26staff of the department of veterans affairs in
3.27administering this program.
3.28$3,500,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for state
3.29soldiers assistance under Minnesota Statutes,
3.30section 197.05. Of this amount, $2,000,000
3.31is added to the base for this activity. This
3.32appropriation is available until spent.
3.33By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
3.34report to the chair and ranking minority
4.1member of each committee in the senate and
4.2house of representatives with jurisdiction
4.3over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
4.4regarding activities and expenditures under
4.5this program during fiscal years 2008 and
4.62009, including an explanation of the role of
4.7staff of the department of veterans affairs in
4.8administering this program.
4.9$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for casework
4.10services for veterans. The commissioner,
4.11in consultation with the Department of
4.12Administration, shall use the request for
4.13proposal process in Minnesota Statutes
4.14chapter 16C to solicit bids for the provision
4.15of these services. The casework services
4.16provided should be community-based,
4.17available statewide, and include in-home
4.18counseling.
4.19By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
4.20report to the chair and ranking minority
4.21member of each committee in the senate and
4.22house of representatives with jurisdiction
4.23over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
4.24regarding activities and expenditures under
4.25this program during fiscal years 2008 and
4.262009.
4.27$220,000 in fiscal year 2009 is added to
4.28the base for operations of the LinkVET
4.29telephone line service for veterans.
4.30For purposes of efficiency, the commissioner
4.31must combine the services available through
4.32the toll-free higher education call center
4.33for veterans with those available through
4.34LinkVET.
5.1$250,000 in fiscal year 2009 is added to
5.2the base for the Veterans Claims Office for
5.3outreach and training to improve services
5.4and benefits to veterans. This appropriation
5.5includes money to add a female veterans
5.6service officer/coordinator position.
5.7$50,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for designing
5.8a treatment program for veterans with TBI
5.9within the state veterans homes. By January
5.1015, 2009, the commissioner must report
5.11to the chair and ranking minority member
5.12of each committee in the senate and house
5.13of representatives with jurisdiction over
5.14the policy or finance of veterans affairs
5.15regarding the requirements and feasibility of
5.16implementing this program within existing
5.17and future veterans homes. This is a onetime
5.18appropriation.
5.19$250,000 in fiscal year 2009 is added to the
5.20base for a grant to the Minnesota Assistance
5.21Council for Veterans for their work in
5.22helping veterans and their families affected
5.23by homelessness.
5.24By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
5.25report to the chair and ranking minority
5.26member of each committee in the senate and
5.27house of representatives with jurisdiction
5.28over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
5.29regarding activities and expenditures under
5.30this program during fiscal years 2008 and
5.312009.
5.32$200,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for: 1) an
5.33intergovernmental and veterans strategic
5.34planning study for the Minnesota veterans
5.35homes, with special emphasis on exploring
6.1alternative models for the Minneapolis
6.2veterans home; and 2) a study of the
6.3feasibility of partnering for home-based
6.4services for veterans with nongovernmental
6.5nonprofit and/or faith-based social service
6.6and healthcare delivery organizations,
6.7as a means of enabling veterans to live
6.8more independently, as an alternative to
6.9the projected sharply increasing needs for
6.10domiciliary and skilled nursing beds in
6.11state veterans homes. This is a onetime
6.12appropriation.
6.13No staff may be hired for or allocated to
6.14any new veterans cemetery without explicit
6.15legislative approval.
6.16Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section
6.1716A.62, on June 30, 2008 all money in
6.18the permanent trust account in the special
6.19revenue fund of the state veterans cemetery
6.20must be transferred to the permanent
6.21development and maintenance account in
6.22that fund.
6.23$1 million is a reduction in fiscal year 2009
6.24for the veterans nursing homes board. The
6.25base appropriation for fiscal years 2010
6.26and 2011 is reduced by $1,320,000 in each
6.27year. This reduction is made possible by
6.28the enhanced efficiency in administration
6.29of the homes associated with the transfer of
6.30governing authority from the veterans homes
6.31board to the commissioner of veterans affairs.
6.32$600,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for the
6.33state GI bill program in Minnesota Statutes
6.34section 197.791. The base for this program is
7.1increased by $800,000 in each of fiscal years
7.22010 and 2011.
7.3$5,250,000 in fiscal year 2008 and
7.4$5,000,000 in fiscal year 2009 is a reduction
7.5from the appropriation made in Laws 2007,
7.6Ch. 144, Art. 1, sec. 7. The base for the
7.7program in fiscal year 2010 is reduced by
7.8$4,500,000.
7.9$100,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for a grant
7.10to the Minnesota Ambulance Association
7.11to implement a veterans paramedic
7.12apprenticeship program for the purpose of
7.13reintegrating qualified returning military
7.14medics into Minnesota's workforce in the
7.15field of paramedic and emergency services.
7.16This is a onetime appropriation.
7.17$25,000 in fiscal year 2009 is to develop a
7.18pilot program for peer-to-peer counseling
7.19among combat veterans. This is a onetime
7.20appropriation.
7.21By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
7.22report to the chair and ranking minority
7.23member of each committee in the senate and
7.24house of representatives with jurisdiction
7.25over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
7.26regarding activities and expenditures under
7.27this program.
7.28$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for
7.29improvements to the medication distribution
7.30system in the Minnesota veterans homes.
7.31This is a onetime appropriation.
7.32By January 15, 2009, the commissioner shall
7.33report to the chair and ranking minority
7.34member of each committee in the senate and
8.1house of representatives with jurisdiction
8.2over the policy or finance of veterans affairs
8.3regarding activities and expenditures under
8.4this program, including an explanation of the
8.5role of staff of the department of veterans
8.6affairs in administering this program.
8.7$338,000 is a reduction in fiscal year
8.82009 from the special revenue fund
8.9appropriation from the account established
8.10in Minnesota Statutes, section 190.19. The
8.11base appropriation in fiscal year 2010 and
8.122011 is $0.

8.13 8.14

Sec. 5. DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

$

0

$

1,000,000

8.15$500,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for military
8.16reservist economic injury loans under
8.17Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.996, if
8.18enacted.
8.19$500,000 in fiscal year 2009 is for
8.20expenditures related to dislocated workers
8.21who are eligible veterans under Minnesota
8.22Statutes, section 116L.17, subdivision 1,
8.23paragraph (c), clause (6), if enacted.


8.26    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 168.1255, is amended by adding a
8.27subdivision to read:
8.28    Subd. 6. World War II memorial donation match account. Money remaining
8.29in the World War II memorial donation match account after the state share of the
8.30construction costs of the World War II memorial has been paid in full is appropriated to the
8.31commissioner of veterans affairs for services and programs for veterans and their families.

8.32    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 190.19, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
9.1    Subdivision 1. Establishment. The Minnesota "Support Our Troops" account is
9.2established in the special revenue fund. The account shall consist of contributions from
9.3private sources and appropriations. Money in the account is appropriated in equal shares
9.4to the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
9.5EFFECTIVE DATE.Notwithstanding Laws 2007, chapter 45, article 2, section
9.61, and article 3, section 2, subdivision 3, this section is effective for distribution of the
9.7Minnesota "Support Our Troops" account the day following final enactment.

9.8    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 190.19, is amended by adding a subdivision
9.9to read:
9.10    Subd. 2a. Uses; veterans. Money appropriated to the Department of Veterans
9.11Affairs from the Minnesota "Support Our Troops" account may be used for:
9.12    (1) grants to veterans service organizations; and
9.13    (2) outreach to underserved veterans.

9.14    Sec. 4. Laws 2007, chapter 45, article 2, section 1, is amended to read:

9.15

Section 1. VETERANS AFFAIRS

$

12,855,000

$

12,571,000

9.16	Appropriations by Fund
9.17		2008	2009
9.18	General	12,517,000	12,233,000
9.19	Special Revenue	338,000	338,000

9.20(a) $1,000,000 each year is added to the
9.21base for state soldier's assistance under
9.22Minnesota Statutes, section 197.05. If the
9.23appropriation for this purpose for either year
9.24is insufficient, the appropriation for the other
9.25year is available for it.
9.26(b) $750,000 the first year and $750,000
9.27the second year are added to the base for
9.28grants to counties under the terms of this
9.29section. The commissioner shall issue a
9.30request for proposals for grants to enhance
9.31the benefits, programs, and services provided
9.32to veterans. The request must specify that
9.33priority will be given to proposals that meet
10.1the programmatic goals established by the
10.2commissioner, including proposals that will:
10.3(1) provide the most effective outreach to
10.4veterans;
10.5(2) reintegrate combat veterans into society;
10.6(3) collaborate with other social service
10.7agencies, educational institutions, and other
10.8relevant community resources;
10.9(4) reduce homelessness among veterans;
10.10and
10.11(5) provide measurable outcomes.
10.12The commissioner may provide incentives
10.13to encourage, and may give priority to
10.14proposals that foster, regional collaboration
10.15for service delivery. The grants may be for a
10.16term of up to two years. The commissioner
10.17shall ensure that grants are made throughout
10.18all regions of the state and shall develop a
10.19description of best practices for the use of
10.20these grants. A county may not reduce its
10.21county veterans service officer budget by any
10.22amount received as a grant under this section.
10.23Grants made under this section are in addition
10.24to and not subject to the requirements for
10.25grants made under Minnesota Statutes,
10.26section 197.608. The Minnesota Association
10.27of County Veterans Service Officers may
10.28apply for grants under this section beginning
10.29July 1, 2007. Any balance remaining after
10.30the first year does not cancel and is available
10.31in the second year. This appropriation must
10.32be included in the appropriation base through
10.33fiscal year 2011.
11.1(c) $750,000 each year is for tribal veterans
11.2services offices.
11.3(d) $750,000 each year is for a grant to the
11.4Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.
11.5This is a onetime appropriation.
11.6(e) $200,000 each year is for marketing
11.7veterans outreach programs. This is a
11.8onetime appropriation.
11.9(f) $250,000 each year is added to the base
11.10for grants to Disabled American Veterans,
11.11Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans
11.12of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of
11.13America, and other congressionally chartered
11.14veterans service organizations designated by
11.15the commissioner.
11.16(g) $450,000 the first year and $450,000
11.17the second year are for the higher education
11.18veterans assistance program under Minnesota
11.19Statutes, section 197.585. This appropriation
11.20must be included in the agency appropriation
11.21base through fiscal year 2011.
11.22(h) $100,000 each year is for information
11.23technology.
11.24(i) $75,000 each year is for operations at the
11.25Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little
11.26Falls.
11.27(j) $250,000 each year is for administration
11.28of veterans programming. This appropriation
11.29includes money for the biennium for
11.30an ombudsman for residents and family
11.31members of residents at the Minneapolis
11.32Veterans' Home. The ombudsman must
11.33attend all meetings of the Veterans Homes
11.34Board and provide a report at each
12.1meeting regarding the status of concerns
12.2communicated to the ombudsman.
12.3(k) $100,000 each year is for compensation
12.4for honor guards at the funerals of veterans
12.5in accordance with the program established
12.6in Minnesota Statutes, section 197.231. This
12.7is a onetime appropriation.
12.8(l) $52,000 the first year is for spousal
12.9education benefits in accordance with
12.10Minnesota Statutes, section 197.75. This
12.11appropriation is available until June 30, 2009.
12.12(m) $100,000 each year is for information
12.13and outreach regarding the availability of
12.14depleted uranium testing. The commissioner
12.15shall collaborate with the adjutant general
12.16to identify service members and veterans
12.17who may have been exposed to expended
12.18depleted uranium and to provide them with
12.19information regarding depleted uranium
12.20screening services provided by the federal
12.21government. This is a onetime appropriation.
12.22(n) $250,000 the first year is for grants to
12.23assist World War II veterans in attending the
12.24dedication of the Minnesota World War II
12.25Memorial in St. Paul on June 9, 2007, and for
12.26other expenses of the dedication event. The
12.27commissioner may spend only that portion
12.28of this sum for which a matching amount,
12.29whether in cash or in kind, is donated by
12.30nongovernmental sources for this purpose.
12.31This appropriation is available immediately.
12.32(o) $80,000 the first year is for suicide
12.33prevention and psychological support for
12.34veterans. Of this amount, $50,000 is for a
12.35study by the commissioner and the adjutant
13.1general of the psychological status and
13.2needs of returning Minnesota veterans,
13.3and $30,000 is for a telephone hotline to
13.4refer veterans to available psychological
13.5counseling services. The commissioner
13.6may use this appropriation to supplement
13.7an existing informational hotline service
13.8within the department, or may collaborate
13.9with any other provider of compatible,
13.10existing hotline services for this purpose.
13.11The referral hotline must be available to
13.12veterans statewide at all practicable hours.
13.13The commissioner must broadly publicize
13.14the availability of the telephone hotline
13.15and any local, state, and federal counseling
13.16services for Minnesota veterans using all
13.17practicable means available, including but
13.18not limited to: the agency Web site; local
13.19media announcements; announcements in
13.20service and trade publications; and any other
13.21practical means of communication.
13.22The commissioner may spend up to two
13.23percent of this appropriation for development
13.24of special informational materials, such
13.25as refrigerator magnets, wallet cards, and
13.26other devices on which hotline numbers
13.27may be kept for immediate use. The
13.28commissioner also may accept and spend
13.29other contributions from nongovernmental
13.30sources for this purpose. This is a onetime
13.31appropriation.
13.32(p) $338,000 each year is from the account
13.33in the special revenue fund established in
13.34Minnesota Statutes, section 190.19, for (1)
13.35grants to veterans service organizations; and
13.36(2) outreach to underserved veterans. Any
14.1balance in the first year does not cancel and
14.2is available in the second year."
14.3Amend the title accordingly