Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this legislative bill is to enhance transparency and accountability regarding the distribution and use of grants given by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. By requiring detailed reporting, the bill aims to ensure that grant funds are used effectively to support veterans, active service members, and their families.

Main Provisions

• Annual Reporting Requirement: Starting January 15, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs must submit a report on the distribution and use of grants.
• Report Details: Each report should contain specific information for each grant recipient:
  1. The purpose for which the grant was provided.
  2. The amount of the grant.
  3. Any previous grants provided to the recipient by the commissioner.
  4. Other state and federal grants received by the recipient during the fiscal year.
  5. The number of veterans and active service members served.
  6. The number of family members of these veterans and service members served.
  7. The number of veterans and family members who successfully completed programs offered by the recipient, along with criteria for successful completion.
  8. The recipient's charitable giving ratio.
• Out-of-State Services: If grant funds are used to serve individuals outside of Minnesota, the report must include the states where these individuals reside and the reasons for using the funds in this way.

Significant Changes

• This bill introduces a new requirement in the Minnesota Statutes chapter 197 for annual reporting on grant distributions by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
• It establishes specific criteria and data points that must be included in these reports to provide comprehensive insight into the impact and efficiency of grant use.

Relevant Terms

veterans affairs, grants, reporting, commissioner, transparency, fiscal year, active service members, veterans programs, charitable giving ratio, out-of-state services