SF4172

Purpose

The bill updates Minnesota law to change who is eligible for burial in state veterans cemeteries and to adjust burial fees and waivers. It defines who can be buried in state cemeteries and how interment costs are handled, including waivers for indigent eligible applicants.

Main Provisions

• Eligibility for state veterans cemeteries (Subd.8)

  • Cemeteries must be operated for the burial of:
  • Service members who die on active duty
  • Eligible veterans and their spouses and dependent children (as defined in United States Code Title 38, §2402(a), paragraphs 1–5 and 7)
  • Honorably discharged members of the National Guard or another reserve component, and the members’ spouses and dependent children

• Burial fees and interment costs (Subd.9)

  • The commissioner of veterans affairs must establish a fee schedule for the interment of honorably discharged National Guard or reserve component members and eligible spouses and dependent children.
  • The fees must cover, as nearly as practicable, the actual costs of interment, excluding the value of the burial plot.

• Fee waivers and reductions (Sec. 2)

  • The commissioner may waive or reduce burial fees for indigent eligible persons.
  • The commissioner must maintain policies, eligibility standards, and an application form for requests to waive or reduce burial fees for indigent eligible applicants.
  • No plot or interment fees may be charged for burial of service members who die on active duty or eligible veterans (as defined in US Code Title 38 §2402(a), paragraphs 1–4 and 7)

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands eligibility to include honorably discharged National Guard or reserve component members and their spouses/dependent children
• Establishes a formal, chargeable interment fee for certain categories (National Guard/reserve members and their families), with the caveat that active-duty deaths and eligible veterans remain fee-exempt for burial
• Introduces a system to waive or reduce burial fees for indigent eligible individuals, with an accompanying policy framework and application process

Practical Implications

• More categories of service members and families may be eligible for burial in Minnesota state veterans cemeteries
• Burial costs for some categories (National Guard/reserve members and their families) may be charged, while costs for active-duty deaths and eligible veterans are exempt
• Financial assistance options exist for indigent eligible applicants, potentially reducing barriers to burial

Relevant Terms - state veterans cemeteries - service members - active duty - eligible veterans - spouses - dependent children - National Guard - reserve component - honorably discharged - interment - burial fees - fee schedule - indigent - waiver - reduction - policy eligibility standards - application form - commissioner of veterans affairs - United States Code Title 38 §2402(a) - plot value excluded - burial in state cemeteries