This bill makes changes to a program that provides grants to counties to enable them to enhance the effectiveness of their veterans services offices.  The counties will receive annual grants, rather than receiving grants on a three-year rotating cycle.  The bill changes the amounts that counties receive, establishing a base amount for all counties, with an additional amount that varies based on population.

Section 1 [Grant Program] clarifies that "commissioner" in this section means the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs.

Section 2 [Eligibility] changes provisions for eligibility to receive a veterans service office grant. A county that employs a newly hired, but not yet certified, county veterans service officer is eligible for a grant for one year from the date of the officer's appointment.  If the officer does not receive certification within one year, the county becomes ineligible for a grant until the officer receives certification.

Section 3 [Grant Process] authorizes the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to use any unexpended funds for this program to provide training and education for county veterans service officers.

Section 4 [Qualifying Uses] is a conforming change.  It deletes an authorization to used unexpended funds for training; this same authorization is added to another subdivision of this section of statute in section 2 of the bill.

Section 5 [Grant Amount] makes changes to the amounts to be granted to counties under this program.  The change establishes an annual grant for each eligible county of $7,500 to be used for specified purposes benefiting veterans.  In addition to the $7500 grant, eligible counties receive additional amounts to be determined by the commissioner up to a specified cap based on population.  This section establishes a grant of $50,000 to the Minnesota Association of County Veterans Service Officers to be used for specified purposes.

Section 6 [Appropriation] appropriates $1,005,000 in each of fiscal years 2014 and 2015 from the general fund to the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs for the grants authorized for this program.  This amount is added to the agency's base budget.

Section 7 [Repealer] repeals a subdivision that placed the counties on a three-year rotating cycle to receive grants.