Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 10:35 AM

Subject: "Support our Troops", Great news!

A version of the bill sponsored by Tom Haugo, MN Army Reserve Ambassador and introduced by Minnesota State Senator Don Betzold in the 2005 Minnesota Legislature (SF 658 & 659 - Minnesota Military Trust Fund) was incorporated into the State Government Budget bill which passed during the regular session.

To view the entire bill go to http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H1481.4&session=ls84

Attached is a portion of HF 1481 under "Support Our Troops", deals with license plates and financial assistance ($2000.00 per year) to military soldiers and their families with eligibility requirements as defined by the bill attached. Highlighted is the portion that provides financial assistance under "Support Our Troops".

Please share this with your soldiers and organizations that support and help our soldiers and their families.

H.F. No. 1481, 4th Engrossment - 84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

Posted on May 25, 2005 42.14 Sec. 30. [168.1298] [SPECIAL "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS" LICENSE 42.15 PLATES.] 42.16 Subdivision 1. [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES.] (a) 42.17 The commissioner shall issue special "Support Our Troops" 42.18 license plates to an applicant who: 42.19 (1) is an owner of a passenger automobile, one-ton pickup 42.20 truck, recreational vehicle, or motorcycle; 42.21 (2) pays a fee of $10 to cover the costs of handling and 42.22 manufacturing the plates; 42.23 (3) pays the registration tax required under section 42.24 168.013; 42.25 (4) pays the fees required under this chapter; 42.26 (5) contributes a minimum of $30 annually to the Minnesota 42.27 "Support Our Troops" account established in section 190.19; and 42.28 (6) complies with laws and rules governing registration and 42.29 licensing of vehicles and drivers. 42.30 (b) The license application under this section must 42.31 indicate that the annual contribution specified under paragraph 42.32 (a), clause (5), is a minimum contribution to receive the plates 42.33 and that the applicant may make an additional contribution to 42.34 the account. 42.35 Subd. 2. [DESIGN.] After consultation with interested 42.36 groups, the adjutant general and the commissioner of veterans 43.1 affairs shall design the special plate, subject to the approval 43.2 of the commissioner. 43.3 Subd. 3. [NO REFUND.] Contributions under this section 43.4 must not be refunded. 43.5 Subd. 4. [PLATE TRANSFERS.] Notwithstanding section 43.6 168.12, subdivision 1, on payment of a transfer fee of $5, 43.7 plates issued under this section may be transferred to another 43.8 passenger automobile, one-ton pickup truck, recreational 43.9 vehicle, or motorcycle owned by the individual to whom the 43.10 special plates were issued. 43.11 Subd. 5. [CONTRIBUTION AND FEES CREDITED.] Contributions 43.12 under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (5), must be paid to 43.13 the commissioner and credited to the Minnesota "Support Our 43.14 Troops" account established in section 190.19. The fees 43.15 collected under this section must be deposited in the vehicle 43.16 services operating account in the special revenue fund. 43.17 Subd. 6. [RECORD.] The commissioner shall maintain a 43.18 record of the number of plates issued under this section. 43.19 Sec. 31. [190.19] [MINNESOTA "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS" 43.20 ACCOUNT.] 43.21 Subdivision 1. [ESTABLISHMENT.] The Minnesota "Support Our 43.22 Troops" account is established in the special revenue fund. The 43.23 account shall consist of contributions from private sources and 43.24 appropriations. 43.25 Subd. 2. [USES.] (a) Money appropriated from the Minnesota 43.26 "Support Our Troops" account may be used for: 43.27 (1) grants directly to eligible individuals; 43.28 (2) grants to one or more eligible foundations for the 43.29 purpose of making grants to eligible individuals, as provided in 43.30 this section; or 43.31 (3) veterans' services. 43.32 (b) The term, "eligible individual" includes any person who 43.33 is: 43.34 (1) a member of the Minnesota National Guard or a reserve 43.35 unit based in Minnesota who has been called to active service as 43.36 defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5; 44.1 (2) a Minnesota resident who is a member of a military 44.2 reserve unit not based in Minnesota, if the member is called to 44.3 active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5; 44.4 (3) any other Minnesota resident performing active service 44.5 for any branch of the military of the United States; and 44.6 (4) members of the immediate family of an individual 44.7 identified in clause (1), (2), or (3). For purposes of this 44.8 clause, "immediate family" means the individual's spouse and 44.9 minor children and, if they are dependents of the member of the 44.10 military, the member's parents, grandparents, siblings, 44.11 stepchildren, and adult children. 44.12 (c) The term "eligible foundation" includes any 44.13 organization that: 44.14 (1) is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of 44.15 the Internal Revenue Code; 44.16 (2) has articles of incorporation under chapter 317A 44.17 specifying the purpose of the organization as including the 44.18 provision of financial assistance to members of the Minnesota 44.19 National Guard and other United States armed forces reserves and 44.20 their families and survivors; and 44.21 (3) agrees in writing to distribute any grant money 44.22 received from the adjutant general under this section to 44.23 eligible individuals as defined in this section and in 44.24 accordance with any written policies and rules the adjutant 44.25 general may impose as conditions of the grant to the foundation. 44.26 (d) The maximum grant awarded to an eligible individual in 44.27 a calendar year with funds from the Minnesota "Support Our 44.28 Troops" account, either through an eligible institution or 44.29 directly from the adjutant general, may not exceed $2,000. 44.30 Subd. 3. [ANNUAL REPORT.] The adjutant general must report 44.31 by February 1, 2007, and each year thereafter, to the chairs and 44.32 ranking minority members of the legislative committees and 44.33 divisions with jurisdiction over military and veterans' affairs 44.34 on the number, amounts, and use of grants made by the adjutant 44.35 general from the Minnesota "Support Our Troops" account in the 44.36 previous year.

Thank you Minnesota for the support for our Troops!

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