ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two bills heading to Gov. Tim Walz address Veteran and Military affairs and driving while intoxicated.
The state House and Senate both passed the Omnibus Veterans and Military Affairs bill. It increases the funding for a number of provisions by $50.5 million. The funding will support the state’s eight veterans’ homes, operating adjustments for the Veterans Affairs and Military Affairs departments, and expand services for suicide prevention and home-delivered meals to veterans across the state.
Following the tragic loss of two lives at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, a bill to toughen the state’s DWI penalties just needs a signature from the governor. The Senate followed the House and passed the legislation Saturday as amended.
The bill follows the case of a repeat drunken driver who plowed his car into a group of people celebrating last year at Park Tavern. Two died and nine were injured. This new law will increase the time that repeat offenders will be required to use the ignition interlock system on their vehicles.
The Agriculture Budget bill passed the Minnesota House and Senate Sunday, but suffered some cuts. The conference committee report came back with an increase of $9million, while the House Ag Committee was seeking a $17 million dollar increase for this biennium.
Republican Chair Paul Anderson from Starbuck says despite the cuts, most of the bill stayed intact. Those programs include more money to combat livestock diseases and the avian flu in the state. Anderson says the Senate version was able to include fee increases for grain license inspections and storage.
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