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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
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REP. FRITZ OFFERS HELP FOR VETS RETURNING HOME
St. Paul, MN – Legislation authored by Rep. Patti Fritz to offer increased availability of mental health services for veterans returning home to Minnesota passed on the House floor last night as part of the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veteran Affairs bill.
In the wake of the recent suicide by a Marine from New Prague, Rep. Fritz proposed the creation of a statewide hotline that would be answered by a trained staff person, not an answering machine. The toll-free number will also be widely published so veterans can more easily find it, and a needs assessment will be conducted regarding the mental health services available to veterans.
"We have close to 3,000 veterans returning home to Minnesota from active duty in the next year," said Fritz. "If this hotline can save one life, or even just help one veteran who is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from active duty, it will be worth it."
Other provisions of the bill include:
· A 14 percent increase in funding for the State Soldier Assistance Program.
· Increased funding for Veterans County Service Officer assistance grants to enhance programs provided to veterans.
· Increased funding for Veteran's outreach, including tribal veterans service offices.
· Extension of education benefits for the spouses of soldiers killed in action.
· Assistance for WWII memorial celebration (June 9th).
The bill also includes increased support for the use and development of renewable energy in the state, with a focus on biofuels, as well as strategic investments in key ag areas.
Some of the renewable energy highlights include:
· A 25% renewable goal for ALL energy (not just electricity) by the year 2025.
· Creation and funding of the NexGen Renewable Energy Board to award low interest loans and grants for bioenergy projects.
· Instructions for the state's Agriculture Utilization Research Institute to continue statewide renewable energy coordination efforts via their "Renewable Energy Roundtable" and other efforts.
· Funds a number of renewable biofuel initiatives around the state.
In addition to the renewable energy initiatives, HF 2227 also increases the state's overall funding for agriculture, including dairy development and profitability grant programs, ag-related clean water research, invasive species monitoring and control, organic certification cost share, and county and district ag societies (county fairs). It also increases funding for the purchase of Minnesota produced milk for Minnesota food shelves and expansion of the Minnesota Grown program and creates a Fertilizer Check-Off program to fund research into the appropriate levels of fertilizer needed in different applications.
"This is a good bill, with many provisions that will benefit not only our veterans, but also our state's ag and renewable industries," said Fritz. "I am optimistic these provisions will remain in this bill through Conference Committee and on to the Governor for his signature."
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
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