A bill that would increase the amount of money counties are authorized to spend for Memorial Day observances got its first approval on President’s Day, Feb. 18.
The House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee approved HF2599 and sent it to the House floor.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Laura Brod (R-New Prague), would increase the amount a county board is authorized to spend on a Memorial Day observance to $3,500. The new amount would be effective July 1, 2008, and mark the first increase since the amount was increased from $1,500 to $2,000 in 1984.
Prior to the statutes being passed in 1911 and 1921, counties were not authorized to appropriate any money for Memorial Day exercises.
In addition, the bill would increase from $100 to $300 the amount a county board is authorized to appropriate to each post of a recognized military service persons’ organization or society to help pay for Memorial Day exercises. This amount was last increased in 1979.
A companion bill, SF2463, sponsored by Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy), awaits action by the Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee.