A25-0066 Amendment changes to SF1959
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Senator .................... moves to amend S.F. No. 1959 as follows:
Page 12, line 4, delete "THE SECRET WAR IN LAOS" and insert "COVERT OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA"
Page 12, line 5, delete "the Secret War" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia" Page 12, line 6, delete "in Laos" and everything after the first "who" and insert a colon Page 12, after line 6, insert:
"(1) resides in Minnesota;"
Page 12, delete lines 7 to 10
Page 12, line 11, delete "(2) is a person who the commissioner of veterans affairs determines" and insert "(2) is determined by the Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force established under subdivision 3 to have"
Page 12, line 12, delete "or" and insert a comma and delete "that operated from a base" and insert ", or in clandestine operations" and after "Laos" insert ", Cambodia, or Vietnam"
Page 12, line 14, delete everything after "1975" and insert "; and"
Page 12, delete line 15 and insert:
"(3) is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States."
Page 12, line 16, delete everything after "privileges."
Page 12, delete lines 17 and 18
Page 12, line 19, delete "(b)" and insert "(a)" and delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia" and delete "clause (2),"
Page 12, line 21, delete everything after the period
Page 12, after line 21, insert:
"(b) By March 30, 2026, the commissioner must:
(1) establish the Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force under subdivision 3;"
Page 12, line 22, delete "(1)" and insert "(2)" and delete "criteria and a protocol" and insert "standards and protocols" and delete ", clause (2),"
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04/22/25 03:06 pm REVISOR BD/EH A25-0066
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Page 12, line 23, before "Veterans" insert "Southeast Asian Allied" and delete everything after "Veterans" and insert "Verification"
Page 12, line 24, delete "Forces in Laos Advisory"
Page 12, line 25, delete "(2)" and insert "(3)"
Page 12, line 27, delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia"
Page 12, line 29, delete "section 197.231 (honor guards);" Page 12, line 30, delete everything after the first semicolon Page 12, line 31, delete everything before "section"
Page 13, after line 2, insert:
"Subd. 3. Task force. (a) The commissioner of veterans affairs shall establish a Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force to develop standards and protocols for reviewing applications from applicants who claim to be veterans of covert operations and for verifying the service of applicants.
(b) The task force shall consist of the commissioner or a designee and the following additional seven members appointed by the commissioner:
(1) one member representing the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(2) one member with direct experience in United States intelligence or special operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era;
(3) four members representing different ethnic communities who served in support of United States armed forces, including but not limited to Hmong, Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Khmer, and Vietnamese allied forces; and
(4) one member with expertise in the history of the Vietnam War era in Southeast Asia.
(c) When appointing members of the task force under paragraph (b), clauses (3) and (4), the commissioner of veterans affairs shall strive for diverse representation that reflects the various ethnic communities that supported United States operations in Southeast Asia.
(d) The task force shall develop and recommend to the commissioner of veterans affairs:
(1) standards and protocols for verifying the service of veterans of covert operations in Southeast Asia that acknowledge the classified nature of covert operations and the limited paperwork that may have been produced;
04/22/25 03:06 pm REVISOR BD/EH A25-0066
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(2) a multisource verification system that may include:
(i) statements from individuals with firsthand knowledge of the applicant's service;
(ii) historical records that establish the existence of units in which the applicant claims to have served;
(iii) community attestations from recognized community leaders; and
(iv) other evidence that the task force considers reliable for verification purposes; and
(3) an appeals process for applicants whose verification has been denied by the task force.
(e) The task force shall submit an annual report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over veterans affairs on the number of applications received, approved, and denied, and any recommendations for improving the verification process.
(f) The commissioner shall provide staff support to the task force. Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6, governs the terms and removal of members of the task force. Members of the task force serve without compensation or per diem.
(g) The task force expires June 1, 2030."
Page 21, delete section 12
Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references Amend the title as follows:
Page 1, line 8, delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia"
Page 12, line 4, delete "THE SECRET WAR IN LAOS" and insert "COVERT OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA"
Page 12, line 5, delete "the Secret War" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia" Page 12, line 6, delete "in Laos" and everything after the first "who" and insert a colon Page 12, after line 6, insert:
"(1) resides in Minnesota;"
Page 12, delete lines 7 to 10
Page 12, line 11, delete "(2) is a person who the commissioner of veterans affairs determines" and insert "(2) is determined by the Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force established under subdivision 3 to have"
Page 12, line 12, delete "or" and insert a comma and delete "that operated from a base" and insert ", or in clandestine operations" and after "Laos" insert ", Cambodia, or Vietnam"
Page 12, line 14, delete everything after "1975" and insert "; and"
Page 12, delete line 15 and insert:
"(3) is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States."
Page 12, line 16, delete everything after "privileges."
Page 12, delete lines 17 and 18
Page 12, line 19, delete "(b)" and insert "(a)" and delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia" and delete "clause (2),"
Page 12, line 21, delete everything after the period
Page 12, after line 21, insert:
"(b) By March 30, 2026, the commissioner must:
(1) establish the Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force under subdivision 3;"
Page 12, line 22, delete "(1)" and insert "(2)" and delete "criteria and a protocol" and insert "standards and protocols" and delete ", clause (2),"
1.2 1.3
1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
1.9 1.10 1.11
1.12 1.13
1.14 1.15
1.16 1.17
1.18 1.19
1.20 1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25 1.26
1.27 1.28
04/22/25 03:06 pm REVISOR BD/EH A25-0066
1
2.1 2.2
2.3 2.4
2.5 2.6
2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10
2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14
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2.18 2.19
2.20 2.21 2.22
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Page 12, line 23, before "Veterans" insert "Southeast Asian Allied" and delete everything after "Veterans" and insert "Verification"
Page 12, line 24, delete "Forces in Laos Advisory"
Page 12, line 25, delete "(2)" and insert "(3)"
Page 12, line 27, delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia"
Page 12, line 29, delete "section 197.231 (honor guards);" Page 12, line 30, delete everything after the first semicolon Page 12, line 31, delete everything before "section"
Page 13, after line 2, insert:
"Subd. 3. Task force. (a) The commissioner of veterans affairs shall establish a Southeast Asian Allied Veterans Verification Task Force to develop standards and protocols for reviewing applications from applicants who claim to be veterans of covert operations and for verifying the service of applicants.
(b) The task force shall consist of the commissioner or a designee and the following additional seven members appointed by the commissioner:
(1) one member representing the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(2) one member with direct experience in United States intelligence or special operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era;
(3) four members representing different ethnic communities who served in support of United States armed forces, including but not limited to Hmong, Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Khmer, and Vietnamese allied forces; and
(4) one member with expertise in the history of the Vietnam War era in Southeast Asia.
(c) When appointing members of the task force under paragraph (b), clauses (3) and (4), the commissioner of veterans affairs shall strive for diverse representation that reflects the various ethnic communities that supported United States operations in Southeast Asia.
(d) The task force shall develop and recommend to the commissioner of veterans affairs:
(1) standards and protocols for verifying the service of veterans of covert operations in Southeast Asia that acknowledge the classified nature of covert operations and the limited paperwork that may have been produced;
04/22/25 03:06 pm REVISOR BD/EH A25-0066
2
3.1 3.2
3.3 3.4
3.5 3.6
3.7 3.8
3.9 3.10 3.11
3.12 3.13 3.14
3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18
3.19 3.20
(2) a multisource verification system that may include:
(i) statements from individuals with firsthand knowledge of the applicant's service;
(ii) historical records that establish the existence of units in which the applicant claims to have served;
(iii) community attestations from recognized community leaders; and
(iv) other evidence that the task force considers reliable for verification purposes; and
(3) an appeals process for applicants whose verification has been denied by the task force.
(e) The task force shall submit an annual report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over veterans affairs on the number of applications received, approved, and denied, and any recommendations for improving the verification process.
(f) The commissioner shall provide staff support to the task force. Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6, governs the terms and removal of members of the task force. Members of the task force serve without compensation or per diem.
(g) The task force expires June 1, 2030."
Page 21, delete section 12
Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references Amend the title as follows:
Page 1, line 8, delete "the Secret War in Laos" and insert "covert operations in Southeast Asia"