Three new Minnesota laws honoring veterans take effect August 1, and every one of them cleared the state legislature without a single "no" vote. Together they close a decades-old gap for Korean War and Vietnam War veterans who never finished high school, raise National Guard pay for the first time in nearly 30 years, and open the door to expanded burial honors for Guard and reserve families.
Honorary Diplomas for a Generation That Left School to Serve
Thousands of Minnesotans who left high school to fight in Korea or Vietnam never had the chance to walk across a graduation stage. Under the new law, any school district must issue an honorary high school diploma to a Korean Conflict or Vietnam War veteran upon request, and family members can request one on behalf of a veteran who has since passed away, according to Minnesota Senate Republicans and American Experiment. It is a small piece of paper carrying a big message: service was worth more than the diploma it interrupted.
First National Guard Pay Raise in Nearly 30 Years
The same legislative package delivers the first increase in base pay for Minnesota National Guard members called into state active duty, whether they are fighting wildfires or responding to flooding, in almost three decades, as reported by KNSI. Guard members answer the call for their home state as readily as they do for federal deployments, and a pay scale that had not moved since the 1990s was long overdue for a reset.
Expanded Burial Honors for Guard and Reserve Families
The third law widens eligibility for burial in Minnesota's state veterans cemeteries. Once the program is established at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, honorably discharged National Guard and reserve members, along with their spouses and dependents, will be eligible for burial starting January 1, 2027, per Senator Aric Putnam's office. St. Cloud Senator Aric Putnam, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans, carried the omnibus bill that contained two of the three provisions, and Republicans authored or co-authored all three measures.
Bipartisan and Overdue
What stands out most is how these bills moved: unanimously, with authorship split across party lines. In a political climate where little passes without a fight, Minnesota lawmakers found common ground on the idea that a veteran's paperwork, pay, and final honors should reflect the service actually given.
For veterans and Guard families in Minnesota looking for other ways the state supports them, from tax breaks to education benefits, Operation WarriorFit's Minnesota veteran benefits guide is a good place to start. And if getting back into a race or event feels like the right next step, eligible veterans, service members, and first responders can check their status at Operation WarriorFit's eligibility page to see about a free entry.