A bill for an act relating to veterans affairs; providing a health screening benefit for eligible members of the armed forces; requiring a report; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 197.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. [197.08] HEALTH SCREENING FOR EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM.

Subdivision 1. Exposure to depleted uranium. (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this section.

(b) "Depleted uranium" means uranium containing less uranium 235 than the naturally occurring distribution of uranium isotopes.

(c) "Eligible member" means a member who served in the Persian Gulf War, as defined in United States Code, title 38, section 101, or in an area designated as a combat zone by the president of the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(d) "Member of the armed forces" or "member" means a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the Minnesota National Guard, who is a resident of this state.

(e) "Veteran" means a person who served as an eligible member.

Subd. 2. Health screening test. After October 1, 2005, an eligible member or veteran who returns or has returned to this state after service in an area designated as a combat zone by the president of the United States and who has been assigned a risk level I or II for depleted uranium exposure by the member's or veteran's branch of service, or any other member or veteran who has reason to believe that the member or veteran was exposed to depleted uranium during service, has the right to a best practice health screening test for exposure to depleted uranium using a bioassay procedure involving sensitive methods capable of detecting depleted uranium at low levels and the use of equipment with the capacity to discriminate between different radioisotopes in naturally  occurring levels of uranium and the characteristic ratio and marker for depleted uranium.

Sec. 2. REPORT ON EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM.

By January 15, 2007, the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard shall submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over veterans affairs on the scope and adequacy of training received by members of the armed forces on detecting whether their service as eligible members is likely to entail, or to have entailed, exposure to depleted uranium. The report must include an assessment of the feasibility and cost of adding predeployment training concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat and noncombat conditions while in a combat zone.

Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.

$....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2007 from the general fund to the commissioner of veterans affairs for purposes of providing health screening for exposure to depleted uranium to eligible members and veterans of the armed services.