Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
Summary
HF2749 appropriates $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 from Minnesota’s environment and natural resources trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for a grant to Forgotten Heroes Ranges and Retreat, a nonprofit organization. The money would be used to predesign, design, construct, furnish, and equip a new shooting range and retreat.
The stated purpose of the project is to create a facility that accommodates handicapped individuals and disabled veterans. The appropriation is a one-time grant and remains available until the project is completed or abandoned.
Impact
The bill would create a new, one-time expenditure from the environment and natural resources trust fund and direct the Department of Natural Resources to administer a grant to a specific nonprofit recipient. It does not amend regulatory statutes, but it would affect state spending priorities by dedicating public trust-fund dollars to a recreational and accessibility-focused capital project serving disabled veterans and people with disabilities.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears generally supportive of veterans’ services, accessibility, and outdoor recreation. The authorship by multiple House members suggests some legislative interest in advancing the proposal, but no committee testimony or recorded votes are provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or broad debate in the available materials.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the use of environment and natural resources trust fund money for a shooting range and retreat, and the decision to direct a large grant to a named private nonprofit rather than through a broader competitive program. Supporters are likely to emphasize benefits for disabled veterans and accessibility, while critics may question whether the project fits the trust fund’s intended purposes or whether the appropriation is the best use of public funds.