S.F. 1710 designates May 14 as Hmong Veterans Day in honor of Hmong people who served in the Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1975 in support of the U.S. armed forces. This bill recognizes the significance of May 14, 1975, as the last day of airlift evacuation of officers and their families from a headquarters in Laos to a refugee camp in Thailand.

The bill requires the governor to issue a proclamation each year honoring the observance and order the American and Minnesota flags flown at half-staff.

This bills encourages or permits the following in observance of Hmong Veterans Day:

• Schools to read a passage about Hmong history or this statute to students;
• Businesses to close;
• Employees to request the day off without pay with two weeks’ notice to the employer; and
• Local governments, private businesses, and schools to fly the American and Minnesota flags at half-staff.