Minnesota Senate Bill SF4525

Minnesota 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/4/24
• Refer: 3/4/24

Caption

Minnesota Respond, Innovate, Succeed and Empower (RISE) Act establishment

Impact

The RISE Act mandates that each institution of higher education create a policy outlining how they will support students with disabilities. This includes adopting less burdensome criteria for determining a student's disability status, ensuring that students are not subjected to unnecessary reevaluations, and publicly disseminating information regarding support services. Institutions must provide reasonable accommodations and make their policies accessible in various languages, thereby improving the inclusivity and support for students from diverse backgrounds.

Summary

SF4525, known as the Minnesota Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, is a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing support and accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education institutions. This act seeks to establish clear guidelines and requirements that institutions must follow when assessing and accommodating students who disclose disabilities. It emphasizes the necessity of documentation to substantiate a student's claim of disability, which could include Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504 plans, and professional evaluations.

Contention

While the RISE Act aims to streamline the process for students with disabilities, it may face scrutiny regarding the extent of its implementation and the efficacy of its provisions. Critics may argue about the adequacy of resources allocated for the required policy changes and if institutions can truly provide individualized support without overwhelming bureaucratic processes. There could also be concerns regarding whether the requirements could unintentionally place additional burdens on academic staff tasked with complying with the law, especially in terms of providing accommodations and communicating policies to students.