1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to energy; establishing an air ventilation improvement and geothermal
1.3 infrastructure for schools financing program; appropriating money.
1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. AIR VENTILATION IMPROVEMENT AND GEOTHERMAL
1.6INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SCHOOLS FINANCING PROGRAM.
1.7 Subdivision 1.Establishment.An air ventilation improvement and geothermal
1.8infrastructure for schools financing program is established in the Minnesota Climate
1.9Innovative Finance Authority. The purpose of the program is to provide low-interest financing
1.10to school districts for air ventilation improvements and the installation of geothermal energy
1.11systems on or adjacent to school buildings.
1.12 Subd. 2.Priority; goals.The Minnesota Climate Innovative Finance Authority must
1.13prioritize the use of program money in a manner that achieves a high ratio of private to
1.14public money invested through financing mechanisms that support, enhance, and complement
1.15the program's goals, including:
1.16 (1) prioritizing schools and students in communities with high rates of poverty, as
1.17determined by receipt of federal Title I funding;
1.18 (2) funding an equal number of projects inside the seven-county metropolitan area and
1.19outside the seven-county metropolitan area;
1.20 (3) serving as a financial resource to reduce the upfront and total costs to implement
1.21qualified projects; and
1Section 1.
REVISOR RSI/HL 25-0311802/17/25
State of Minnesota
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1598
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION 2.1 (4) developing consumer protection standards to ensure that financial support is (i)
2.2provided responsibly and transparently, and (ii) in the participating project owners' financial
2.3interest.
2.4 Subd. 3.Eligibility.To receive financing under this section, a borrower must be an
2.5independent school district under Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.05, subdivision 10; a
2.6special school district under Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.05, subdivision 14; or a
2.7cooperative unit under Minnesota Statutes, section 123A.24, subdivision 2.
2.8 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
2.9 Subdivision 1.General fund.$....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general
2.10fund to the Minnesota Climate Innovative Finance Authority for the air ventilation
2.11improvement and geothermal infrastructure for schools financing program.
2.12 Subd. 2.Renewable development account.Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section
2.13116C.779, subdivision 1, paragraph (j), $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the
2.14renewable development account in the special revenue fund to the Climate Innovative
2.15Finance Authority for the air ventilation improvement and geothermal infrastructure for
2.16schools financing program.
2.17 Subd. 3.Cancellation.Any amount appropriated in subdivisions 1 and 2 that is not used
2.18for financing by June 30, 2027, cancels to the account the money was appropriated from.
2Sec. 2.
REVISOR RSI/HL 25-0311802/17/25