Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2454 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to higher education; establishing a law enforcement grant program to help
3	3	1.3 recruit and retain law enforcement officers; appropriating money; proposing coding
4	4	1.4 for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. [136A.1245] LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANTS.
7	7	1.7 Subdivision 1.Establishment.To help recruit and retain law enforcement officers in
8	8	1.8the state, the office must establish a grant program to cover the cost of tuition and fees at
9	9	1.9public postsecondary educational institutions for students who satisfy the eligibility
10	10	1.10requirements under subdivision 3.
11	11	1.11 Subd. 2.Definitions.For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings
12	12	1.12given:
13	13	1.13 (1) "gift aid" has the meaning given in section 136A.1465, subdivision 1, clause (2);
14	14	1.14 (2) "law enforcement agency" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1,
15	15	1.15paragraph (f);
16	16	1.16 (3) "other expenses" has the meaning given in section 136A.1465, subdivision 1, clause
17	17	1.17(3);
18	18	1.18 (4) "peace officer" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph
19	19	1.19(c);
20	20	1.20 (5) "public postsecondary educational institution" means an institution operated by the
21	21	1.21Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or the Board of Regents
22	22	1.22of the University of Minnesota;
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	REVISOR VH/RC 25-0470303/11/25
25	25	State of Minnesota
26	26	This Document can be made available
27	27	in alternative formats upon request
28	28	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29	H. F. No. 2454
30	30	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31	31	Authored by Wolgamott, Perryman, Huot, Norris and Witte03/17/2025
32	32	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Higher Education Finance and Policy 2.1 (6) "total and permanent duty disability" means a condition qualifying for benefits under
33	33	2.2section 353.656, subdivision 1a; and
34	34	2.3 (7) "tuition and fees" means the actual tuition and mandatory fees charged by the public
35	35	2.4postsecondary institution attended by the eligible student.
36	36	2.5 Subd. 3.Eligibility.(a) An individual is eligible for a grant under this section if the
37	37	2.6individual:
38	38	2.7 (1) applies in the form and manner specified by the office;
39	39	2.8 (2) is a resident student, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8;
40	40	2.9 (3) is a graduate of a secondary school or its equivalent, or is 17 years of age or older
41	41	2.10and has met all requirements for admission as a student to a public postsecondary educational
42	42	2.11institution;
43	43	2.12 (4) has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the state
44	44	2.13aid application;
45	45	2.14 (5) is enrolled in at least one credit per fall, spring, or summer semester in an
46	46	2.15undergraduate certificate, diploma, or degree program at a public postsecondary educational
47	47	2.16institution;
48	48	2.17 (6) has not (i) obtained a baccalaureate degree, or (ii) been enrolled for 12 semesters or
49	49	2.18the equivalent, excluding courses taken that qualify as developmental education or below
50	50	2.19college-level and are subject to subdivision 5, paragraph (b);
51	51	2.20 (7) is not in default, as defined by the office, for any federal or state student educational
52	52	2.21loan;
53	53	2.22 (8) is not more than 30 days in arrears in court-ordered child support that is collected or
54	54	2.23enforced by the public authority responsible for child support enforcement or, is more than
55	55	2.2430 days in arrears in court-ordered child support that is collected or enforced by the public
56	56	2.25authority responsible for child support enforcement, but is complying with a written payment
57	57	2.26agreement under section 518A.69 or order for arrearages;
58	58	2.27 (9) has not been convicted of or pled nolo contendere or guilty to a crime involving
59	59	2.28fraud in obtaining federal Title IV funds within the meaning of Code of Federal Regulations,
60	60	2.29title 34, section 668.32;
61	61	2.30 (10) is meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision
62	62	2.3110; and
63	63	2.32 (11) is either:
64	64	2Section 1.
65	65	REVISOR VH/RC 25-0470303/11/25 3.1 (i) a peace officer employed by a Minnesota law enforcement agency;
66	66	3.2 (ii) the dependent child of a peace officer employed by a Minnesota law enforcement
67	67	3.3agency; or
68	68	3.4 (iii) the dependent child of an individual who, while employed by a Minnesota law
69	69	3.5enforcement agency as a peace officer, suffered a total and permanent duty disability.
70	70	3.6 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (5), an individual who is eligible for a grant
71	71	3.7under paragraph (a), clause (11), item (i), must be enrolled in at least one credit per fall,
72	72	3.8spring, or summer semester in an undergraduate baccalaureate degree program at a public
73	73	3.9postsecondary educational institution in the field of criminal justice, law enforcement, or a
74	74	3.10similar field.
75	75	3.11 Subd. 4.Award amount.(a) Scholarships must be awarded to eligible students in an
76	76	3.12amount equal to 100 percent of tuition and fees after gift aid is deducted.
77	77	3.13 (b) If there is a projected shortfall in available resources, the commissioner may
78	78	3.14proportionately reduce awards to keep spending within available resources.
79	79	3.15 Subd. 5.Duration of grant.(a) Each scholarship is for a period of one semester or
80	80	3.16equivalent term. A scholarship may be renewed if the eligible student continues to meet the
81	81	3.17conditions of eligibility. A grant award is terminated upon failure to meet the eligibility
82	82	3.18requirements under subdivision 3.
83	83	3.19 (b) A student is entitled to an additional semester or the equivalent of grant eligibility
84	84	3.20if the student withdraws from enrollment:
85	85	3.21 (1) for active military service because the student was ordered to active military service
86	86	3.22as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5b or 5c;
87	87	3.23 (2) for a serious health condition, while under the care of a medical professional, that
88	88	3.24substantially limits the student's ability to complete the term; or
89	89	3.25 (3) while providing care that substantially limits the student's ability to complete the
90	90	3.26term to the student's spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.
91	91	3.27 Subd. 6.Administration.(a) The office must determine the time and manner of grant
92	92	3.28applications. The office must require an applicant to provide documentation verifying that
93	93	3.29the applicant meets the eligibility criteria under subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (11).
94	94	3.30 (b) The scholarship must be paid directly to the eligible institution where the student is
95	95	3.31enrolled.
96	96	3Section 1.
97	97	REVISOR VH/RC 25-0470303/11/25 4.1 (c) The office must prepare promotional and informational materials about the grant
98	98	4.2program under this section and disseminate the materials to law enforcement agencies
99	99	4.3throughout the state. The office and the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training may
100	100	4.4collaborate on promotion of the program.
101	101	4.5 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANTS.
102	102	4.6 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
103	103	4.7fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for law enforcement grants
104	104	4.8under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1245.
105	105	4Sec. 2.
106	106	REVISOR VH/RC 25-0470303/11/25