Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2509 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 state government; creating the Youth Civic Engagement Act; establishing
3	3	1.3 a grant program for youth civic engagement; appropriating money; proposing
4	4	1.4 coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 5; 10.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. [5.60] YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT .
7	7	1.7 Subdivision 1.Short title.This section may be cited as the "Youth Civic Engagement
8	8	1.8Act."
9	9	1.9 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
10	10	1.10meanings given.
11	11	1.11 (b) "Youth" means individuals aged 14 to 24.
12	12	1.12 (c) "Civic engagement" means voting, volunteering, participating in community service,
13	13	1.13and engaging in advocacy or public decision-making.
14	14	1.14 (d) "Eligible organization" means a school, community center, nonprofit organization,
15	15	1.15or government agency.
16	16	1.16 Subd. 3.Findings and purpose.(a) The Minnesota legislature finds that:
17	17	1.17 (1) active civic engagement is essential to a healthy democracy;
18	18	1.18 (2) youth are underrepresented in civic and political processes despite their growing
19	19	1.19potential to drive social change;
20	20	1.20 (3) according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about 23 percent
21	21	1.21of Minnesota high school graduates are considered proficient in civics, indicating that a
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	REVISOR SGS/DG 25-0307302/12/25
24	24	State of Minnesota
25	25	This Document can be made available
26	26	in alternative formats upon request
27	27	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
28	28	H. F. No. 2509
29	29	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
30	30	Authored by Momanyi-Hiltsley, Hussein, Hollins, Freiberg, Frazier and others03/17/2025
31	31	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on State Government Finance and Policy 2.1majority of students, approximately 77 percent, fail to meet basic civics standards upon
32	32	2.2graduation;
33	33	2.3 (4) early education and engagement in civic activities increase the likelihood of sustained
34	34	2.4involvement throughout adulthood;
35	35	2.5 (5) barriers such as lack of education, mentorship, and resources hinder youth from fully
36	36	2.6participating in democratic processes;
37	37	2.7 (6) research shows that students who participate in service-learning or other civic activities
38	38	2.8are more likely to vote and engage in community projects as adults;
39	39	2.9 (7) youth civic engagement fosters critical thinking, leadership skills, and a sense of
40	40	2.10responsibility toward the community;
41	41	2.11 (8) programs such as mock elections, debate clubs, and student government have
42	42	2.12demonstrated measurable improvements in students' understanding of civic processes and
43	43	2.13their motivation to participate; and
44	44	2.14 (9) lack of access to transportation and information often disproportionately affects
45	45	2.15marginalized youth, further limiting their civic engagement opportunities.
46	46	2.16 (b) The purpose of the Youth Civic Engagement Act is to:
47	47	2.17 (1) encourage civic engagement among youth;
48	48	2.18 (2) provide resources and opportunities for leadership development and community
49	49	2.19involvement;
50	50	2.20 (3) partner with educational institutions, local governments, and nonprofit organizations
51	51	2.21to establish youth-focused civic programs; and
52	52	2.22 (4) address barriers to youth participation, ensuring equitable access to civic resources
53	53	2.23and opportunities.
54	54	2.24 Subd. 4.Grant program.(a) The youth civic engagement initiative grant program is
55	55	2.25established to promote youth civic engagement. The secretary of state must establish an
56	56	2.26application form and process to award grants to eligible organizations. At a minimum, the
57	57	2.27application must include:
58	58	2.28 (1) proposed programming and expected outcomes;
59	59	2.29 (2) a budget proposal identifying resource needs;
60	60	2.30 (3) plans to promote inclusivity and equitable access; and
61	61	2.31 (4) strategies for measuring the impact of funded initiatives.
62	62	2Section 1.
63	63	REVISOR SGS/DG 25-0307302/12/25 3.1 (b) Grant funds may be used for the following purposes:
64	64	3.2 (1) civic education curricula for schools;
65	65	3.3 (2) supporting youth-led civic projects addressing local issues;
66	66	3.4 (3) hosting civic engagement events, including Youth Civic Engagement Day events;
67	67	3.5 (4) providing stipends for youth participating in civic engagement activities;
68	68	3.6 (5) establishing mentorship programs pairing youth with civic leaders;
69	69	3.7 (6) creating outreach programs to engage rural and underserved communities;
70	70	3.8 (7) developing digital platforms and tools to facilitate virtual civic participation and
71	71	3.9education; and
72	72	3.10 (8) to allocate funds directly to organizations such as Youth Civic Leaders to implement
73	73	3.11statewide civic engagement programs.
74	74	3.12 Sec. 2. [10.598] YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DAY.
75	75	3.13 The third Friday in October of each year is designated Youth Civic Engagement Day in
76	76	3.14Minnesota.
77	77	3.15 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT .
78	78	3.16 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
79	79	3.17fund to the secretary of state to make grants for youth civic engagement activities under
80	80	3.18Minnesota Statutes, section 5.60, subdivision 4.
81	81	3Sec. 3.
82	82	REVISOR SGS/DG 25-0307302/12/25