1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to economic development; making grants for dental assisting and hygiene
1.3 education programs; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in
1.4 Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [116J.4181] DENTAL ASSISTING AND DENTAL HYGIENE
1.7EDUCATION PROGRAM EXPANDED-CAPACITY GRANTS.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Grant program established.The commissioner of employment and
1.9economic development shall make grants available to dental assisting higher education
1.10programs and dental hygiene higher education programs that are accredited by the
1.11Commission on Dental Accreditation for eligible projects to expand student enrollment
1.12capacity. The commissioner may consider programs that have applied for but have not yet
1.13received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Eligible projects
1.14include but are not limited to:
1.15 (1) expanding or improving existing clinic physical infrastructure;
1.16 (2) creating and building new clinic physical infrastructure;
1.17 (3) improving classroom physical structure;
1.18 (4) creating student scholarships;
1.19 (5) improving faculty and staff salaries;
1.20 (6) obtaining needed equipment and educational resources; and
1.21 (7) addressing other needs identified by an applicant.
1Section 1.
25-02153 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR SS/LJ
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 1325NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: KUPEC, Nelson, Putnam and Utke)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading02/13/2025
Referred to Jobs and Economic Development 2.1 Subd. 2.Program oversight.(a) The commissioner shall award grants based on
2.2information provided in the grant application. The commissioner may request additional
2.3information from applicants when determining eligibility.
2.4 (b) The commissioner shall give priority to programs that have the highest potential to
2.5increase student capacity and increase the dental assisting or hygiene workforce pipeline.
2.6 (c) When making determinations, the commissioner shall not demonstrate any preference
2.7between dental hygiene and dental assisting programs.
2.8 (d) A higher education institution with both dental hygiene and dental assisting programs
2.9that is interested in applying for grants may submit one joint application.
2.10 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; DENTAL ASSISTING AND DENTAL HYGIENE
2.11EDUCATION PROGRAM EXPANDED-CAPACITY GRANTS.
2.12 $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the workforce development fund
2.13to the commissioner of employment and economic development for the dental assisting and
2.14dental hygiene education program expanded-capacity grants in section 116J.4181. This is
2.15a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2027.
2Sec. 2.
25-02153 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR SS/LJ