| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to children, youth, and families; establishing an African Youth Soccer |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 League; requiring reports; appropriating money. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. AFRICAN YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subdivision 1.Establishment.The commissioner of children, youth, and families must |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7establish an African Youth Soccer League to ensure access to resources, facilities, and |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8development programs for young soccer players of African descent. |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 Subd. 2.Local partnerships.The commissioner must partner with local schools, |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10community centers, cities, and semiprofessional and professional soccer clubs to provide |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11access to high-quality training facilities and soccer fields for practices and games. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 Subd. 3.Coaching licenses.The commissioner must provide an opportunity and funding |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13for coaches within the African Youth Soccer League to obtain coaching licenses through |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14the United States Soccer Federation. |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 Subd. 4.Mental health.The commissioner of children, youth, and families, in |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16collaboration with the commissioner of human services, must provide access to mental |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17health services for youth soccer players within the African Youth Soccer League. |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 Subd. 5.Annual showcase.(a) Each summer, the commissioner must host an annual |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19showcase tournament for the African Youth Soccer League. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (b) The commissioner must invite talent scouts or coaches from all of Minnesota's |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21professional and college soccer teams, regardless of division level. The commissioner may |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22invite talent scouts or coaches from additional professional and college teams. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 25-04479 as introduced03/10/25 REVISOR DTT/VJ |
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| 25 | 25 | | SENATE |
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| 26 | 26 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 27 | 27 | | S.F. No. 2748NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 28 | 28 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: HOFFMAN) |
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| 29 | 29 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 30 | 30 | | Introduction and first reading03/20/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Referred to Health and Human Services 2.1 Subd. 6.Report.The commissioner must submit an annual report to the chairs and |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over children, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3youth, and families that provides the following details about the African Youth Soccer |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4League: |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5 (1) participation rates; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6 (2) financial expenditures and funding allocations; |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7 (3) success stories, including scholarships awarded and players advancing to higher |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8levels of competition; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9 (4) the impact of soccer on mental health and overall community engagement. |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10 Sec. 2. DIRECTION TO THE COMMISSIONER OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11FAMILIES; AFRICAN YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT . |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12 (a) The commissioner of children, youth, and families must develop a grant program |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13that provides financial assistance for community-based soccer teams within the African |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14Youth Soccer League to acquire uniforms, soccer balls, and other necessary equipment. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15 (b) The commissioner must develop a mentorship program that would pair youth soccer |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16players from the African Youth Soccer League with professional and semiprofessional |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.17soccer players. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18 (c) The commissioner must develop a grant program that provides grants to youth soccer |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19players within the African Youth Soccer League to help the players access higher education |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.20and professional development programs. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.21 (d) The commissioner, in collaboration with the commissioner of public safety, must |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.22develop programs that engage at-risk youth in soccer activities within the African Youth |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.23Soccer League. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.24 (e) The commissioner must communicate with the Fédération Internationale de Football |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.25Association, the United States Soccer Federation, and international soccer organizations, |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.26including but not limited to the Premier League and Bundesliga, to develop further |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.27opportunities for youth soccer participation and global exposure of the African Youth Soccer |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.28League. |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2Sec. 2. |
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| 60 | 60 | | 25-04479 as introduced03/10/25 REVISOR DTT/VJ 3.1 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; AFRICAN YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 3.2 $3,700,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $3,700,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from |
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| 62 | 62 | | 3.3the general fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families to establish and oversee |
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| 63 | 63 | | 3.4the African Youth Soccer League. |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3Sec. 3. |
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| 65 | 65 | | 25-04479 as introduced03/10/25 REVISOR DTT/VJ |
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