HF 4203

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/10/2022 03:41pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; expanding eligibility and award amounts for American
Indian scholarships; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2021
Supplement, section 136A.126, subdivisions 1, 4; Laws 2021, First Special Session
chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 7.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 136A.126, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Student eligibility.

The commissioner shall establish procedures for the
distribution of scholarships to a Minnesota resident student as defined under section
136A.101, subdivision 8, who:

(1) is of one-fourth or more Indian ancestry or is an enrolled member or citizen of a
federally recognized American Indian or Canadian First Nations tribe;

(2) has applied for other existing state and federal scholarship and grant programs;

(3) is meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101,
subdivision 10;

(4) is not in default, as defined by the office, of a federal or state student educational
loan;

(5) if enrolled in an undergraduate program, deleted text begin is eligible or would be eligible to receive
a federal Pell Grant or a state grant based on the federal needs analysis and deleted text end is enrolled for
nine semester credits per term or more, or the equivalent; and

(6) if enrolled in a graduate program, demonstrates a remaining financial need in the
award amount calculation and is enrolled, per term, on a half-time basis or more as defined
by the postsecondary institution.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2021 Supplement, section 136A.126, subdivision 4, is amended
to read:

Subd. 4.

Award amount.

(a) Each student shall be awarded a scholarship based on the
federal need analysis. Applicants are encouraged to apply for all other sources of financial
aid. The amount of the award must not exceed the applicant's cost of attendance, as defined
in subdivision 3, after deducting:

(1) the expected family contribution as calculated by the federal need analysis;

(2) the amount of a federal Pell Grant award for which the applicant is eligible;

(3) the amount of the state grant;

(4) the federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant;

(5) the sum of all institutional grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and tuition remission
amounts;

(6) the sum of all Tribal scholarships;

(7) the amount of any other state and federal gift aid; and

(8) the amount of any private grants or scholarships.

(b) The award shall be paid directly to the postsecondary institution where the student
receives federal financial aid.

(c) Awards are limited as follows:

(1) the maximum award for an undergraduate is deleted text begin $4,000 deleted text end new text begin $8,000 new text end per academic year;

(2) the maximum award for a graduate student is deleted text begin $6,000 deleted text end new text begin $8,000 new text end per academic year; and

(3) the minimum award for all students is $100 per academic year.

(d) Scholarships may not be given to any Indian student for more than three years of
study for a two-year degree, certificate, or diploma program or five years of study for a
four-year degree program at the undergraduate level and for more than five years at the
graduate level. Students may acquire only one degree per level and one terminal graduate
degree. Scholarships may not be given to any student for more than ten years including five
years of undergraduate study and five years of graduate study.

(e) Scholarships may be given to an eligible student for four quarters, three semesters,
or the equivalent during the course of a single fiscal year. In calculating the award amount,
the office must use the same calculation it would for any other term.

Sec. 3.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 2, article 1, section 2, subdivision 7, is
amended to read:

Subd. 7. American Indian Scholarships

3,500,000

deleted text begin 3,500,000 deleted text end new text begin ....... new text end

The commissioner must contract with or
employ at least one person with demonstrated
competence in American Indian culture and
residing in or near the city of Bemidji to assist
students with the scholarships under
Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.126, and
with other information about financial aid for
which the students may be eligible. Bemidji
State University must provide office space at
no cost to the Office of Higher Education for
purposes of administering the American Indian
scholarship program under Minnesota Statutes,
section 136A.126. This appropriation includes
funding to administer the American Indian
scholarship program.