HF 2842

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/24/2023 04:08am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying certain workforce development provisions;
appropriating money to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities for workforce development; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
section 136F.38, subdivisions 3, 4, 5; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2022, section
136F.38, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136F.38, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Program eligibility.

(a) Scholarships shall be awarded only to a student eligible
for resident tuition, as defined in section 135A.043, who is enrolled in any of the following
programs of study or certification: (1) advanced manufacturing; (2) agriculture; (3) health
care services; (4) information technology; (5) early childhood; (6) transportation; deleted text begin or deleted text end (7)
new text begin construction; (8) education; (9) public safety; or (10) new text end a program of study under paragraph
(b).

(b) Each institution may add one additional area of study or certification, based on a
workforce shortage for full-time employment requiring postsecondary education that is
unique to the institution's specific region, as reported in the most recent Department of
Employment and Economic Development job vacancy survey data for the economic
development region in which the institution is located. A workforce shortage area is one in
which the job vacancy rate for full-time employment in a specific occupation in a region is
higher than the state average vacancy rate for that same occupation. The institution may
change the area of study or certification based on new data once every two years.

(c) deleted text begin The deleted text end new text begin A new text end student deleted text begin must be deleted text end new text begin in an eligible field new text end enrolled for at least nine credits in a two-year
college in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system deleted text begin to be deleted text end new text begin is new text end eligible for first-
and second-year scholarships new text begin of $2,500 new text end .

deleted text begin (d) The student is eligible for a one-year transfer scholarship if the student transfers from
a two-year college after two or more terms, and the student is enrolled for at least nine
credits in a four-year university in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
deleted text end

new text begin (d) A student in an eligible field enrolled for at least nine credits in a four-year university
in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is eligible for first-year and
second-year scholarships of $3,500.
new text end

new text begin (e) A student in an eligible field enrolled in a select short-term credit and noncredit
certificate program may receive scholarships of up to $1,500 or the full cost of instruction
and credit for prior learning fees, whichever is less.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136F.38, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Renewal; cap.

A student who has received a scholarship may apply again but
total lifetime awards are not to exceed deleted text begin $7,500 deleted text end new text begin $12,000 new text end per student. Students may only be
awarded a second scholarship upon completion of two academic terms. Students may be
awarded a third scholarship if the student transfers to a corresponding program at a Minnesota
state university.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136F.38, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Administration.

(a) The board shall establish an application process and other
guidelines for implementing this program.

(b) The board shall give preference to students in financial need.

new text begin (c) Up to 1.5 percent of funds appropriated for this program may be used for the
administration of this program, including outreach to students and promotion of programs
where graduates and certificate holders are currently most needed.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Workforce development. new text end

new text begin $50,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and
$50,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general fund to the Board of
Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to educate and train Minnesota's
workforce.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Equipment and learning environments. new text end

new text begin Of the amounts appropriated in
subdivision 1, $24,500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $24,500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are to
upgrade college and university equipment and learning environments to provide students
with state-of-the-art learning opportunities for career and technical education and to enhance
applied research laboratories for interactive, hands-on, multidisciplinary approaches to
science, technology, engineering, and math education. This appropriation must be matched
with cash or in-kind contributions from nonstate sources. Up to 1.5 percent of the
appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Industry sector programming. new text end

new text begin Of the amounts appropriated in subdivision
1, $12,750,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $12,750,000 in fiscal year 2025 are to develop and
expand industry sector programming to build capacity and support new and redesigned
curricular options with an emphasis on offering students work-based learning experiences.
This appropriation must be matched with cash or in-kind contributions from nonstate sources.
Up to 1.5 percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Workforce development scholarships. new text end

new text begin Of the amounts appropriated in
subdivision 1, $12,750,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $12,750,000 in fiscal year 2025 are to
expand the Workforce Development Scholarship program under Minnesota Statutes, section
136F.38, to add three new degree fields for scholarship eligibility: construction, education,
and public safety; expand eligibility and award amounts; and add select short-term credit
and noncredit certificates for full cost of instruction and credit for prior learning fees.
Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 136F.38, this appropriation must be matched
with cash or in-kind contributions from nonstate sources.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 136F.38, subdivision 2, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 23-02604

136F.38 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIPS.

Subd. 2.

Scholarship awards.

The program shall award scholarships at the beginning of an academic term, in the amount of $2,500, to be distributed evenly between two terms.