1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; authorizing a safety officer survivor education 
1.3 	benefit for graduate study;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 299A.45, 
1.4 	subdivisions 1, 2.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 299A.45, subdivision 1, is amended to 
1.7 	read:
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Eligibility. A person is eligible to receive educational benefits under 
1.9 	this section if the person:
1.10 	(1) is certified under section 299A.44 and in compliance with this section and rules 
1.11 	of the commissioner of public safety and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education;
1.12 	(2) is enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree or certificate program after 
1.13 	June 30, 1990, at an eligible Minnesota institution as provided in section 136A.101, 
1.14 	subdivision 4;
1.15 	(3) has not received a baccalaureate degree or been enrolled full time for nine 
1.16 	semesters or the equivalent, except that a student who withdraws from enrollment for 
1.17 	active military service is entitled to an additional semester or the equivalent of eligibility
1.18 	benefits for the maximum duration specified in subdivision 4; and
1.19 	(4) is related in one of the following ways to a public safety officer killed in the 
1.20 	line of duty on or after January 1, 1973:
1.21 	(i) as a dependent child less than 23 years of age;
1.22 	(ii) as a surviving spouse; or
2.1 	(iii) as a dependent child less than 30 years of age who has served on active military 
2.2 	duty 181 consecutive days or more and has been honorably discharged or released to the 
2.3 	dependent child's reserve or National Guard unit.

2.4 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 299A.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.5 		Subd. 2.Award amount. (a) The amount of the award is the lesser of:
2.6 	(1) the average tuition and fees charged by the institution; or
2.7 	(2) the tuition maximums established by law for the state grant program under 
2.8 	section 136A.121. The tuition maximum for graduate study is the maximum established 
2.9 	by law for the state grant program for four-year programs.
2.10 	(b) An award under this subdivision must not affect a recipient's eligibility for a 
2.11 	state grant under section 136A.121.
2.12 	(c) For the purposes of this subdivision, "fees" include only those fees that are 
2.13 	mandatory and charged to all students attending the institution.
2.14 	(d) For the purpose of benefits awarded under this section, full time for a graduate 
2.15 	program is eight or more credits per term or the equivalent.

2.16 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.17 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective July 1, 2012.