1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to higher education; establishing a challenge 
  1.3             grant program administered by the higher education 
  1.4             center on violence and abuse; appropriating money; 
  1.5             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.6             chapter 135A. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [135A.155] [CHALLENGE GRANTS; VIOLENCE AND 
  1.9   ABUSE.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] A challenge grant program 
  1.11  is established under the administration of the higher education 
  1.12  center on violence and abuse.  The center shall award challenge 
  1.13  grants to faculty members of Minnesota higher education 
  1.14  institutions for the purposes set forth in this section. 
  1.15     Subd. 2.  [GOALS.] The goals of the grant program are: 
  1.16     (1) to improve access to education and training on issues 
  1.17  of violence and abuse for all Minnesota residents; 
  1.18     (2) to promote collaborative projects between the Minnesota 
  1.19  state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota, 
  1.20  and private colleges, and between higher education institutions, 
  1.21  licensing boards, and community organizations; and 
  1.22     (3) to promote interdisciplinary higher education and 
  1.23  training. 
  1.24     Subd. 3.  [REQUIREMENTS.] (a) A grant applicant must be a 
  1.25  faculty member of a Minnesota higher education institution.  
  1.26  Preference must be given to proposals which include community 
  2.1   practitioners, faculty members representing more than one 
  2.2   professional discipline, and faculty members with recent 
  2.3   experience working with victims or perpetrators of violence. 
  2.4      (b) Grant proposals must target at least one of the 
  2.5   following disciplines:  law; law enforcement; nursing; medicine; 
  2.6   social work; psychology; and professional education (teachers, 
  2.7   school administrators, and guidance counselors).  Applicants 
  2.8   must demonstrate how the grant proposal will help to meet one or 
  2.9   more recommendations identified by the center in responding to 
  2.10  violence and abuse. 
  2.11     (d) Priority for grants shall be given to grant proposals: 
  2.12     (1) targeting underserved populations and geographic areas, 
  2.13  including rural populations, communities of color, and those 
  2.14  with little or no current access to training; 
  2.15     (2) including practicum placements or fieldwork with 
  2.16  victims, perpetrators, or service providers; 
  2.17     (3) that have a collaborative and interdisciplinary 
  2.18  perspective demonstrating development of linkages among 
  2.19  professions and between higher education and other 
  2.20  organizations; and 
  2.21     (4) with a demonstrated likelihood of institutionalization. 
  2.22     (e) At least one-third of the amount of a grant must be 
  2.23  matched by nonstate sources. 
  2.24     Subd. 4.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE GRANT REVIEW.] The center 
  2.25  shall establish an advisory committee consisting of 
  2.26  representatives from the Minnesota state colleges and 
  2.27  universities, including community colleges, technical colleges, 
  2.28  and state universities, the University of Minnesota, 
  2.29  professional associations, licensing boards and community 
  2.30  violence prevention programs.  Evaluation of all challenge grant 
  2.31  proposals must be conducted by the advisory committee according 
  2.32  to the criteria set forth in this section. 
  2.33     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.34     $500,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.35  higher education center on violence and abuse for the 1998-1999 
  2.36  biennium.  Of this appropriation, $100,000 is available in 
  3.1   fiscal year 1998 for challenge grants and $150,000 is available 
  3.2   for general activities of the center.  $100,000 is available in 
  3.3   fiscal year 1999 for challenge grants and $150,000 is available 
  3.4   for general activities of the center.