1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; providing for the financing of higher education 
1.3 	programs; modifying certain higher education appropriations; appropriating money;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, sections 136A.121, subdivision 5; 136A.901, 
1.5 	by adding a subdivision; Laws 2017, chapter 89, article 1, sections 2, subdivisions 
1.6 	2, 18, 20, 40; 3, subdivision 3; 4, subdivision 2.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8	Section 1. HIGHER EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS.
 	
1.9 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are added to the appropriations 
1.10 	in Laws 2017, chapter 89, article 1, unless otherwise specified, to the agencies and for the 
1.11 	purposes specified in this act. The appropriations are from the general fund, or another 
1.12 	named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose. The figures 
1.13 	"2018" and "2019" used in this act mean that the appropriations listed under them are 
1.14 	available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, or June 30, 2019, respectively. "The first 
1.15 	year" is fiscal year 2018. "The second year" is fiscal year 2019. "The biennium" is fiscal 
1.16 	years 2018 and 2019.

1.17				APPROPRIATIONS
	
1.18				Available for the Year
	
1.19				Ending June 30
	
1.20					2018
		2019

1.21
1.22	Sec. 2. MINNESOTA OFFICE OF HIGHER 
EDUCATION

1.23	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	-0-
	$
	2,464,000
	
2.1 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.2 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.3 	subdivisions.

2.4	Subd. 2.State Grant
 		-0-
		1,100,000
	
2.5 	For the state grant program under Minnesota 
2.6 	Statutes, section 136A.121.

2.7	Subd. 3.Minnesota Reconnect Pilot Program
 		-0-
		1,364,000
	
2.8 	For the Minnesota Reconnect pilot program 
2.9 	under section 10. The base for this 
2.10 	appropriation is $1,169,000 in fiscal year 2020 
2.11 	and $0 in fiscal year 2021.

2.12
2.13
2.14	Sec. 3. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE 
MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND 
UNIVERSITIES

2.15	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	-0-
	$
	18,500,000
	
2.16 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.17 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.18 	subdivisions.

2.19	Subd. 2.Operations and Maintenance
 		-0-
		10,000,000
	
2.20 	This is a onetime appropriation.

2.21	Subd. 3.Integrated Statewide Record System
 		-0-
		8,500,000
	
2.22 	For upgrading the Integrated Statewide Record 
2.23 	System. The base for this appropriation is 
2.24 	$12,500,000 for fiscal year 2020 through fiscal 
2.25 	year 2023.

2.26
2.27	Sec. 4. BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

2.28	Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation
 	$
	-0-
	$
	10,000,000
	
2.29 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.30 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.31 	subdivisions.

2.32	Subd. 2.Operations and Maintenance
 		-0-
		10,000,000
	
3.1 	For minimizing tuition increases. This is a 
3.2 	onetime appropriation.

3.3 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.121, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.4 		Subd. 5.Grant stipends. The grant stipend shall be based on a sharing of responsibility 
3.5 	for covering the recognized cost of attendance by the applicant, the applicant's family, and 
3.6 	the government. The amount of a financial stipend must not exceed a grant applicant's 
3.7 	recognized cost of attendance, as defined in subdivision 6, after deducting the following:
3.8 	(1) the assigned student responsibility of at least 50 percent of the cost of attending the 
3.9 	institution of the applicant's choosing;
3.10 	(2) the assigned family responsibility as defined in section 136A.101; and
3.11 	(3) the amount of a federal Pell grant award for which the grant applicant is financially 
3.12 	eligible, unless the student is ineligible to receive a Pell grant under United States Code, 
3.13 	title 20, chapter 28, subchapter IV, part G, section 1091, subsection (a), paragraph (5), or 
3.14 	subsection (d).
3.15 	The minimum financial stipend is $100 per academic year.

3.16 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 136A.901, is amended by adding a subdivision 
3.17 	to read:
3.18 		Subd. 3.Account. A spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury research grant account 
3.19 	is created in the special revenue fund in the state treasury. The commissioner shall deposit 
3.20 	into the account appropriations made for the purposes of this section. Money in the account 
3.21 	is appropriated to the commissioner for the purposes for which it was appropriated.

3.22 	Sec. 7. Laws 2017, chapter 89, article 1, section 2, subdivision 18, is amended to read:

3.23
3.24	Subd. 18.MNSCU Two-Year Public College 
Program
 		3,481,000
2,481,000
		-0-
	
3.25 	(a) $2,780,000 $1,780,000 in fiscal year 2018 
3.26 	is for two-year public college program grants 
3.27 	under Laws 2015, chapter 69, article 3, section 
3.28 	20.
3.29 	(b) $545,000 in fiscal year 2018 is to provide 
3.30 	mentoring and outreach as specified under 
3.31 	Laws 2015, chapter 69, article 3, section 20.
4.1 	(c) $156,000 in fiscal year 2018 is for 
4.2 	information technology and administrative 
4.3 	costs associated with implementation of the 
4.4 	grant program.

4.5 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

4.6 	Sec. 8. Laws 2017, chapter 89, article 1, section 2, subdivision 20, is amended to read:

4.7
4.8	Subd. 20.Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic 
Brain Injury Research Grant Program
 		3,000,000
		3,000,000
	
4.9 	For transfer to spinal cord injury and traumatic 
4.10 	brain injury research grant account in the 
4.11 	special revenue fund.
4.12 	For spinal cord injury and traumatic brain 
4.13 	injury research grants authorized under 
4.14 	Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.901.
4.15 	The commissioner may use no more than three 
4.16 	percent of this appropriation to administer the 
4.17 	grant program under this subdivision.

4.18 	Sec. 9. Laws 2017, chapter 89, article 1, section 2, subdivision 40, is amended to read:

4.19	Subd. 40.Transfers
 					
4.20 	The commissioner of the Office of Higher 
4.21 	Education may transfer unencumbered 
4.22 	balances from the appropriations in this 
4.23 	section to the state grant appropriation, the 
4.24 	interstate tuition reciprocity appropriation, the 
4.25 	child care grant appropriation, the Indian 
4.26 	scholarship appropriation, intervention for 
4.27 	college attendance program grants, summer 
4.28 	academic enrichment program, student-parent 
4.29 	information, and the state work-study 
4.30 	appropriation, the get ready appropriation, and 
4.31 	the public safety officers' survivors 
4.32 	appropriation. Transfers from the child care 
4.33 	or state work-study appropriations may only 
5.1 	be made to the extent there is a projected 
5.2 	surplus in the appropriation. A transfer may 
5.3 	be made only with prior written notice to the 
5.4 	chairs and ranking minority members of the 
5.5 	senate and house of representatives 
5.6 	committees with jurisdiction over higher 
5.7 	education finance.

5.8 	Sec. 10. MINNESOTA RECONNECT PILOT PROGRAM.
 5.9 	(a) The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education shall administer a credential 
5.10 	completion pilot program for adult learners.
5.11 	(b) To the extent they are not inconsistent with this paragraph, the definitions in 
5.12 	Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.101, apply to this section. For purposes of this section, 
5.13 	the terms have the meanings given:
5.14 	(1) "eligible student" means an individual who:
5.15 	(i) meets the eligibility requirements in Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.121, subdivision 
5.16 	2;
5.17 	(ii) is 25 to 61 years of age at the time of award;
5.18 	(iii) has a family adjusted gross income of $85,000 or less;
5.19 	(iv) has previously completed a minimum of 15 credits in a certificate- or degree-seeking 
5.20 	program which have been accepted by a participating college;
5.21 	(v) has not completed a certificate, diploma, or degree of 16 credits or longer in length 
5.22 	prior to enrollment at a participating college;
5.23 	(vi) has not enrolled in any Minnesota institution in the two academic years prior to 
5.24 	enrollment at a participating college; and
5.25 	(vii) is enrolled in three or more semester credits or the participating college certifies 
5.26 	that the student can complete the program within two academic years at a lower enrollment 
5.27 	level;
5.28 	(2) "participating college" means Riverland Community College, Inver Hills Community 
5.29 	College, Lake Superior Community College, or South Central College; and
5.30 	(3) "program" means a certificate, diploma, or associate degree program.
6.1 	(c) The commissioner shall make grants to eligible students to attend a program at a 
6.2 	participating college. An eligible student may not receive this grant for more than two 
6.3 	academic years. The amount of the grant is $1,000 in a fall or spring academic term. An 
6.4 	additional grant of up to $1,000 per term is available for summer and interim terms, if funds 
6.5 	are available.
6.6 	(d) Initial application for the grant is made by a Free Application for Federal Student 
6.7 	Aid (FAFSA) or Dream Act application and by completing any additional forms required 
6.8 	by the commissioner. An application for renewal must be in the form provided by the 
6.9 	commissioner. The commissioner shall set a schedule for the applications.
6.10 	(e) If a student meets the requirement in paragraph (b), clause (1), item (i), but does not 
6.11 	meet one or more of the other conditions of the eligible student definition, the student may 
6.12 	request a special case review from a participating college through a process established by 
6.13 	the commissioner. Using a uniformly applied process, a student who makes a request may 
6.14 	receive a grant award based on the funds available.