1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; establishing a program for highly qualified college 
1.3 	degree holders to complete peace officer education and training; establishing a 
1.4 	peace officer college scholarship program for highly qualified high school 
1.5 	graduates; establishing a scholarship program for students preparing to be licensed 
1.6 	social workers; requiring a report; appropriating money;proposing coding for new 
1.7 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 136A; 626.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 	ARTICLE 1
1.10 	LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING

1.11 	Section 1. [626.8516] INTENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE PEACE OFFICER 
1.12 	EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
1.13 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; title. A program is established within the Department 
1.14 	of Public Safety to fund the intensive comprehensive law enforcement education and training 
1.15 	of highly qualified college degree holders. The program shall be known as the "intensive 
1.16 	comprehensive peace officer education and training program."
1.17 		Subd. 2.Purpose; participant qualities. The program is intended to address the critical 
1.18 	shortage of peace officers in the state. The program shall recruit, educate, and train highly 
1.19 	qualified college graduates to become licensed peace officers in the state through an intensive 
1.20 	comprehensive process. A highly qualified participant shall have a strong moral character 
1.21 	and a proven commitment to community and public service. In addition, participants should 
1.22 	possess strong critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills. 
1.23 	Participants must also possess the physical capabilities to perform the duties of a peace 
2.1 	officer. The program shall strive to include persons from groups that are currently 
2.2 	underrepresented in policing. Program participants shall represent all regions of the state.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Eligibility. To be eligible to participate in the program, a candidate must:
2.4 	(1) hold a two- or four-year degree from an accredited college or university;
2.5 	(2) be a citizen of the United States;
2.6 	(3) submit to a thorough background check, including searches by local, state, and federal 
2.7 	agencies, to disclose the existence of any criminal record or conduct which would adversely 
2.8 	affect the performance by the candidate of peace officer duties; and
2.9 	(4) possess a valid Minnesota driver's license or, in case of residency therein, a valid 
2.10 	driver's license from another state, or eligibility to obtain either license.
2.11 		Subd. 4.Application. The commissioner shall establish and publish an application for 
2.12 	participation in the program no later than November 1, 2022.
2.13 		Subd. 5.Selection committee; purpose; membership. (a) The commissioner shall 
2.14 	convene a selection committee to review applications and make recommendations for 
2.15 	participation in the program.
2.16 	(b) The selection committee shall consist of:
2.17 	(1) a state employee experienced in law enforcement who is appointed by the 
2.18 	commissioner;
2.19 	(2) a citizen member of the Ensuring Police Excellence and Improving Community 
2.20 	Relations Advisory Council;
2.21 	(3) a representative of the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association;
2.22 	(4) a representative of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association;
2.23 	(5) a peace officer who is a member of a statewide or national peace officer affinity 
2.24 	group that represents a group or groups that are currently underrepresented in law 
2.25 	enforcement;
2.26 	(6) a designee appointed by the commissioner of higher education;
2.27 	(7) a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and
2.28 	(8) a person appointed by the commissioner with experience in criminal justice and law 
2.29 	enforcement instruction provided at a private nonprofit postsecondary institution.
2.30 	(c) The members of the selection committee shall select a chair from its membership.
3.1 		Subd. 6.Selection process; commencement of coursework and training. (a) The 
3.2 	selection committee shall strive to provide opportunities to participate in the program to 
3.3 	applicants from groups that are currently underrepresented in law enforcement and who 
3.4 	represent the state's increasingly diverse population.
3.5 	(b) For the initial cohort of program participants, the selection committee shall make 
3.6 	recommendations to the commissioner no later than January 15, 2023.
3.7 	(c) The commissioner shall select up to 125 persons to participate in the program each 
3.8 	fiscal year.
3.9 	(d) The commissioner shall select and notify candidates of their selection to participate 
3.10 	in the initial cohort no later than February 15, 2023.
3.11 	(e) The commissioner, in consultation with the presidents of the institutions designated 
3.12 	as education providers under subdivision 11, shall establish a date to commence coursework 
3.13 	and training for the initial cohort of program participants. Coursework must commence as 
3.14 	soon as practicable, but no later than September 1, 2023.
3.15 	(f) The commissioner shall establish future deadlines for the nomination of candidates, 
3.16 	the selection of participants, and commencement of coursework and training for subsequent 
3.17 	cohorts. The commissioner shall establish these deadlines, in consultation with the presidents 
3.18 	of the institutions designated as education providers under subdivision 11, to ensure that 
3.19 	institutions providing training under the program have the staff, facilities, and resources 
3.20 	necessary to provide intensive comprehensive coursework and training to participants.
3.21 		Subd. 7.Nominations. Chief law enforcement officers may nominate and recommend 
3.22 	qualified candidates to participate in the program. Statewide and national peace officer 
3.23 	affinity groups that represent groups that are currently underrepresented in law enforcement 
3.24 	may also nominate candidates to participate in the program.
3.25 		Subd. 8.Participant benefits. Program participants are entitled to the following benefits:
3.26 	(1) tuition-free law enforcement education and skills training needed to be eligible for 
3.27 	licensure as a peace officer;
3.28 	(2) a stipend to provide for living expenses while participating in the program;
3.29 	(3) forgiveness of student loans incurred for past higher education degrees, to the extent 
3.30 	the legislature appropriates funds for this purpose;
3.31 	(4) a signing bonus when hired by a state law enforcement agency as a peace officer; 
3.32 	and
4.1 	(5) a bonus for being retained after completion of the 18-month probationary period 
4.2 	provided for in subdivision 14.
4.3 		Subd. 9.Participant obligations. (a) To enter the program, participants must sign a 
4.4 	contract agreeing to fulfill the program's requirements and to fulfill the employment 
4.5 	obligation under subdivision 10. The contract shall provide that a participant who fails to 
4.6 	meet the requirements of the program without being excused by the commissioner must 
4.7 	reimburse the state for the amount of state funds expended on the participant. The contract 
4.8 	shall also include acknowledgment from the participant that the participant was advised of 
4.9 	the minimum selection standards to become a licensed peace officer in Minnesota.
4.10 	(b) To remain in the program, participants must:
4.11 	(1) continue to meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the program established 
4.12 	in subdivision 3;
4.13 	(2) achieve passing grades in the required courses;
4.14 	(3) complete the required law enforcement skills training;
4.15 	(4) make timely progress towards completion of the program;
4.16 	(5) pass the Minnesota peace officer licensure exam; and
4.17 	(6) actively seek employment as a peace officer with a Minnesota law enforcement 
4.18 	agency until employed as a peace officer.
4.19 		Subd. 10.Employment obligation. (a) Unless granted an extension by the commissioner, 
4.20 	a participant must be employed full time in the state as a peace officer within six months 
4.21 	of completing the program.
4.22 	(b) A participant must remain continuously employed full time as a peace officer in the 
4.23 	state for six years after completion of the program.
4.24 	(c) The commissioner shall annually verify with the board that program graduates who 
4.25 	have not fulfilled the total employment obligation are employed as a peace officer by a state 
4.26 	law enforcement agency.
4.27 	(d) The commissioner may approve, on a case-by-case basis, employment in other public 
4.28 	safety professions for program graduates to satisfy their employment obligation. When the 
4.29 	commissioner approves a program graduate's request under this paragraph, the graduate 
4.30 	must annually verify, in a form and manner specified by the commissioner, that the recipient 
4.31 	is employed in a position that fulfills the employment obligation.
5.1 	(e) Upon the request of a program graduate, the commissioner may temporarily suspend 
5.2 	the employment obligation for extenuating circumstances. The employment obligation is 
5.3 	canceled upon the program graduate's death or total and permanent disability.
5.4 		Subd. 11.Education providers; sites. (a) No later than September 1, 2022, the Board 
5.5 	of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall designate at least four 
5.6 	regionally diverse system campuses to provide the required intensive comprehensive law 
5.7 	enforcement education and skills training to participants in the program.
5.8 	(b) In addition to the campuses designated under paragraph (a), the commissioner shall 
5.9 	designate at least one and not more than two private, nonprofit postsecondary institutions 
5.10 	to provide the required intensive comprehensive law enforcement education and skills 
5.11 	training to participants in the program.
5.12 		Subd. 12.Education and skills training program. No later than February 1, 2023, the 
5.13 	commissioner, in consultation with the executive director of the board and the institutions 
5.14 	designated as education providers under subdivision 11, shall develop an intensive 
5.15 	comprehensive law enforcement education and skills training program that will provide 
5.16 	program participants with the law enforcement education and skills training needed to be 
5.17 	licensed as a peace officer. The program must be designed to be completed in eight months 
5.18 	or less and shall be offered at the institutions designated under subdivision 11. The program 
5.19 	may overlap, coincide with, or draw upon existing law enforcement education and training 
5.20 	programs at institutions designated as education providers under subdivision 11. Existing 
5.21 	law enforcement programs that are designed to be completed in eight months or less may 
5.22 	be considered an intensive comprehensive law enforcement education and skills training 
5.23 	program for purposes of this section.
5.24 		Subd. 13.Job placement assistance; commissioner. The commissioner shall assist 
5.25 	program participants in identifying and applying for peace officer positions in the state.
5.26 		Subd. 14.Hiring law enforcement agencies; extended probationary period granted; 
5.27 	reassignment. (a) The chief law enforcement officer of an agency that hires a program 
5.28 	graduate shall have 18 months to evaluate the officer's fitness for nonprobationary 
5.29 	employment. If an agency elects not to offer a program graduate an unrestricted position 
5.30 	after the 18-month probationary period, the agency shall provide the officer with up to three 
5.31 	months of assistance in finding another public safety position within Minnesota.
5.32 	(b) During a program graduate's 18-month probationary period, the hiring agency must 
5.33 	provide the officer with a mentor who is not the officer's partner. If the officer is a member 
5.34 	of a group that is currently underrepresented in law enforcement, the agency must make a 
6.1 	good faith effort to pair the officer with a mentor from the same underrepresented group. 
6.2 	When available, the agency shall pair the officer with a mentor who is employed as a peace 
6.3 	officer with another law enforcement agency in the state.
6.4 		Subd. 15.Account established. (a) An intensive comprehensive peace officer education 
6.5 	and training program account is created in the special revenue fund for depositing money 
6.6 	appropriated to or received by the department for this program. Money deposited in the 
6.7 	account is appropriated to the commissioner, does not cancel, and is continuously available 
6.8 	to fund the requirements of this section.
6.9 	(b) The commissioner shall annually transfer to any designated education provider under 
6.10 	subdivision 11 funds sufficient to provide the required education and skills training to 
6.11 	program participants. Each designated education provider must receive the same amount 
6.12 	of funds per program participant.
6.13 		Subd. 16.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the 
6.14 	meanings given.
6.15 	(b) "Board" means the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training.
6.16 	(c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
6.17 	(d) "Peace officer" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph 
6.18 	(c).
6.19 	(e) "Program" means the intensive comprehensive peace officer education and training 
6.20 	program.

6.21 	Sec. 2. [626.8518] PEACE OFFICER COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
6.22 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A program is established within the Department of Public 
6.23 	Safety to provide college scholarships to highly qualified Minnesota high school graduates 
6.24 	to earn a law enforcement degree from an eligible postsecondary institution. The program 
6.25 	shall be known as the "peace officer college scholarship program."
6.26 		Subd. 2.Purpose. The peace officer college scholarship program is intended to recruit, 
6.27 	educate, train, and mentor highly qualified high school graduates to become licensed peace 
6.28 	officers in the state. A highly qualified candidate shall demonstrate a strong moral character 
6.29 	and a commitment to community and public service. In addition, candidates should possess 
6.30 	advanced critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills. The 
6.31 	program shall strive to include persons from groups that are currently underrepresented in 
6.32 	policing. Program participants shall represent all regions of the state.
7.1 		Subd. 3.Program eligibility. (a) To be eligible for a scholarship under this section, a 
7.2 	candidate must:
7.3 	(1) qualify for resident tuition, as defined in section 135A.043;
7.4 	(2) be a citizen of the United States;
7.5 	(3) submit to a thorough background check, including searches by local, state, and federal 
7.6 	agencies, to disclose the existence of any criminal record or conduct which would adversely 
7.7 	affect the performance by the applicant of peace officer duties; and
7.8 	(4) be enrolled for at least 12 credits per term in a law enforcement degree, diploma, or 
7.9 	certificate program at an eligible institution, as defined by section 136A.101.
7.10 	(b) Both current students and newly admitted incoming students may apply for and 
7.11 	receive a scholarship.
7.12 		Subd. 4.Application; program administration. (a) The commissioner shall establish 
7.13 	and publish an application for participation in the scholarship program no later than 
7.14 	November 1, 2022. For each academic year, the commissioner shall establish the deadline 
7.15 	for applicants to apply for a scholarship. The commissioner must publish the application 
7.16 	deadline at least 12 weeks prior to the deadline.
7.17 	(b) The commissioner shall establish the guidelines and programming necessary for 
7.18 	implementing and administering the program, including providing summer law enforcement 
7.19 	and leadership skills training to participants.
7.20 		Subd. 5.Nominations. Chief law enforcement officers may nominate up to two 
7.21 	candidates to receive scholarships under this program each academic year that funding is 
7.22 	available for scholarships. Statewide and national peace officer affinity groups that represent 
7.23 	groups that are currently underrepresented in law enforcement may also nominate candidates 
7.24 	to participate in the program.
7.25 		Subd. 6.Selection committee; membership. (a) The commissioner shall convene a 
7.26 	selection committee to review applications and recommend candidates for participation in 
7.27 	the program.
7.28 	(b) The selection committee shall consist of:
7.29 	(1) a state employee experienced in law enforcement who is appointed by the 
7.30 	commissioner;
7.31 	(2) a citizen member of the Ensuring Police Excellence and Improving Community 
7.32 	Relations Advisory Council;
8.1 	(3) a representative of the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association;
8.2 	(4) a representative of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association;
8.3 	(5) a peace officer who is a member of a statewide or national peace officer affinity 
8.4 	group that represents a group or groups that are currently underrepresented in law 
8.5 	enforcement;
8.6 	(6) a designee appointed by the commissioner of higher education;
8.7 	(7) a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; and
8.8 	(8) a person appointed by the commissioner with experience in criminal justice and law 
8.9 	enforcement instruction provided at a private, nonprofit postsecondary institution.
8.10 	(c) The members of the selection committee shall select a chair from its membership.
8.11 		Subd. 7.Selection process. (a) The commissioner shall award up to 125 scholarships 
8.12 	each academic year beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year to students that the selection 
8.13 	committee recommends to the commissioner. The commissioner shall strive to provide 
8.14 	opportunities to participate in the program to applicants from groups that are currently 
8.15 	underrepresented in law enforcement and who represent the state's increasingly diverse 
8.16 	population. The commissioner must ensure that scholarships are awarded to students from 
8.17 	all regions of the state.
8.18 	(b) The commissioner shall establish deadlines for the nomination of candidates and the 
8.19 	selection of participants. For the initial cohort of program participants, the selection 
8.20 	committee shall make recommendations to the commissioner no later than January 15, 2023. 
8.21 	The commissioner shall select and notify candidates of their selection to participate in the 
8.22 	initial cohort no later than February 15, 2023. The selection committee shall give preference 
8.23 	to applicants from groups that are currently underrepresented in law enforcement and who 
8.24 	represent the state's increasingly diverse population.
8.25 		Subd. 8.Participant benefits. (a) Program participants are entitled to the following 
8.26 	benefits:
8.27 	(1) free tuition and fees for up to eight semesters;
8.28 	(2) free law enforcement skills training;
8.29 	(3) supplemental law enforcement and leadership skills training; and
8.30 	(4) a stipend to provide for living expenses while participating in the program.
9.1 	(b) In calculating the amount of tuition and fees covered by the scholarship under 
9.2 	paragraph (a), clause (1), the commissioner must first deduct:
9.3 	(1) the amount of the federal Pell Grant award for which the recipient is eligible;
9.4 	(2) the amount of the state grant award for which the recipient is eligible;
9.5 	(3) the amount of any other state or federal financial aid received; and
9.6 	(4) the sum of all institutional grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and tuition remission 
9.7 	amounts.
9.8 	(c) For scholarship recipients attending a private institution, the amount of tuition and 
9.9 	fees covered by the scholarship under paragraph (a), clause (1), must not exceed:
9.10 	(1) for private two-year programs, the highest amount of tuition and fees charged at a 
9.11 	public two-year institution; or
9.12 	(2) for private four-year programs, the highest amount of tuition and fees charged at a 
9.13 	public university.
9.14 		Subd. 9.Participant obligations. (a) To enter the program, participants must sign a 
9.15 	contract agreeing to fulfill the program's requirements, to fulfill the employment obligation 
9.16 	under subdivision 10, and to reimburse the state for failing to complete the program without 
9.17 	being excused from the program by the commissioner. The contract shall also include 
9.18 	acknowledgment from the participant that the participant was advised of the minimum 
9.19 	selection standards to become a licensed peace officer in Minnesota.
9.20 	(b) To remain in the program, participants must:
9.21 	(1) continue to meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the program established 
9.22 	in subdivision 3;
9.23 	(2) remain in good academic standing and make timely progress toward completion of 
9.24 	a law enforcement degree as provided for under paragraph (c);
9.25 	(3) complete the required law enforcement skills training;
9.26 	(4) participate in leadership and peace officer specific training provided by the 
9.27 	commissioner each summer;
9.28 	(5) pass the Minnesota peace officer licensure exam; and
9.29 	(6) actively seek employment as a peace officer in a Minnesota law enforcement agency 
9.30 	until employed as a peace officer.
10.1 	(c) Unless the commissioner approves a participant's request for an extension or grants 
10.2 	an exception to the requirements of this paragraph, a participant must complete the program:
10.3 	(1) in four academic years, if the program is a bachelor's degree program; or
10.4 	(2) in two academic years, if the program is a diploma, certificate, or associate's degree 
10.5 	program.
10.6 		Subd. 10.Employment obligation. (a) Unless granted an extension by the commissioner, 
10.7 	a participant must be employed full time in the state as a peace officer within six months 
10.8 	of completing the program.
10.9 	(b) A participant must remain continuously employed full time as a peace officer in the 
10.10 	state for six years after completion of the program.
10.11 	(c) For at least the first two years of a program graduate's employment as a peace officer, 
10.12 	the hiring agency must provide the officer with a mentor who is not the officer's partner. If 
10.13 	the officer is a member of a group that is currently underrepresented in law enforcement, 
10.14 	the agency must make a good faith effort to pair the officer with a mentor from the same 
10.15 	underrepresented group. When available, the agency shall pair the officer with a mentor 
10.16 	who is employed as a peace officer with another law enforcement agency in the state.
10.17 	(d) The commissioner shall annually verify with the board that program graduates who 
10.18 	have not fulfilled the total employment obligation are employed as a peace officer by a state 
10.19 	law enforcement agency.
10.20 	(e) The commissioner may approve, on a case-by-case basis, employment in other public 
10.21 	safety professions for program graduates to satisfy their employment obligation. When the 
10.22 	commissioner approves a program graduate's request under this paragraph, the person must 
10.23 	annually verify, in a form and manner specified by the commissioner, that the graduate is 
10.24 	employed in a position that fulfills the employment obligation.
10.25 	(f) Upon the request of a program graduate, the commissioner may temporarily suspend 
10.26 	the employment obligation for extenuating circumstances. The employment obligation is 
10.27 	canceled upon the program graduate's death or total and permanent disability.
10.28 		Subd. 11.Failure to complete degree or satisfy the employment obligation. If a 
10.29 	program participant fails to earn their degree in the time provided, otherwise fails to meet 
10.30 	the requirements of the program without being excused from the program by the 
10.31 	commissioner, or fails to satisfy the employment obligation, the commissioner must convert 
10.32 	the amount of state funds expended on the participant's education and stipend into a student 
11.1 	loan and collect from the participant the total amount paid plus interest at a rate established 
11.2 	according to section 270C.40.
11.3 		Subd. 12.Job placement assistance; commissioner. The commissioner shall assist 
11.4 	program participants in identifying and applying for peace officer positions in the state.
11.5 		Subd. 13.Account established. A peace officer college scholarship program account 
11.6 	is created in the special revenue fund for depositing money appropriated to or received by 
11.7 	the department for this program. Money deposited in the account is appropriated to the 
11.8 	commissioner, does not cancel, and is continuously available to fund the requirements of 
11.9 	this section.
11.10 		Subd. 14.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the 
11.11 	meanings given.
11.12 	(b) "Board" means the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training.
11.13 	(c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.
11.14 	(d) "Peace officer" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph 
11.15 	(c).
11.16 	(e) "Program" means the peace officer college scholarship program.

11.17 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATIONS; INTENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE PEACE OFFICER 
11.18 	EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
 11.19 		Subdivision 1.Commissioner of public safety; program creation and 
11.20 	administration. $13,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund for 
11.21 	transfer to the intensive comprehensive peace officer education and training program account 
11.22 	in the special revenue fund to establish and administer the intensive comprehensive peace 
11.23 	officer education and training program.
11.24 		Subd. 2.Public safety; outreach. $800,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the 
11.25 	general fund for transfer to the intensive comprehensive peace officer education and training 
11.26 	program account in the special revenue fund to conduct outreach to qualified candidates 
11.27 	for the intensive comprehensive peace officer education and training program. The 
11.28 	commissioner shall use the funds to target and recruit candidates or groups of candidates 
11.29 	who meet the program's eligibility requirements with an emphasis placed on reaching 
11.30 	candidates from groups that are currently underrepresented in law enforcement and who 
11.31 	represent the state's increasingly diverse population. The commissioner shall conduct outreach 
11.32 	directly to statewide and national peace officer affinity groups that represent groups that 
12.1 	are currently underrepresented in law enforcement. The commissioner shall contract with 
12.2 	an agency with proven experience and success in targeting and recruiting candidates for 
12.3 	specific professions.

12.4 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; PUBLIC SAFETY; TRANSFER TO MNSCU; PEACE 
12.5 	OFFICER COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
 12.6 	$2,600,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund for transfer to the 
12.7 	peace officer college scholarship program account in the special revenue fund to establish 
12.8 	and administer the peace officer college scholarship program. The commissioner shall use 
12.9 	a portion of this appropriation to promote the program to students from groups that are 
12.10 	currently underrepresented in law enforcement and who represent the state's increasingly 
12.11 	diverse population. The commissioner shall conduct outreach directly to statewide and 
12.12 	national peace officer affinity groups that represent groups that are currently underrepresented 
12.13 	in law enforcement.

12.14 	Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; PEACE OFFICER EXPLORER PROGRAM GRANTS; 
12.15 	MENTOR GRANTS.
 12.16 		Subdivision 1.Peace officer explorer program grants. $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 
12.17 	is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of public safety for reimbursement 
12.18 	grants to local units of government that operate peace officer explorer programs. Applicants 
12.19 	for reimbursement grants may receive up to 50 percent of the cost of operating the program. 
12.20 	Reimbursement grants shall be proportionally allocated based on the number of grant 
12.21 	applications approved by the commissioner.
12.22 		Subd. 2.Mentor grants. $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general 
12.23 	fund to the commissioner of public safety for reimbursement grants to local units of 
12.24 	government that permit peace officers employed by the applicant to serve as mentors to 
12.25 	officers employed by other agencies who have recently graduated from either the intensive 
12.26 	comprehensive peace officer education and training program or the peace officer college 
12.27 	scholarship program. Reimbursement grants shall be proportionally allocated based on the 
12.28 	number of grant applications approved by the commissioner.

13.1 	ARTICLE 2
13.2 	SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIPS

13.3 	Section 1. [136A.1285] SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
13.4 		Subdivision 1.Program established. The commissioner shall establish a scholarship 
13.5 	program for eligible students preparing to become licensed social workers in Minnesota.
13.6 		Subd. 2.Eligible students. (a) A student is eligible for a scholarship under this section 
13.7 	if the student is:
13.8 	(1) a resident student;
13.9 	(2) enrolled in a baccalaureate degree-granting social work program at an eligible 
13.10 	institution; and
13.11 	(3) in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress.
13.12 	(b) To receive a scholarship under this section, a student must:
13.13 	(1) apply in the form and manner specified by the commissioner; and
13.14 	(2) sign a contract agreeing to fulfill the employment obligation under subdivision 4.
13.15 	(c) A student may receive a scholarship under this section for no more than eight 
13.16 	semesters or the equivalent.
13.17 		Subd. 3.Scholarship amounts. (a) The amount of a scholarship awarded under this 
13.18 	section shall be equal to the recipient's recognized cost of attendance after deducting:
13.19 	(1) the amount of the federal Pell grant award for which the recipient is eligible;
13.20 	(2) the amount of the state grant award for which the recipient is eligible;
13.21 	(3) the amount of any other state or federal gift aid received; and
13.22 	(4) the sum of all institutional scholarships, grants, tuition waivers, and tuition remission 
13.23 	amounts.
13.24 	(b) For purposes of this section, the recognized cost of attendance for a public institution 
13.25 	has the meaning given in Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, chapter 28, subchapter IV, 
13.26 	part F, section 1087ll. The recognized cost of attendance for a private institution equals the 
13.27 	lesser of:
13.28 	(1) the cost of attendance for the institution as calculated under Code of Federal 
13.29 	Regulations, title 20, chapter 28, subchapter IV, part F, section 1087ll; or
13.30 	(2) an amount equal to the highest recognized cost of attendance at a public university.
14.1 	(c) The scholarship shall be paid directly to the institution where the recipient is enrolled.
14.2 		Subd. 4.Employment obligation. (a) Beginning within six months of the completion 
14.3 	the academic program for which the scholarship was awarded, a scholarship recipient must:
14.4 	(1) be licensed with the Minnesota board of social work; and
14.5 	(2) be employed full time as a social worker in Minnesota for at least four years.
14.6 	(b) A recipient who has completed the program for which the scholarship was awarded 
14.7 	but who has not fulfilled the total employment obligation must annually verify, in a form 
14.8 	and manner specified by the commissioner, that the recipient is employed in a position that 
14.9 	fulfills the employment obligation.
14.10 	(c) If a recipient fails to meet the employment requirement, the commissioner shall 
14.11 	convert the recipient's total scholarship award to a student loan and collect from the 
14.12 	participant the total amount paid plus interest at a rate established according to section 
14.13 	270C.40.
14.14 	(d) The commissioner may waive or defer the employment obligation for a scholarship 
14.15 	recipient for continued graduate studies in social work or for circumstances involving 
14.16 	extreme hardship.
14.17 	(e) Any obligation to fulfill the employment obligation cancels upon the death or 
14.18 	permanent and total disability of the scholarship recipient.
14.19 	(f) The commissioner shall develop a contract to be signed by all scholarship applicants. 
14.20 	The contract shall bind the applicant to the employment obligation under this subdivision.
14.21 		Subd. 5.Insufficient appropriation. If the amount appropriated for this program is 
14.22 	determined by the office to be insufficient to make full awards to all eligible applicants, the 
14.23 	commissioner shall prioritize awards to eligible applicants based on the applicants' individual 
14.24 	financial needs as determined by the federal needs analysis.
14.25 		Subd. 6.Report required. By February 15 of each year, the commissioner of higher 
14.26 	education shall submit a report on the details of the program under this section to the 
14.27 	legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education finance and policy and to the 
14.28 	Legislative Reference Library as provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195. The report 
14.29 	shall include the following information:
14.30 	(1) the number of students receiving an award in the previous year and the institutions 
14.31 	they attended;
15.1 	(2) the average and total award amounts in the previous year, disaggregated by institution 
15.2 	attended;
15.3 	(3) summary demographic data on award recipients in the previous year;
15.4 	(4) data on recipients currently subject to the employment obligation under subdivision 
15.5 	4, including the number of recipients subject to the obligation, the number who are 
15.6 	successfully completing the obligation, the number who have had their scholarships converted 
15.7 	to loans, and the number who have had their obligation waived or deferred; and
15.8 	(5) if the appropriation for the program was determined to be insufficient, an explanation 
15.9 	of measures taken under subdivision 5.

15.10 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment. The 
15.11 	commissioner shall begin offering scholarships under this section in the 2023-2024 academic 
15.12 	year.

15.13 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIPS.
 15.14 	(a) $2,600,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
15.15 	commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the social work scholarship program 
15.16 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1285.
15.17 	(b) The office may use no more than three percent of the amount appropriated under 
15.18 	this section to administer the scholarship program.