HF 1970

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/10/2025 04:54 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to driver's education; establishing financial assistance pilot program to
attend driver's education courses; requiring reports; creating a work group;
appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin DRIVER'S EDUCATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public safety.
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new text begin (c) "Eligible entities" means a school district; city; county; town; local government unit;
federally recognized Tribe, as defined in United States Code, title 25, section 5304(e); or
nonprofit organization providing or seeking to provide assistance to low-income or
disadvantaged youth.
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new text begin (d) "Eligible youth" means a person who is at least 15 years of age and not more than
24 years of age and meets one of the criteria specified in subdivision 4, paragraph (c).
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new text begin (e) "Driver's education" means a public driver's education course offered by a public
school or a private driver training school as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 171.33,
subdivision 1, that is licensed and authorized to offer driver's education courses in Minnesota.
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new text begin (f) "Driver's license" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 171.01,
subdivision 37.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Pilot program established. new text end

new text begin A driver's education financial assistance pilot
program is established in the Department of Public Safety to award grants to eligible entities
to expand access and availability to driver's education courses and drivers' licenses for
eligible youth ages 15 to 24.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Account established; eligible expenditures. new text end

new text begin (a) A driver's education financial
assistance account is created in the special revenue fund in the state treasury. The
commissioner must credit to the account appropriations and transfers to the account. Earnings,
including interest, dividends, and any other earnings arising from assets of the account,
must be credited to the account. Money in the account at the end of the fiscal year does not
cancel to the general fund but remains available in the account until expended.
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new text begin (b) Money in the account must be used only to:
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new text begin (1) award grants to eligible organizations under this section; and
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new text begin (2) reimburse the Department of Public Safety's reasonable costs for administrative and
staffing expenses.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must establish the driver's education financial
pilot program and coordinate its operation with eligible entities. Upon a successful
application, a participating eligible entity may award an eligible youth financial assistance
as provided under this section. The commissioner must establish the pilot program in at
least one urban, rural, suburban, and Tribal community and make extensive efforts to
publicize the pilot program and how the funds may be used. The commissioner must
coordinate amongst eligible entities to ensure a community-driven approach to provide
access for eligible youth and support to complete the driver's license process.
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new text begin (b) A person seeking financial assistance under the pilot program must submit an
application in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner and eligible entity.
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new text begin (c) A person seeking financial assistance under the pilot program must meet one of the
following criteria:
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new text begin (1) has experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1143a;
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new text begin (2) is a homeless youth, as defined by the Homeless Youth Act in Minnesota Statutes,
section 256K.45;
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new text begin (3) receives housing support under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256I;
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new text begin (4) is a child placed in foster care who is no more than 18 years old;
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new text begin (5) is a foster child who is at least 18 years old and no more than 21 years old and who
receives extended foster care benefits under Minnesota Statutes, section 142A.609 or
260C.451;
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new text begin (6) is a parent or legal custodian of a minor child who receives Minnesota family
investment program assistance under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 142G;
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new text begin (7) is a participant who is no more than 16 years old in a juvenile diversion or restorative
justice program;
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new text begin (8) is a child who is no more than 16 years old and who is out of school, out of work,
and enrolled in a workforce program; or
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new text begin (9) is a youth with a demonstrated and evidenced financial hardship, lack of valid driver's
license, and inability to secure driver's education instruction.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Program administration. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must establish a referral
system to administer the pilot program. The referral system must be operated by an
intermediary selected by the commissioner and identify a community-driven approach to
ensure eligible youth have access and support to complete the driver's license process.
Entities seeking to participate in the pilot program must have the support of school districts
and community-based organizations that focus on under-served and low-income populations
and identify and establish an application procedure to recruit, obtain, and support up to 200
eligible youth in the pilot program per location. An intermediary selected under this section
by the commissioner is eligible for reimbursement for the costs of administering and
operating the pilot program, not to exceed $100,000.
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new text begin (b) Assistance awarded under this section to an eligible youth must not exceed $2,000,
of which $700 may be used as specified in paragraph (c). An eligible youth receiving an
award under this section must use the funds to make use of private or public driver's education
pathways. Eligible uses of the funds include:
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new text begin (1) the cost of attending driver's education and behind-the-wheel instruction;
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new text begin (2) instructional permit and driver's license application fees;
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new text begin (3) the use of a vehicle for a road test; or
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new text begin (4) other courses or materials designed to assist in securing a valid driver's license.
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new text begin (c) An eligible youth may use funds received to pay for all or a portion of previous fines
or fees that prohibit the individual from applying for and receiving a valid driver's license.
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new text begin (d) An eligible entity may provide additional funds to program participants for, or require
program participants to, participate in data reporting and collection on program outcomes.
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new text begin (e) The commissioner must provide staff assistance and administrative support for the
pilot project.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Records. new text end

new text begin (a) Participating eligible entities must keep records of financial
assistance awarded to individuals and all expenses associated with appropriated money.
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new text begin (b) Participating eligible entities must not exceed 15 percent of the total appropriation
for administrative costs.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Data collection and outcomes. new text end

new text begin To collect uniform data to measure the nature
and extent of the need for support to complete the driver's license process, participating
entities must collect and make available to the commissioner the following information:
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new text begin (1) the number of persons who applied for financial assistance;
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new text begin (2) the number of awards issued to eligible youth and the amount of financial assistance;
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new text begin (3) the average amount per award issued to eligible youth;
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new text begin (4) the number of award recipients who were successful in acquiring a driver's license;
and
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new text begin (5) the amount of award funds spent on paying previously instituted fines or fees that
prohibited an eligible youth from receiving a valid driver's license.
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new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin (a) By February 1 of each year, participating entities must submit
a report to the commissioner itemizing all expenditures and grants made to individuals
during the previous calendar year. The report must be in the form and manner prescribed
by the commissioner. Participating entities must assist the commissioner in preparing the
report required under paragraph (b).
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new text begin (b) By January 15, 2027, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation and
education policy. The report must describe the activities of the pilot program.
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new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Work group. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioners of education, public safety, and
employment and economic development must form a work group to study driver education
availability in Minnesota. A member of the work group must include an eligible youth
participating in the program who received an award for driver's education expenses under
this section. Each commissioner may name additional members to the work group, including
representatives of public and private driver education programs and representatives of higher
education institutions providing training for driver education instructors. The work group
must study the availability of and access to driver education courses in Minnesota, analyze
the geographic availability of courses, identify barriers for course participation for
low-income students, and analyze potential permanent funding sources to expand the
availability of driver education opportunities.
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new text begin (b) The commissioner of education must provide staff support, administrative resources,
and convene the first meeting of the work group by September 1, 2025.
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new text begin (c) The work group must prepare and submit a written report to the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over education, driver education, and drivers' licenses by February 1, 2026.
The report must describe the status of driver education courses in Minnesota and recommend
changes to increase student access to driver education courses. The report must also
recommend a permanent funding mechanism to expand the availability of driver education
courses to Minnesota's low-income students.
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new text begin (d) Public members of the work group, except the eligible youth appointed to the
workgroup under paragraph (a), serve without compensation or payment of expenses. The
work group may accept gifts and grants, which are accepted on behalf of the state and
constitute donations to the state. Funds received under this paragraph are appropriated to
the commissioner of education for purposes of this work group.
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new text begin (e) The work group expires upon submission of the report under paragraph (c), or June
30, 2028, whichever is sooner.
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new text begin Subd. 10. new text end

new text begin Expiration. new text end

new text begin The pilot program established under this section expires on June
30, 2028.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $3,850,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of education for the driver's education financial assistance pilot program established in
section 1; the reporting requirements in section 1, subdivision 8; and the driver's education
work group created in section 1, subdivision 9, paragraph (a). This is a onetime appropriation.
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