HF 2114

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/10/2025 02:45 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; creating an institutional grant program for real-time
stenographic writer training; requiring reports; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin REAL-TIME STENOGRAPHIC WRITER TRAINING GRANT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section, "real-time stenographic writer"
means a writer that translates spoken word into text utilizing a stenographic machine and
a shorthand theory based on phonetics.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Establishment and application. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of the Office of Higher
Education must establish a grant program for eligible institutions under Minnesota Statutes,
section 136A.103, to promote the training and job placement of real-time stenographic
writers, including court reporters and closed captioners.
new text end

new text begin (b) The grant application must include (1) a description of the training and assistance
to be funded using the grant amount, including how the training and assistance will increase
the number of real-time stenographic writers, and (2) a description of how the eligible
institution intends to continue providing the training and assistance to be funded by the
grant after the end of the grant period. The commissioner may determine additional
application requirements and establish deadlines to which Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14,
including Minnesota Statutes, section 14.386, do not apply.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Awarding grants. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must award two grants of $300,000
each year beginning the 2025-2026 academic year until the appropriation is expended. One
grantee must be in the seven-county metropolitan area as defined by Minnesota Statutes,
section 473.121, subdivision 2. The other grantee must be outside the seven-county
metropolitan area.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall give a priority to eligible institutions that:
new text end

new text begin (1) possess the most substantial capability to increase their capacity to train real-time
stenographic writers;
new text end

new text begin (2) demonstrate the most promising collaboration with educational institutions, businesses,
labor organizations, or other community groups having the potential to train or provide job
placement assistance to real-time stenographic writers; or
new text end

new text begin (3) propose the most promising and innovative approaches for initiating or expanding
training or job placement assistance efforts with respect to real-time stenographic writers.
new text end

new text begin (c) The first grants must be awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Individual grants and scholarships. new text end

new text begin (a) If an eligible institution uses any of
the grant money under this section for individual grants or scholarships, the grant or
scholarship must comply with this paragraph. The amount of the grant or scholarship must
be based on the amount of need of the scholarship recipient for financial assistance. To be
eligible to receive a grant or scholarship under this section, a recipient must enter into an
agreement with the enrolling school to be employed as a real-time stenographic writer for
six months for each semester or equivalent in which the person receives a grant or
scholarship.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must establish requirements for employment for recipients of
grants or scholarships under paragraph (a), including requirements for repayment of grant
or scholarship amounts in the event of failure to meet the requirements for employment.
The commissioner may waive, in whole or in part, the requirements for repayment of grant
or scholarship amounts on the basis of economic conditions which may affect the ability of
scholarship recipients to find work as real-time stenographic writers. The requirements and
waivers under this paragraph are not subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14, including
Minnesota Statutes, section 14.386.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin (a) By January 15 in any fiscal year an eligible institution receives
a grant, the institution must submit a report to the commissioner of the Office of Higher
Education. The report must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) an assessment by the institution of the effectiveness of activities carried out using
such funds in increasing the number of real-time stenographic writers; and
new text end

new text begin (2) a description of the best practices identified by the eligible institution for increasing
the number of individuals who are trained, employed, and retained in employment as
real-time stenographic writers.
new text end

new text begin (b) In any year the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education receives a report
under paragraph (a), the commissioner must report to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over higher education the results of the reports under paragraph (a) and
recommendations for the program.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $3,150,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of the Office of Higher Education for purposes of section 1. This is a onetime appropriation
and is available through June 30, 2029. This funding is only intended for the educational
training of real-time stenographic writers and must not be used to fund digital recording or
artificial intelligence transcription. The commissioner may use up to five percent of this
appropriation for administrative costs.
new text end