SF 2816

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/21/2025 10:38 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; requiring refund of unused student meal plan balances;
requiring a report; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
135A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [135A.196] REFUNDS FOR UNUSED MEAL PLAN BALANCES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Higher education institution" means any public or private postsecondary institution
that is physically located in Minnesota that offers meal plans to students and receives federal
or state financial aid funds on behalf of students.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Meal plan" means a prepaid plan offered by a higher education institution that
provides students with access to campus dining services, including but not limited to meal
swipes, dining dollars, or other credit-based systems for purchasing food and beverages on
campus.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Unused balance" refers to any remaining funds or meal credits on a student's meal
plan account that have not been used by the student as of 30 days after the end of the spring
academic term, or the withdrawal or matriculation of the student, including:
new text end

new text begin (1) the cash value of any prepaid dollar or dollar-equivalent balance; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the cash value of any unused meal vouchers.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Federal or state financial aid" means financial assistance provided to students through
programs authorized under federal or Minnesota state law, including grants, scholarships,
loans, or other monetary assistance intended to support educational expenses.
new text end

new text begin (f) "Refund" means the return of unused balances to the student in the form of a check,
electronic deposit, or credit applied to the student's account in compliance with this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Refund requirement. new text end

new text begin (a) Not more than 45 days following the end of the spring
academic term, or the withdrawal or matriculation of a student, a higher education institution
must:
new text end

new text begin (1) refund any unused balance to a student; or
new text end

new text begin (2) at the student's request, apply the unused balance to the next academic term if the
student has not withdrawn or matriculated.
new text end

new text begin (b) The Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota is requested to comply with
this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Prohibition on meal plan fund forfeiture. new text end

new text begin A higher education institution must
not require students to forfeit unused balance or impose restrictions on the use of meal plan
funds that result in financial disadvantage to a student.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Transparency and reporting. new text end

new text begin (a) A higher education institution must provide
a student with regular updates on the student's meal plan balance.
new text end

new text begin (b) A higher education institution must annually report meal plan balance refund practices
and the higher education institution's compliance with this section to the commissioner of
the Office of Higher Education.
new text end