SF 4125
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/17/2026 08:43 a.m.
1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13
5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18
5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23
5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28
A bill for an act
relating to public safety; establishing a grant program to fund safety improvements
at schools; requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law
in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 299A.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
new text begin
[299A.625] SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM.
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) "Capital safety improvement project" means the acquisition or betterment of buildings
or other fixed assets and other improvements of a capital nature to improve the physical
safety of people in schools and on school grounds.
new text end
new text begin
(c) "Noncapital safety improvements" means safety-related improvements, equipment,
systems, or software that are not capital in nature and support the physical safety of people
in schools and on school grounds.
new text end
new text begin
(d) "School" means:
new text end
new text begin
(1) a public or nonpublic school that enrolls students in prekindergarten through grade
12, or any portion thereof, and is housed in a building classified as Group E Occupancy
under the State Fire Code; or
new text end
new text begin
(2) a child day care center classified as a Group E or Group I-4 Occupancy under the
State Fire Code.
new text end
new text begin
(e) "Minnesota School Safety Center" or "Center" means the program within the
Department of Public Safety dedicated to supporting safe and secure learning environments.
If the Minnesota School Safety Center is not operational, the responsibilities delegated to
the Center in this section are delegated to the commissioner of public safety.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Eligible applicants and projects. new text end
new text begin
(a) To be eligible for a grant from bond
proceeds under this section, the school property owner must be a public entity and the project
must be a capital safety improvement project.
new text end
new text begin
(b) To be eligible for a grant from the school safety improvement account in the special
revenue fund, the owner of the school property to be improved may be a public entity, Tribal
government, or private entity.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Approved vendors; comprehensive security systems. new text end
new text begin
(a) The Minnesota
School Safety Center must prepare a list of vendors authorized to provide the security
services and products described in this paragraph. The list must only include vendors that
have been operating for at least two years and have experience providing the school security
services and products described in this paragraph. The eligible school must use grant money
to contract with an authorized vendor to implement and install security equipment,
components, or systems, as determined by the school in consultation with an authorized
vendor. Grant money may be used for the eligible school's current security systems and
training for school staff on using the security systems. The security systems may include a
system to alert local law enforcement of an immediate security threat within each room in
the school. Grant money may be used for as many of the following components as an
authorized vendor recommends:
new text end
new text begin
(1) bullet-resistant interior doors and windows;
new text end
new text begin
(2) ballistic wall panels;
new text end
new text begin
(3) magnetic door-locking systems;
new text end
new text begin
(4) remote lock-down activation systems;
new text end
new text begin
(5) a mass notification system unified with an emergency communication system;
new text end
new text begin
(6) an emergency building access system for first responders including fire, emergency
medical services, and law enforcement personnel;
new text end
new text begin
(7) an access control system with remote door-release capabilities;
new text end
new text begin
(8) electronic access controls for main distribution frame and independent distribution
frame rooms with a key override;
new text end
new text begin
(9) classroom duress alarms linked to a law enforcement and administration notification
system;
new text end
new text begin
(10) security system training for staff to initiate emergency protocols;
new text end
new text begin
(11) ballistic security glass for interior door vision panels and sidelites;
new text end
new text begin
(12) electronic access control systems for primary building entrances; and
new text end
new text begin
(13) classroom door installations that optimize safety and security.
new text end
new text begin
(b) The Minnesota School Safety Center must provide districts and charter schools with
the list of authorized vendors identified in paragraph (a).
new text end
new text begin Subd. 4. new text end
new text begin Application. new text end
new text begin
An applicant for a grant under this section must submit a written
application to the Minnesota School Safety Center using the form, timeline, and procedures
the Center prescribes. The written application must include:
new text end
new text begin
(1) a description of the project or improvements proposed for funding by a grant under
this section;
new text end
new text begin
(2) the rationale for the project or improvements, including a description of the population
attending the school;
new text end
new text begin
(3) an estimate of total costs for the project or improvements, with costs broken out by
individual phases, including but not limited to predesign, design, construction, engineering,
furnishing, and equipping;
new text end
new text begin
(4) a breakdown of the portions of the project or improvements that are capital and that
are noncapital;
new text end
new text begin
(5) the requested amount;
new text end
new text begin
(6) the owner of the property to be improved;
new text end
new text begin
(7) the entity authorized to make decisions for and enter into legal commitments on
behalf of the property owner;
new text end
new text begin
(8) the sources and amounts of state and nonstate funds previously received and
committed to the project or improvements;
new text end
new text begin
(9) the public purpose achieved by the project or improvements;
new text end
new text begin
(10) an estimated timeline for completing the project or improvement;
new text end
new text begin
(11) a contact person to answer clarifying questions about the application for the project
or improvements; and
new text end
new text begin
(12) any additional information requested by the Center.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Prioritization of requests. new text end
new text begin
(a) If money available for this program is insufficient
to fund all eligible grant requests, the Minnesota School Safety Center must award grants
based on a prioritized ranking of the projects according to the following factors:
new text end
new text begin
(1) demonstrated local support for the project;
new text end
new text begin
(2) the need for the project;
new text end
new text begin
(3) long-term costs of maintaining the funded improvements; and
new text end
new text begin
(4) cost of requested improvement compared to anticipated increase in safety.
new text end
new text begin
(b) The Center must ensure that grant money is allocated equitably across the state's
regions, including between the metropolitan area and greater Minnesota.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Match. new text end
new text begin
An applicant for a grant under this section must demonstrate the
commitment of a match for the project with nonstate funds, unless the applicant is:
new text end
new text begin
(1) located in a city with a net tax capacity per capita that is less than the median net tax
capacity per capita among the cities statewide; or
new text end
new text begin
(2) experiencing hardship.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 7. new text end
new text begin Grant amount. new text end
new text begin
(a) A school may apply for one or more grants totaling up to
$....... per year for approved costs of capital and noncapital safety improvement projects.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Each grant must be for at least the amount required to complete one or more project
phases, minus any nonstate funds already committed to the project.
new text end
new text begin
(c) Any remaining balance of the grant amount awarded after the availability period
described in section 16A.642 is canceled to the account or fund from which it was
appropriated.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 8. new text end
new text begin Notifications. new text end
new text begin
The Minnesota School Safety Center must promptly notify each
applicant of the grant decision. For approved projects, the notification must include the
grant amount awarded, the required match, and the deadline for money availability.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 9. new text end
new text begin Applicability of other laws. new text end
new text begin
(a) Chapter 16A applies to grants made from
general obligation bond proceeds and to grants made from the school safety improvement
account in the special revenue fund for capital safety improvement projects.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Grant money is available until the project is completed or abandoned subject to
section 16A.642.
new text end
new text begin
(c) A school improved with a grant from bond proceeds is state bond financed property
subject to section 16A.642.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 10. new text end
new text begin Administration and monitoring. new text end
new text begin
Up to five percent of any appropriation
under this section may be used for administration and monitoring of the program. The
Minnesota School Safety Center must use the money appropriated, other than proceeds
from the sale of general obligation bonds, to provide technical assistance, education, and
support for program applicants, as needed, and may contract with a third party to provide
such services.
new text end
new text begin Subd. 11. new text end
new text begin Report to legislature. new text end
new text begin
On or before January 31, 2027, and every January 31
thereafter, the Minnesota School Safety Center must submit a report as required under
section 3.195 that details the grants awarded under this section, including the total grants
distributed, the recipients of the grants, the projects supported by the grants, and any other
information the commissioner deems appropriate. A copy of this report must also be sent
to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the house of representatives
and the senate having jurisdiction over capital investment, education, and public safety.
new text end
Sec. 2.
new text begin
[299A.709] SCHOOL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT.
new text end
new text begin
The school safety improvement account is created in the special revenue fund, consisting
of appropriations made from funds, other than from the bond proceeds fund, for school
safety improvements under section 299A.625. Money in the account is annually appropriated
to the commissioner of public safety for the grant awards under section 299A.625.
new text end
Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end
new text begin
$1,000,000,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of
public safety for the Minnesota School Safety Center to provide grants for capital school
safety improvement projects eligible under Minnesota Statutes, section 299A.625, subdivision
2, paragraph (a).
new text end
Sec. 4. new text begin TRANSFER.
new text end
new text begin
$....... in fiscal year 2027 is transferred from the general fund to the school safety
improvement account under Minnesota Statutes, section 299A.709, for grants for school
safety improvement projects eligible under Minnesota Statutes, section 299A.625, subdivision
2, paragraph (b).
new text end