Minnesota Legislature
HF 2772
1st Engrossment - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/04/2020 04:41pm
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A bill for an act
relating to health; expanding a home and community-based services employee
scholarship program to also repay qualified educational loans of employees;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 144.1503.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 144.1503, is amended to read:
144.1503 HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES EMPLOYEE
SCHOLARSHIP new text begin AND LOAN FORGIVENESS new text end PROGRAM.
Subdivision 1.
Creation.
The home and community-based services employee scholarship
new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end grant program is established for the purpose of assisting qualified
provider applicants to fund employee scholarships for education in nursing and other health
care fieldsnew text begin ; to cover expenses related to training, field experience, and examination for
persons seeking licensure as an assisted living director under section 144A.20, subdivision
4;new text end new text begin and to repay qualified educational loansnew text end new text begin secured by employees for education in nursing
and other health care fieldsnew text end .
new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end
new text begin Definition. new text end
new text begin
For purposes of this section, "qualified educational loan" means
a government, commercial, or foundation loan secured by an employee of a qualified provider
of older adult services, for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education expenses, and
reasonable living expenses related to the employee's graduate or undergraduate education.
new text end
Subd. 2.
Provision of grants.
The commissioner shall make grants available to qualified
providers of older adult services. Grants must be used by home and community-based service
providers to recruit and train staff through the establishment of an employee scholarship
new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end fund.
Subd. 3.
Eligibility.
(a) Eligible providers must primarily provide services to individuals
who are 65 years of age and older in home and community-based settings, including housing
with services establishments as defined in section 144D.01, subdivision 4; adult day care
as defined in section 245A.02, subdivision 2a; and home care services as defined in section
144A.43, subdivision 3.
(b) Qualifying providers must establish a home and community-based services employee
scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end program, as specified in subdivision 4. Providers that
receive funding under this section must use the funds to award scholarships tonew text begin , and to repay
qualified educational loans of,new text end employees who work an average of at least 16 hours per
week for the provider.
Subd. 4.
deleted text begin Home and community-based services employee scholarship programdeleted text end
new text begin Criteria for programs operated by providersnew text end .
Each qualifying provider under this section
must propose a home and community-based services employee scholarship new text begin and loan
forgiveness new text end program. Providers must establish criteria by which funds are to be distributed
among employees. At a minimum, the scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end program must cover
employee costsnew text begin , and repay qualified educational loans of employees,new text end related to a course of
study that is expected to lead to career advancement with the provider or in the field of
long-term care, including home care, care of persons with disabilities, or nursingnew text begin ; or that
leads to licensure as an assisted living directornew text end .
Subd. 5.
Participating providers.
The commissioner shall publish a request for proposals
in the State Register, specifying provider eligibility requirements, criteria for a qualifying
employee scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end program, provider selection criteria,
documentation required for program participation, maximum award amount, and methods
of evaluation. The commissioner must publish additional requests for proposals each year
in which funding is available for this purpose.
Subd. 6.
Application requirements.
Eligible providers seeking a grant shall submit an
application to the commissioner. Applications must contain a complete description of the
employee scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end program being proposed by the applicant,
including the need for the organization to enhance the education of its workforce, the process
for determining which employees will be eligible for scholarshipsnew text begin or loan repaymentnew text end , any
other sources of funding for scholarshipsnew text begin or loan repaymentnew text end , the expected degrees or
credentials eligible for scholarshipsnew text begin or loan repaymentnew text end , the amount of funding sought for
the scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end program, a proposed budget detailing how funds will
be spent, and plans for retaining eligible employees after completion of their scholarshipnew text begin
or repayment of their loannew text end .
Subd. 7.
Selection process.
The commissioner shall determine a maximum award for
grants and make grant selections based on the information provided in the grant application,
including the demonstrated need for an applicant provider to enhance the education of its
workforce, the proposed employee scholarship new text begin and loan forgiveness new text end selection process, the
applicant's proposed budget, and other criteria as determined by the commissioner.
Notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, funds awarded to grantees in a grant
agreement do not lapse until the grant agreement expires.
Subd. 8.
Reporting requirements.
Participating providers shall submit an invoice for
reimbursement and a report to the commissioner on a schedule determined by the
commissioner and on a form supplied by the commissioner. The report shall include the
amount spent on scholarshipsnew text begin and loan repaymentnew text end ; the number of employees who received
scholarshipsnew text begin and the number of employees for whom loans were repaidnew text end ; and, for each
scholarship new text begin or loan forgiveness new text end recipient, the name of the recipient, the current position of
the recipient, the amount awardednew text begin or loan amount repaidnew text end , the educational institution attended,
the nature of the educational program, and the expected or actual program completion date.
During the grant period, the commissioner may require and collect from grant recipients
other information necessary to evaluate the program.