HF 3853

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/26/2020 02:42pm

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; creating a school safety capital grants program for
nonpublic schools; requiring a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin NONPUBLIC SCHOOL SAFETY GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Appropriation. new text end

new text begin (a) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of education for school safety facility and equipment
grants for improvements related to violence prevention and facility security in nonpublic
schools.
new text end

new text begin (b) Up to five percent of the appropriation is available to the commissioner to administer
the grants.
new text end

new text begin (c) This appropriation is available until June 30, 2023.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Qualifying nonpublic schools. new text end

new text begin A nonpublic school that receives aid under
Minnesota Statutes, sections 123B.40 to 123B.48, is eligible to apply for a school safety
grant in the form and manner specified by the commissioner of education.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Grant amount and awards. new text end

new text begin After consultation with the Department of Public
Safety's Minnesota School Safety Center, the commissioner of education may award a
school safety facility grant of no more than $50,000 for each qualifying nonpublic school
building. The commissioner may divide the state into geographic regions and award grants
within each region for projects that meet the requirements of this subdivision on a first-come,
first-served basis. Before a grant is approved, a nonpublic school must provide documentation
acceptable to the commissioner of education specifying how the grant funds will be used.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Matching funds. new text end

new text begin A nonpublic school must match the state grant funds with
money from nonstate funding sources.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Use of funds. new text end

new text begin (a) Grant funds may be used to predesign, design, construct,
furnish, and equip school facilities, including renovating and expanding existing buildings
and facilities.
new text end

new text begin (b) Grant funds may be used for any other allowable purpose under Minnesota Statutes,
section 126C.44. A grant for pupil support services must be used for secular, neutral, and
nonideological services.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Payment procedures. new text end

new text begin Funds for construction may not be distributed by the
commissioner of education to a recipient school until bids have been received on 100 percent
of the construction documents and satisfactory documentation has been submitted to the
commissioner of education indicating the grant funds available are sufficient to fully complete
the project. Grant funds are available when the commissioner of management and budget
determines that sufficient resources have been committed to complete the project, as required
by Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.502.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin At the conclusion of each nonpublic school safety project, the grant
recipient must submit a report to the commissioner of education documenting the school
safety projects undertaken, the amount of grant funds spent, and the safety benefits to the
school's students and staff. By January 15, 2024, the commissioner of education must
summarize each nonpublic school's safety project and submit a report to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education
finance.
new text end