HF 4667

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/07/2024 02:44pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; establishing loan forgiveness and grants for home
care worker education; requiring reports; transferring money; appropriating money;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [136A.1277] HOME CARE WORKER GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education
must establish a grant program for students working as home care workers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin (a) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a student must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be enrolled at an eligible institution in a two- or four-year postsecondary program
that leads to a degree;
new text end

new text begin (2) agree to work as a home care worker no less than an average of ten hours per week
during the academic period for which the grant is awarded; and
new text end

new text begin (3) have made satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101,
subdivision 10.
new text end

new text begin (b) For purposes of this section, "home care worker" means an individual who provides
to older adults or persons with disabilities in-home, nonprofessional long-term services and
supports that are funded in whole or in part by medical assistance, including by the home
and community-based waivers, alternative care, the essential community supports program,
or community support grants.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must establish an application process
and other guidelines for implementing the program. The commissioner must notify grant
recipients of their award amounts by the following dates:
new text end

new text begin (1) for fall academic periods, recipients must be notified by October 15;
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new text begin (2) for spring academic periods, recipients must be notified by February 1; and
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new text begin (3) for summer academic periods, recipients must be notified by July 1.
new text end

new text begin These notification deadlines do not apply in cases where grants are awarded to home care
workers who applied after application deadlines and grant money was available after the
initial round of grants were awarded.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each academic year, the commissioner must determine each grant amount up to
$5,000 based on available funding and the number of eligible applicants.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must give equal consideration to all eligible applicants received
before the application deadline regardless of the order in which the application was received.
new text end

new text begin (d) If there is insufficient grant money to provide a grant to all eligible applicants, the
commissioner shall prioritize the grants to eligible applicants based on the statewide
distribution of grant money.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin By February 15 of each year, the commissioner must submit a
report on the details of the program under this section to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over higher education and human services finance and policy. The report must
include the following information:
new text end

new text begin (1) the number of eligible applicants and the number of home care workers receiving a
grant, each broken down by postsecondary institution;
new text end

new text begin (2) the total number of grants, the total dollar amount of all grants, and the average grant
amount; and
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new text begin (3) other summary data identified by the commissioner as outcome indicators.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [136A.1786] HOME CARE WORKER LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

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

new text begin (b) "Home care worker" means an individual who provides to older adults or persons
with disabilities in-home, nonprofessional long-term services and supports that are funded
in whole or in part by medical assistance, including by the home and community-based
waivers, alternative care, the essential community supports program, and community support
grants.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Qualified education loan" means a government, commercial, or foundation loan
used by an individual for actual costs paid for tuition and reasonable educational and living
expenses related to the postsecondary education of the home care worker.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Creation of account. new text end

new text begin (a) A home care worker loan forgiveness program account
is established in the special revenue fund to provide home care workers with financial
assistance in repaying qualified education loans. The commissioner must use money from
the account to establish and administer the home care worker loan forgiveness program.
new text end

new text begin (b) Money in the home care worker loan forgiveness program account is appropriated
to the commissioner for purposes of this section, does not cancel, and is available until
expended.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin To be eligible to participate in the home care worker loan forgiveness
program, an individual must:
new text end

new text begin (1) have been employed as a home care worker at least an average of three hours per
week for ... prior to application;
new text end

new text begin (2) have qualified education loans;
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new text begin (3) reside in Minnesota; and
new text end

new text begin (4) submit an application to the commissioner in the form and manner prescribed by the
commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Loan forgiveness. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner may select eligible applicants each
year for participation in the home care worker loan forgiveness program, within the limits
of available funding. Applicants are responsible for securing their own qualified education
loans.
new text end

new text begin (b) For each year that the participant meets the eligibility requirements under subdivision
3, the commissioner must make annual disbursements directly to a home care worker equal
to the least of (1) $....... times the average weekly number of hours worked in the preceding
year as a home care worker, (2) $......., or (3) the balance of the participant's qualified
education loans. An individual may receive disbursements under this section for a maximum
of five years.
new text end

new text begin (c) The participant must provide the commissioner with verification that the full amount
of the loan repayment disbursement received by the participant has been applied toward a
qualified education loan. After each disbursement, verification must be received by the
commissioner and approved before the next repayment disbursement is made.
new text end

new text begin (d) If the participant receives a disbursement in the participant's fifth year of eligibility
or ceases to qualify for additional disbursements, the participant must provide the
commissioner with verification that the full amount of the participant's final loan repayment
disbursement was applied toward a qualified education loan. If a participant does not provide
the verification as required under this paragraph within 12 months of receipt of the final
disbursement, the commissioner must collect from the participant the amount paid in the
last disbursement to the participant under the home care worker loan forgiveness program
plus interest at a rate established according to section 270C.40. The commissioner must
deposit the money collected in the home care worker loan forgiveness program account.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; HOME CARE WORKER GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
the Office of Higher Education for home care worker grants under Minnesota Statutes,
section 136A.1277. The commissioner may use up to five percent of this appropriation to
administer the program. $....... is added to the base for fiscal year 2026 and later.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin TRANSFER; HOME CARE WORKER LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
the Office of Higher Education for transfer to the home care worker loan forgiveness program
account established in Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1786, subdivision 2. The
commissioner of the Office of Higher Education may use up to five percent of the amount
transferred in this section to administer the home care worker loan forgiveness program.
$....... is added to the base for fiscal year 2026 and later.
new text end