HF 703

as introduced - 79th Legislature (1995 - 1996) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; establishing a male 
  1.3             responsibility and fathering grant program; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [MALE RESPONSIBILITY AND FATHERING GRANTS.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.] A grant program 
  1.8   is established to educate young people, particularly males ages 
  1.9   ten to 21, on the responsibilities of parenthood.  The purpose 
  1.10  of the program is to foster male responsibility by encouraging 
  1.11  youth or parenting program providers to collaborate with school 
  1.12  districts to attain the outcomes in this section. 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY; APPLICATION PROCESS.] (a) A youth 
  1.14  or parenting program provider whose purpose is to reduce teen 
  1.15  pregnancy or teach child development and parenting skills in 
  1.16  collaboration with a school district may submit an application 
  1.17  for a grant.  The grant applicant must prepare an application in 
  1.18  collaboration with the advisory committee under paragraph (c).  
  1.19  Each grant application must describe: 
  1.20     (1) the program's structure and components, including 
  1.21  collaborative and outreach efforts; 
  1.22     (2) how the applicant will implement and evaluate the 
  1.23  program; 
  1.24     (3) a plan for using male instructors and mentors; 
  1.25     (4) the outcomes the applicant expects to attain; and 
  2.1      (5) a cultural diversity plan to ensure that program staff 
  2.2   or teachers reflect the cultural backgrounds of the population 
  2.3   served and that the program content is culturally sensitive. 
  2.4      (b) Grant recipients must, at minimum, educate young 
  2.5   people, particularly males ages ten to 21, about responsible 
  2.6   parenting and child development, responsible decision making in 
  2.7   relationships, and the legal implications of paternity.  Grant 
  2.8   recipients must promote public awareness of male responsibility 
  2.9   issues in the collaborating school district.  Grant recipients 
  2.10  may offer support groups, health and nutrition education, and 
  2.11  mentoring and peer teaching. 
  2.12     (c) A grant applicant must establish an advisory committee 
  2.13  to assist the applicant in planning and implementing a grant.  
  2.14  The advisory committee must include student representatives, 
  2.15  adult males from the community, representatives of community 
  2.16  organizations, teachers, parent educators, and representatives 
  2.17  of family social service agencies. 
  2.18     Subd. 3.  [EXPECTED OUTCOMES.] Grant recipients shall use 
  2.19  the funds for programs designed to prevent teen pregnancy and to 
  2.20  prevent crime in the long term.  Grant recipients must assist 
  2.21  youth to: 
  2.22     (1) understand the connection between sexual behavior, 
  2.23  adolescent pregnancy, and the roles and responsibilities of 
  2.24  parenting; 
  2.25     (2) understand the long-term responsibility of fatherhood; 
  2.26     (3) understand the importance of fathers in the lives of 
  2.27  children; 
  2.28     (4) acquire parenting skills and knowledge of child 
  2.29  development; and 
  2.30     (5) find community support for their roles as fathers and 
  2.31  nurturers of children. 
  2.32     Subd. 4.  [GRANT AWARDS.] The commissioner shall establish 
  2.33  a committee to review the grant applications based on the 
  2.34  criteria in subdivisions 2 and 3 and the applicant's ability to 
  2.35  match state money and advise the commissioner.  The committee 
  2.36  shall include teachers and representatives of community 
  3.1   organizations, student organizations, and education or family 
  3.2   social service agencies that offer parent education programs.  
  3.3   The commissioner shall ensure that the grants are 
  3.4   proportionately distributed throughout the state among school 
  3.5   districts with student populations of different sizes. 
  3.6      Subd. 5.  [COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.] The commissioner of 
  3.7   education may enter into cooperative agreements with the 
  3.8   commissioner of human services for purposes of child support 
  3.9   education and awareness, paternity education and awareness, and 
  3.10  gaining federal financial participation. 
  3.11     Subd. 6.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report to the 
  3.12  legislature by January 15, 1997, on the success of grant 
  3.13  recipients in meeting their expected outcomes. 
  3.14     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.15     For the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 1997, $....... is 
  3.16  appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
  3.17  education for awarding male responsibility and fathering program 
  3.18  grants.  The grant recipient must match $1 of state money with 
  3.19  at least 50 cents of nonstate money or in-kind contributions.  
  3.20  The commissioner shall give greater consideration to awarding a 
  3.21  grant to those programs with a greater nonstate match.