SF 786

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; modifying the state grant program; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 136A.121, subdivisions 5,
6; 136A.125, subdivision 4.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 136A.121, subdivision 5, is amended to
read:

Subd. 5.

Grant stipends.

The grant stipend shall be based on a sharing of
responsibility for covering the recognized cost of attendance by the applicant, the
applicant's family, and the government. The amount of a financial stipend must not
exceed a grant applicant's recognized cost of attendance, as defined in subdivision 6, after
deducting the following:

(1) the assigned student responsibility of at least deleted text begin 46 deleted text end new text begin 40 new text end percent of the cost of
attending the institution of the applicant's choosing;

(2) the assigned family responsibility as defined in section 136A.101; and

(3) the amount of a federal Pell grant award for which the grant applicant is eligible.

The minimum financial stipend is $100 per academic year.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 136A.121, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Cost of attendance.

(a) The recognized cost of attendance consists of
allowances specified in law for living and miscellaneous expenses, and an allowance for
tuition and fees equal to the lesser of the average tuition and fees charged by the institution,
or the tuition and fee maximums deleted text begin established in law deleted text end . new text begin The tuition and fee maximum for a
student enrolled in a four-year program is the average of undergraduate tuition and fees in
the University of Minnesota system for the academic year of the grant. The tuition and
fees maximum for a student enrolled in a two-year program shall be set in law.
new text end

(b) For a student registering for less than full time, the office shall prorate new text begin the tuition
and fees component of new text end the cost of attendance to the actual number of credits for which the
student is enrolled. new text begin The living and miscellaneous allowance shall not be prorated.
new text end

The recognized cost of attendance for a student who is confined to a Minnesota
correctional institution shall consist of the tuition and fee component in paragraph (a),
with no allowance for living and miscellaneous expenses.

For the purpose of this subdivision, "fees" include only those fees that are mandatory
and charged to full-time resident students attending the institution. Fees do not include
charges for tools, equipment, computers, or other similar materials where the student
retains ownership. Fees include charges for these materials if the institution retains
ownership. Fees do not include optional or punitive fees.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 136A.125, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Amount and length of grants.

The amount of a child care grant must be
based on:

(1) the income of the applicant and the applicant's spouse;

(2) the number in the applicant's family, as defined by the office; and

(3) the number of eligible children in the applicant's family.

The maximum award to the applicant shall be deleted text begin $2,300 deleted text end new text begin $3,600 new text end for each eligible child
per academic year, except that the campus financial aid officer may apply to the office for
approval to increase grants by up to ten percent to compensate for higher market charges
for infant care in a community. The office shall develop policies to determine community
market costs and review institutional requests for compensatory grant increases to ensure
need and equal treatment. The office shall prepare a chart to show the amount of a grant
that will be awarded per child based on the factors in this subdivision. The chart shall
include a range of income and family size.

Sec. 4. new text begin STATE GRANT PROGRAM; TWO-YEAR PROGRAM TUITION AND
FEE CAP.
new text end

new text begin For the biennium ending June 30, 2009, the tuition and fee maximum for the state
grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.121, shall be $....... the first year
and $....... the second year for students enrolled in two-year programs.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION; CHILD CARE GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the Minnesota Office of Higher
Education for the biennium ending June 30, 2009, for the purposes of the child care grant
program created by Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.125.
new text end