SF 2097

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/21/2014 04:00pm

A bill for an act
relating to the financing of state government; making supplemental appropriations
for early childhood through grade 12 education, higher education, health and
human services, and state government; modifying certain statutory provisions;
increasing the general fund budget reserve; appropriating money; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16A.152, subdivision 2; Minnesota Statutes
2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision;
Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8; repealing Minnesota
Statutes 2012, section 16A.152, subdivision 1b.

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

ARTICLE 1

BUDGET RESERVE

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16A.152, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Additional revenues; priority.

(a) If on the basis of a forecast of general
fund revenues and expenditures, the commissioner of management and budget determines
that there will be a positive unrestricted budgetary general fund balance at the close of
the biennium, the commissioner of management and budget must allocate money to the
following accounts and purposes in priority order:

(1) the cash flow account established in subdivision 1 until that account reaches
$350,000,000;

(2) the budget reserve account established in subdivision 1a until that account
reaches deleted text begin $653,000,000 deleted text end new text begin $1,000,992,000 new text end ;

(3) the amount necessary to increase the aid payment schedule for school district
aids and credits payments in section 127A.45 to not more than 90 percent rounded to the
nearest tenth of a percent without exceeding the amount available and with any remaining
funds deposited in the budget reserve; new text begin and
new text end

(4) the amount necessary to restore all or a portion of the net aid reductions under
section 127A.441 and to reduce the property tax revenue recognition shift under section
123B.75, subdivision 5, by the same amount deleted text begin ; and deleted text end new text begin .
new text end

deleted text begin (5) to the state airports fund, the amount necessary to restore the amount transferred
from the state airports fund under Laws 2008, chapter 363, article 11, section 3,
subdivision 5.
deleted text end

(b) The amounts necessary to meet the requirements of this section are appropriated
from the general fund within two weeks after the forecast is released or, in the case of
transfers under paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), as necessary to meet the appropriations
schedules otherwise established in statute.

(c) The commissioner of management and budget shall certify the total dollar
amount of the reductions under paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), to the commissioner of
education. The commissioner of education shall increase the aid payment percentage and
reduce the property tax shift percentage by these amounts and apply those reductions to
the current fiscal year and thereafter.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for forecasts following final
enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin BUDGET RESERVE INCREASE.
new text end

new text begin On July 1, 2014, the commissioner of management and budget shall transfer
$340,000,000 to the budget reserve in the general fund.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16A.152, subdivision 1b, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

ARTICLE 2

E-12 EDUCATION

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3,
is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The commissioner shall establish application
timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational
needs of eligible families and programs. The commissioner may prioritize applications on
factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a
waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.

(b) Scholarships may be awarded deleted text begin up deleted text end to deleted text begin $5,000 for deleted text end each eligible child new text begin . The
commissioner shall establish a target for the average scholarship amount per child
based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.13, subdivision 1,
paragraph (b), new text end per year.

(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled
in or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify
the commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year
of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than
current funding provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of
scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.

(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has
not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in
order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one
scholarship in a 12-month period.

(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development
screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening within 90
days of first attending an eligible program.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended by adding
a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Program funding. new text end

new text begin (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the annual baseline
appropriation for this program equals the lesser of:
new text end

new text begin (1) twice the appropriation for the previous year; or
new text end

new text begin (2) the actual amount necessary to fund all eligible scholarship requests.
new text end

new text begin (b) There is annually appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
education the amount necessary for early education scholarships according to paragraph
(a). This amount must be reduced by the amount of any money specifically appropriated
for the same purpose in any year from any state fund.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8.

Early childhood education scholarships.

For transfer to the Office of
Early Learning for early learning scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:

	$	23,000,000	.....	2014
	$	deleted text begin 23,000,000 deleted text end new text begin 63,000,000 new text end	.....	2015

Up to $950,000 each year is for administration of this program.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2014.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin ELEMENTARY LEARNING MENTORSHIP PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin For fiscal years 2015 through 2017, the
commissioner of education shall develop an elementary learning mentorship pilot program
to improve kindergarten through grade 3 achievement using volunteer mentorships that
provides one-on-one advice and training to students who need educational assistance.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Pilot site selection. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall select five school districts to
serve as pilot sites. The pilot sites must include three school districts whose administrative
offices are located in the seven-county metropolitan area, one school district whose
administrative offices are not located in the seven-county metropolitan area, and one
district where a majority of the students served are American Indian children. Two of the
eligible school districts located in the seven-county metropolitan area must have their
administrative offices located in a city of the first class.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Student selection. new text end

new text begin Pilot sites are solely responsible for determining which
students in the pilot site school district are paired with mentors. Pilot sites must develop
a selection method to pair students who need additional one-on-one assistance with
volunteer mentors. Students who need additional assistance with academic achievement
should be given preference for being paired with a mentor. Students may be mentored for
any portion of the school year, as determined by the pilot site and the mentor.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Mentorship criteria. new text end

new text begin Each pilot site must select volunteer mentors who
will work with kindergarten through grade 3 students who need additional one-on-one
assistance to improve educational achievement. Each pilot site is solely responsible for
overseeing its mentors and ensuring that the mentor's work conforms with the site's
academic program. Each pilot site may determine the appropriate number of mentors and
how each mentor interacts with students. Mentors must act as individual advisors and
assist with individual academic performance throughout the school year. At a minimum,
mentors shall work with each student at least three hours per week. Mentors may work
with students in the evenings and during the summer. Each pilot site must agree to allow
mentors to work individually with students to advise students and to help improve each
student's achievement. Mentors must work with each student's teacher to ensure that
the mentorship guidance that is provided conforms to each teacher's lesson plan and
curriculum. Pilot sites must be willing to allow mentors to work during the school day or
after school with students needing additional assistance.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Funding. new text end

new text begin In each year, the commissioner shall allocate 20 percent of the
grant allocation to each pilot site. Each pilot site's grant allocation must be used to identify,
select, and train mentors to work individually with students who are in need of achievement
improvement. Grant allocations may also be used to purchase academic materials and to
provide food and drink for students who are being mentored after the regular school day.
The pilot site must agree to a financial and academic reporting mechanism determined by
the commissioner for the purposes of preparing the report in subdivision 6.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By January 15, 2018, the commissioner shall report to the
legislative committees in the legislature with responsibility for education finance on the
effectiveness of the early learning mentorship pilot project. At a minimum, the report shall
evaluate the extent to which mentorship improved achievement and attendance, reduced
the achievement gap, and improved students' interest in learning. The report shall also
examine mentorship techniques that proved successful.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin The sums indicated in this section are
appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years
designated.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Elementary learning mentorship pilot project. new text end

new text begin For elementary learning
mentorship pilot project grants and administration:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 1,500,000 new text end

new text begin .... new text end

new text begin 2015 new text end

new text begin The Department of Education may retain up to five percent of this appropriation for
administration of the pilot project.
new text end

new text begin The base for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 is $1,500,000 each year. The base for
fiscal year 2018 and later is $0.
new text end

ARTICLE 3

HIGHER EDUCATION

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS. new text end

new text begin The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are added to or, if shown
in parentheses, subtracted from the appropriations in Laws 2013, chapter 99, article 1, to
the agencies and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the
general fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for
each purpose. The figures "2014" and "2015" used in this article mean that the addition
to or subtraction from the appropriation listed under them is available for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 2014, or June 30, 2015, respectively. Supplemental appropriations and
reductions to appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, are effective the
day following final enactment.
new text end

			new text begin APPROPRIATIONS new text end
			new text begin Available for the Year new text end
			new text begin Ending June 30 new text end
				new text begin 2014 new text end		new text begin 2015 new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin -0- new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 17,000,000 new text end

new text begin This appropriation is for compensation costs to retain talented faculty and staff.
new text end

ARTICLE 4

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Section 1. new text begin DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH APPROPRIATION FOR SUPPORTIVE
SERVICE GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of health for supportive service grants for the safe harbor for sexually
exploited youth program, under Minnesota Statutes, section 145.4716, including advocacy
services, civil legal services, health care services, mental and chemical health services,
education and employment services, aftercare and relapse prevention, and family
reunification services. This appropriation is added to the base.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR SAFE
HARBOR AND HOUSING FUND.
new text end

new text begin $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2015 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services for the safe harbor shelter and housing fund. This
appropriation is added to the base.
new text end

ARTICLE 5

STATE DEPARTMENTS

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are added to or, if shown
in parentheses, subtracted from, the appropriations in Laws 2013, chapter 142, article 1, to
the agencies and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the
general fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for
each purpose. The figures "2014" and "2015" used in this article mean that the addition
to or subtraction from the appropriation listed under them is available for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 2014, or June 30, 2015, respectively. Supplemental appropriations and
reductions to appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, are effective the
day following final enactment.
new text end

			new text begin APPROPRIATIONS new text end
			new text begin Available for the Year new text end
			new text begin Ending June 30 new text end
				new text begin 2014 new text end		new text begin 2015 new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin BOARD OF THE ARTS. new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin -0- new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 600,000 new text end

new text begin $600,000 is for arts education in partnership
with the President's Committee's Turnaround
Arts Initiative. The base for fiscal year 2016
is $600,000. The base thereafter is $0.
new text end