SF 4096

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 09/28/2022 03:00pm

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; establishing an allied health technician scholarship
program; requiring a report; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin ALLIED HEALTH TECHNICIAN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
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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
shall establish a program to provide up to 1,000 scholarships to students entering specified
health technician programs by 2025.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Eligible students. new text end

new text begin (a) To be eligible for a scholarship under this section, a
student must:
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new text begin (1) apply in the form and manner specified by the commissioner;
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new text begin (2) be a resident student, as defined by Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.101, subdivision
8;
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new text begin (3) attend an eligible institution, as defined by Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.101,
subdivision 4;
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new text begin (4) be enrolled in the student's first term in a nationally accredited degree, diploma, or
certificate program in one of the following health technician fields:
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new text begin (i) medical laboratory technologist;
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new text begin (ii) medical laboratory technician;
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new text begin (iii) respiratory therapist;
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new text begin (iv) radiology technologist; or
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new text begin (v) surgical technologist; and
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new text begin (5) submit to the commissioner a completed affidavit, prescribed by the commissioner,
affirming the student's intent to work in the specified health technician field following
graduation.
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new text begin (b) A student may receive a scholarship under this section only once.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Administration; award amount. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must establish an
application process and other guidelines for implementing this program. The first set of
scholarships must be awarded for the 2023-2024 academic year.
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new text begin (b) The amount of a scholarship awarded under this section shall be $5,000. The
scholarship shall be paid in a lump sum directly to the institution where the recipient is
enrolled.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reporting. new text end

new text begin By February 1, 2024, and again by February 1, 2025, the
commissioner must submit a report on the program to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher education finance and
policy. The report must include the following information as well as any other information
the commissioner considers relevant:
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new text begin (1) information about all postsecondary health technician programs giving rise to
eligibility for a scholarship under this section, including the programs' locations, costs,
enrollment capacities, acceptance rates, and other relevant information;
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new text begin (2) available data on the current and forecasted demand for health technicians in
Minnesota; and
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new text begin (3) the total number of scholarships issued broken out by:
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new text begin (i) year of award;
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new text begin (ii) postsecondary institution attended;
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new text begin (iii) health technician field; and
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new text begin (iv) relevant and available demographic data about award recipients.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Expiration. new text end

new text begin This section expires June 30, 2025.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ALLIED HEALTH TECHNICIAN SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM.
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new text begin (a) $5,380,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the allied health technician scholarship
program under section 1 of this act. Of this amount:
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new text begin (1) $5,000,000 is for awarding 1,000 student scholarships;
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new text begin (2) $230,000 is for promotion of the program and student recruitment efforts; and
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new text begin (3) $150,000 is for administering the program.
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new text begin (b) This is a onetime appropriation. This appropriation is available until expended or
until June 30, 2025, whichever occurs first.
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