1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; expanding grants for students with intellectual and 
1.3 	developmental disabilities to institutions in states sharing a geographic border with 
1.4 	Minnesota;amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136A.1215, as amended.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 136A.1215, as amended by Laws 2019, chapter 
1.7 	64, article 2, section 6, is amended to read:
1.8 	136A.1215 GRANTS FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND 
1.9 	DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A program is established to provide financial assistance 
1.11 	to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities that attend a Minnesota 
1.12 	postsecondary institution.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Eligible students. A postsecondary student is eligible for a grant under this 
1.14 	section if the student:
1.15 	(1) meets the eligibility requirements in section 136A.121, subdivision 2;
1.16 	(2) is a student with an intellectual disability, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, 
1.17 	title 34, section 668.231, and is enrolled in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary 
1.18 	program under that section; and
1.19 	(3) attends an eligible institution, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 4.
1.20 		Subd. 2a.Eligible institution. For the purposes of this section, an eligible institution 
1.21 	is:
2.1 	(1) an eligible institution, as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 4; or
2.2 	(2) a postsecondary institution that:
2.3 	(i) is located in a state that shares a geographic border with Minnesota;
2.4 	(ii) operates a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program, as defined in Code 
2.5 	of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 668.231;
2.6 	(iii) participates in federal student aid programs;
2.7 	(iv) maintains academic standards substantially equivalent to those of comparable 
2.8 	institutions operated in Minnesota; and
2.9 	(v) has established an institutional participation agreement with the Minnesota Office 
2.10 	of Higher Education.
2.11 		Subd. 3.Application. To receive a grant under this section, a student must apply in the 
2.12 	form and manner specified by the commissioner.
2.13 		Subd. 4.Maximum grant amounts. (a) The amount of a grant under this section equals 
2.14 	the tuition and fees at the student's postsecondary institution, minus:
2.15 	(1) any Pell or state grants the student receives; and
2.16 	(2) any institutional aid the student receives.
2.17 	(b) If appropriations are insufficient to provide the full amount calculated under paragraph 
2.18 	(a) to all eligible applicants, the commissioner must reduce the maximum grant amount 
2.19 	available to recipients.
2.20 	(c) No more than 25 percent of the total amount of all grants in a given year shall be 
2.21 	awarded to students attending eligible institutions in states that share a geographic border 
2.22 	with Minnesota. If needed to comply with this paragraph, the commissioner may reduce all 
2.23 	grant awards to students attending eligible institutions in states that share a geographic 
2.24 	border with Minnesota and allocate additional funds to eligible students attending eligible 
2.25 	institutions in Minnesota.
2.26 		Subd. 5.Reporting. By February 15 of each year, the commissioner of higher education 
2.27 	must submit a report on the details of the program under this section to the legislative 
2.28 	committees with jurisdiction over higher education finance and policy. The report must 
2.29 	include the following information, broken out by postsecondary institution:
2.30 	(1) the number of students receiving an award;
2.31 	(2) the average and total award amounts; and
3.1 	(3) summary demographic data on award recipients.

3.2 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2021.