1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to veterans; establishing a scholarship program for veterans enrolled in 
1.3 	teacher preparation programs; appropriating money;proposing coding for new 
1.4 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [136A.1265] MILITARY VETERAN TEACHER CANDIDATE 
1.7 	SCHOLARSHIPS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. A scholarship program for military veteran teacher 
1.9 	candidates is established to provide scholarships to qualified candidates.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. A person may apply for a scholarship if the person:
1.11 	(1) has been admitted to a teacher preparation program approved by the Professional 
1.12 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board;
1.13 	(2) is a military veteran as defined in section 197.447;
1.14 	(3) is meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined under section 136A.101, 
1.15 	subdivision 10; and
1.16 	(4) is a resident student as defined in section 136A.101, subdivision 8.
1.17 		Subd. 3.Amount. (a) The maximum scholarship amount is $10,000 per year for full-time 
1.18 	study distributed up to $5,000 per academic term. The commissioner of higher education 
1.19 	must establish a sliding scale of scholarship amounts based on the amount of available 
1.20 	funding and the number of qualified applicants. Established amounts are not rulemaking 
1.21 	for purposes of chapter 14 or section 14.386. The minimum scholarship under this section 
1.22 	for full-time study must be no less than $1,000 per year.
2.1 	(b) The amount determined under paragraph (a) must be reduced and prorated per credit 
2.2 	for part-time study.
2.3 	(c) The maximum total amount of scholarships from this scholarship per candidate is 
2.4 	$25,000.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Distribution. Scholarships must be paid to the teacher preparation institution 
2.6 	on behalf of the candidate after the institution has informed the Office of Higher Education 
2.7 	of candidates' names, veteran status, licensure area sought, and full-time or part-time status.

2.8 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
 2.9 	(a) $....... in fiscal year 2020 and $....... in fiscal year 2021 are appropriated from the 
2.10 	general fund to the commissioner of higher education for military veteran teacher candidate 
2.11 	scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.1265.
2.12 	(b) Up to five percent of the appropriation may be used for administration of the program.
2.13 	(c) Any balance in the first year does not cancel, but is available in the second year.