1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; authorizing public schools to 
  1.3             require certain fees or tuition; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1996, sections 120.73, subdivision 1; and 
  1.5             120.74, subdivision 1. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 120.73, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  A school board is authorized to require 
  1.10  payment of fees in the following areas: 
  1.11     (a) in any program where the resultant product, in excess 
  1.12  of minimum requirements and at the pupil's option, becomes the 
  1.13  personal property of the pupil; 
  1.14     (b) admission fees or charges for extra curricular 
  1.15  activities, where attendance is optional; 
  1.16     (c) a security deposit for the return of materials, 
  1.17  supplies, or equipment; 
  1.18     (d) personal physical education and athletic equipment and 
  1.19  apparel, although any pupil may personally provide it if it 
  1.20  meets reasonable requirements and standards relating to health 
  1.21  and safety established by the school board; 
  1.22     (e) items of personal use or products which a student has 
  1.23  an option to purchase such as student publications, class rings, 
  1.24  annuals, and graduation announcements; 
  1.25     (f) fees specifically permitted by any other statute, 
  2.1   including but not limited to section 171.04, subdivision 1, 
  2.2   clause (1); 
  2.3      (g) field trips considered supplementary to a district 
  2.4   educational program; 
  2.5      (h) any authorized voluntary student health and accident 
  2.6   benefit plan; 
  2.7      (i) for the use of musical instruments owned or rented by 
  2.8   the district, a reasonable rental fee not to exceed either the 
  2.9   rental cost to the district or the annual depreciation plus the 
  2.10  actual annual maintenance cost for each instrument; 
  2.11     (j) transportation of pupils to and from extra curricular 
  2.12  activities conducted at locations other than school, where 
  2.13  attendance is optional; 
  2.14     (k) transportation of pupils to and from school for which 
  2.15  aid for fiscal year 1996 is not authorized under Minnesota 
  2.16  Statutes 1994, section 124.223, subdivision 1, and for which 
  2.17  levy for fiscal year 1996 is not authorized under Minnesota 
  2.18  Statutes 1994, section 124.226, subdivision 5, if a district 
  2.19  charging fees for transportation of pupils establishes 
  2.20  guidelines for that transportation to ensure that no pupil is 
  2.21  denied transportation solely because of inability to pay; 
  2.22     (l) motorcycle classroom education courses conducted 
  2.23  outside of regular school hours; provided the charge shall not 
  2.24  exceed the actual cost of these courses to the school district; 
  2.25     (m) transportation to and from post-secondary institutions 
  2.26  for pupils enrolled under the post-secondary enrollment options 
  2.27  program under section 123.39, subdivision 16.  Fees collected 
  2.28  for this service must be reasonable and shall be used to reduce 
  2.29  the cost of operating the route.  Families who qualify for 
  2.30  mileage reimbursement under section 123.3514, subdivision 8, may 
  2.31  use their state mileage reimbursement to pay this fee.  If no 
  2.32  fee is charged, districts shall allocate costs based on the 
  2.33  number of pupils riding the route; and 
  2.34     (n) fees or tuition for instruction qualifying as an 
  2.35  education-related expense according to section 290.0674, 
  2.36  subdivision 1, clause (1). 
  3.1      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 120.74, 
  3.2   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.3      Subdivision 1.  (a) A school board is not authorized to 
  3.4   charge fees in the following areas: 
  3.5      (1) textbooks, workbooks, art materials, laboratory 
  3.6   supplies, towels; 
  3.7      (2) supplies necessary for participation in any 
  3.8   instructional course except as authorized in sections 120.73 and 
  3.9   120.75; 
  3.10     (3) field trips which are required as a part of a basic 
  3.11  education program or course; 
  3.12     (4) graduation caps, gowns, any specific form of dress 
  3.13  necessary for any educational program, and diplomas; 
  3.14     (5) instructional costs for necessary school personnel 
  3.15  employed in any course or educational program required for 
  3.16  graduation; 
  3.17     (6) library books required to be utilized for any 
  3.18  educational course or program; 
  3.19     (7) admission fees, dues, or fees for any activity the 
  3.20  pupil is required to attend; 
  3.21     (8) any admission or examination cost for any required 
  3.22  educational course or program, except as authorized in section 
  3.23  120.73, subdivision 1, clause (n); 
  3.24     (9) locker rentals; 
  3.25     (10) transportation of pupils (i) for which state 
  3.26  transportation aid for fiscal year 1996 is authorized pursuant 
  3.27  to Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 124.223, or (ii) for which a 
  3.28  levy for fiscal year 1996 is authorized under Minnesota Statutes 
  3.29  1994, section 124.226, subdivision 5. 
  3.30     (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (6), a 
  3.31  school board may charge fees for textbooks, workbooks, and 
  3.32  library books, lost or destroyed by students.  The board must 
  3.33  annually notify parents or guardians and students about its 
  3.34  policy to charge a fee under this paragraph. 
  3.35     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.36     Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final 
  4.1   enactment.