1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; permitting trainee election judges to serve until reaching the 
1.3 	age of 18;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204B.19, subdivision 6.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204B.19, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.6 		Subd. 6.High school students Trainee election judges. (a) Notwithstanding any other 
1.7 	requirements of this section, a student enrolled in a high school in Minnesota or who is in 
1.8 	a home school in compliance with sections 120A.22 and 120A.24, who has attained the age 
1.9 	of 16 is eligible to be appointed as a without party affiliation trainee election judge in the 
1.10 	county in which the student resides, or a county adjacent to the county in which the student 
1.11 	resides. The student must meet qualifications for trainee election judges specified in rules 
1.12 	of the secretary of state. A student appointed under this subdivision while enrolled in a high 
1.13 	school or receiving instruction in a home school may continue to serve as a trainee election 
1.14 	judge after the student graduates and until the student reaches the age of 18.
1.15 	(b) A student appointed as a trainee election judge may be excused from school attendance 
1.16 	during the hours that the student is serving as a trainee election judge if the student submits 
1.17 	a written request signed and approved by the student's parent or guardian to be absent from 
1.18 	school and a certificate from the appointing authority stating the hours during which the 
1.19 	student will serve as a trainee election judge to the principal of the school at least ten days 
1.20 	prior to the election. Students shall not serve as A trainee election judgesjudge shall not 
1.21 	serve after 10:00 p.m. Notwithstanding section 177.24 to the contrary, trainee election judges 
1.22 	may be paid not less than two-thirds of the minimum wage for a large employer. The principal 
2.1 	of the school may approve a request to be absent from school conditioned on acceptable 
2.2 	academic performance at the time of service as a trainee election judge.