1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; establishing a time-limited tuition relief program for 
1.3 	students who pursue a degree in law enforcement; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. TUITION RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS PURSUING 
1.6 	A DEGREE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education 
1.8 	shall establish and implement a time-limited tuition relief grant program for students pursuing 
1.9 	an associate degree in law enforcement to incentivize individuals to become peace officers.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. A student is eligible for a grant under this program if the student:
1.11 	(1) is a resident student under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.101, subdivision 8;
1.12 	(2) is enrolled on or before September 1, 2028, in a professional police officer education 
1.13 	program as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (g). For 
1.14 	purposes of this definition, postsecondary degree means an associate degree;
1.15 	(3) completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
1.16 	(4) applies for state and federal grants and scholarships for which the applicant may be 
1.17 	eligible; and
1.18 	(5) is making satisfactory academic progress as defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 
1.19 	136A.101, subdivision 10.
1.20 		Subd. 3.Application. To receive a grant, the student must apply in the form and manner 
1.21 	established by the commissioner.
2.1 		Subd. 4.Grant amount and duration. (a) The commissioner shall award annual grants 
2.2 	in the amount of the actual cost of tuition and fees at the student's institution of attendance, 
2.3 	less any federal Pell Grant received, any state grant for which the student is eligible, and 
2.4 	any other scholarships or grants awarded to the student. For purposes of this section, the 
2.5 	term fees is defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.121, subdivision 6, paragraph (d).
2.6 	(b) The annual grant may be awarded for no more than four semesters, or its equivalent, 
2.7 	for not more than three years. The grant must be awarded at the beginning of each academic 
2.8 	term and distributed evenly between the terms of the academic year.
2.9 		Subd. 5.Penalty. (a) The commissioner shall collect from the individual the total grant 
2.10 	amount paid to the individual under this section and deposit the money collected into the 
2.11 	general fund if the individual:
2.12 	(1) does not complete an associate degree or nondegree program for licensure as a peace 
2.13 	officer by June 30, 2031; or
2.14 	(2) completes the necessary associate degree or nondegree program for licensure as a 
2.15 	peace officer but does not become a peace officer as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.16 	626.84, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), within six months after completion.
2.17 	(b) The commissioner must allow waivers of all or part of the money owed to the 
2.18 	commissioner if emergency circumstances exist that prevented compliance with paragraph 
2.19 	(a).
2.20 		Subd. 6.Expiration. This section expires June 30, 2031.

2.21 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.22 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
2.23 	fund to the commissioner of the Office of Higher Education for the tuition relief grant 
2.24 	program for students pursuing a degree in law enforcement. The base for this appropriation 
2.25 	is $....... in fiscal years 2026 through 2031. The base for this appropriation in fiscal year 
2.26 	2032 and each fiscal year thereafter is $0.