1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the military; establishing a program of 
  1.3             tuition and textbook reimbursement grants for members 
  1.4             of federal armed forces reserve components; 
  1.5             appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 192. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [192.5011] [EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR RESIDENT 
  1.9   MEMBERS OF ARMED FORCES RESERVES.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [GRANT PROGRAM.] A program to provide 
  1.11  tuition and textbook reimbursement grants to eligible personnel 
  1.12  of the federal armed forces reserve components is established 
  1.13  commensurate with the program for members of the Minnesota 
  1.14  national guard under section 192.501, subdivision 2.  This 
  1.15  program is effective when its benefits are accepted on behalf of 
  1.16  the federal armed forces reserve components by the senior 
  1.17  federal reserve commander with headquarters in this state, who 
  1.18  shall undertake to provide in respect to participants the 
  1.19  information required by the adjutant general, as administrative 
  1.20  head of the military department, in accordance with subdivision 
  1.21  2, paragraph (f). 
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY.] (a) Eligibility is limited to a 
  1.23  member of the federal armed forces reserve components who: 
  1.24     (1) is resident in this state; 
  1.25     (2) is assigned to a military organization in this state; 
  1.26     (3) is serving satisfactorily according to criteria defined 
  2.1   by the adjutant general for personnel of the Minnesota national 
  2.2   guard under section 192.501, subdivision 2; 
  2.3      (4) is attending a post-secondary educational institution, 
  2.4   as defined by section 136A.15, subdivision 6, including a 
  2.5   vocational or technical school operated or regulated by this 
  2.6   state or another state or province; 
  2.7      (5) provides proof of satisfactory completion of 
  2.8   coursework, as defined by the adjutant general for personnel of 
  2.9   the Minnesota national guard under section 192.501, subdivision 
  2.10  2; and 
  2.11     (6) consents, unconditionally, to recoupment if the member 
  2.12  fails to complete a term of enlistment during which a tuition 
  2.13  and textbook reimbursement grant was paid. 
  2.14     (b) Additional eligibility criteria for the grant, 
  2.15  applicable generally to personnel of the federal armed forces 
  2.16  reserve components and members of the Minnesota national guard, 
  2.17  may be determined by the adjutant general within the limitations 
  2.18  of this paragraph and other applicable laws.  Any additional 
  2.19  criteria must be specified in department regulations. 
  2.20     (c) The amount of a tuition and textbook reimbursement 
  2.21  grant must be as specified on a schedule published in department 
  2.22  regulations in accordance with section 192.501, subdivision 2. 
  2.23     Paragraph (a) notwithstanding, a member is no longer 
  2.24  eligible for a grant under this subdivision once the member has 
  2.25  received grants under this section for the equivalent of 208 
  2.26  quarter credits or 144 semester credits of coursework. 
  2.27     (d) Tuition and textbook reimbursement grants received 
  2.28  under this section may not be considered by the Minnesota higher 
  2.29  education services office or by any other state board, 
  2.30  commission, or entity in determining a person's eligibility for 
  2.31  a scholarship or grant-in-aid under sections 136A.095 to 
  2.32  136A.1311. 
  2.33     (e) If a member fails to complete a term of enlistment 
  2.34  during which a tuition and textbook reimbursement grant was 
  2.35  paid, the adjutant general may seek to recoup a prorated amount, 
  2.36  the same as for members of the Minnesota national guard under 
  3.1   section 192.501, subdivision 2. 
  3.2      (f) The adjutant general shall keep an accurate record of 
  3.3   the recipients and benefits paid under this section and shall 
  3.4   report this information in the agency performance report, 
  3.5   including information regarding the rank, unit location, race, 
  3.6   and gender of recipients.  By January 16 of each year, the 
  3.7   adjutant general shall provide copies of the department 
  3.8   regulations developed under this section to the chairs of the 
  3.9   house and senate policy committees responsible for military 
  3.10  affairs. 
  3.11     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.12     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.13  adjutant general for purposes of the grant program established 
  3.14  by section 1, to be available until June 30, 1999.