1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; creating a pilot tattoo 
  1.3             removal grant program administered by the commissioner 
  1.4             of corrections; appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [PILOT PROGRAM; TATTOO REMOVAL.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [PILOT PROGRAM CREATED.] The commissioner 
  1.8   of corrections shall develop and administer a pilot grant 
  1.9   program to assist local organizations in providing tattoo 
  1.10  removal and other services to former members of criminal gangs.  
  1.11  The commissioner shall develop a grant application that 
  1.12  specifies the eligibility criteria for receiving grants and sets 
  1.13  a formula for the match requirement. 
  1.14     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS.] A local organization 
  1.15  must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a grant 
  1.16  under the pilot program: 
  1.17     (1) it must be a private, nonprofit organization or a local 
  1.18  public agency; 
  1.19     (2) it must offer and provide to clients of the program 
  1.20  tattoo removal services, and assistance with educational 
  1.21  opportunities, job skill development, life skills, community 
  1.22  service, and counseling; and 
  1.23     (3) it must provide matching funds or in kind services in 
  1.24  compliance with the formula set by the commissioner of 
  1.25  corrections. 
  2.1      Subd. 3.  [ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES.] A person who seeks to 
  2.2   receive tattoo removal services under the pilot program must 
  2.3   meet the following criteria: 
  2.4      (1) the person must have a tattoo on the person's face, 
  2.5   neck, hands, or arms that identifies the person as being 
  2.6   affiliated with a criminal gang; 
  2.7      (2) at the time the tattoo removal process begins, the 
  2.8   person must not be older than 25 years of age or be under the 
  2.9   custody of the commissioner of corrections; 
  2.10     (3) the person must not have received tattoo removal 
  2.11  services previously from the grant program or any other publicly 
  2.12  funded program; 
  2.13     (4) the person must be employable, as determined by the 
  2.14  grantee organization; and 
  2.15     (5) the person must agree to comply with all of the program 
  2.16  participation requirements established by the grantee 
  2.17  organization, including performing any required community 
  2.18  service. 
  2.19     Subd. 4.  [REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.] On or before January 15, 
  2.20  1999, the commissioner of corrections shall submit a report to 
  2.21  the legislature evaluating the operation of the pilot grant 
  2.22  program established in this section. 
  2.23     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.24     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.25  commissioner of corrections for the fiscal biennium ending June 
  2.26  30, 1999, for the pilot grant program established in section 1.