1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to higher education;
prohibiting the Office of Higher Education from using
1.3 public money to support
low-earning degree programs; requiring a report;proposing
1.4 coding for new law in
Minnesota Statutes, chapter 136A.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [136A.045]
RESTRICTING STATE MONEY FOR LOW-EARNING
1.7 DEGREE
PROGRAMS.
1.8 Subdivision
1.Definition. For purposes of this section, a "low-earning
degree program"
1.9 means a program that
has lost eligibility to receive federal money under United States Code,
1.10 title 20, section
1087d(c).
1.11 Subd. 2.State
money restricted. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
1.12 commissioner must not
allocate or expend state money under any program administered by
1.13 the Office of Higher
Education to directly or indirectly support a low-earning degree program.
1.14 This prohibition applies
to:
1.15 (1) student financial
aid programs, including but not limited to programs under sections
1.16 136A.091 to 136A.1465;
1.17 (2) student loan
programs and loan repayment programs, including but not limited to
1.18 programs under sections
136A.15 to 136A.1796; and
1.19 (3) programs providing
state money to institutions, including any grant programs.
1.20 Subd. 3.Public
information; legislative report. (a) At least annually, the
commissioner
1.21 must review federal
determinations of low-earning degree programs.
2.1 (b) The commissioner
must maintain on the Office of Higher Education's public website
2.2 a list of all current
low-earning degree programs at postsecondary institutions located in
2.3 Minnesota.
2.4 (c) By February 15
each year, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and
2.5 ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over higher
2.6 education finance and
policy, including, at a minimum:
2.7 (1) the current list
of low-earning degree programs at postsecondary institutions located
2.8 in Minnesota;
2.9 (2) information about
enforcement and implementation of this section by the Office of
2.10 Higher Education; and
2.11 (3) the estimated amount
of state money saved, reallocated, or redirected away from
2.12 low-earning degree
programs as a result of this section.
2.13 Subd. 4.Rules.
The commissioner shall develop policies and adopt rules as necessary
2.14 to implement this
section.
2.15 EFFECTIVE DATE. This
section is effective the day following final enactment.
