Minnesota SF 1974: Conversion therapy with children or vulnerable adults prohibition and medical assistance (MA) coverage prohibition

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to education; establishing education savings accounts; requiring rules;​
1.3 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 126C.​
1.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.5 Section 1. [126C.75] EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS ACT.​
1.6 Subdivision 1.Title.This section may be cited as the "Education Savings Accounts for​
1.7 Minnesota Students Act" (ESA-4-MSA).​
1.8 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the​
1.9 meanings given.​
1.10 (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Revenue.​
1.11 (c) "Curriculum" means programs and written plans for a particular content area or grade​
1.12 level that provides students with learning experiences that lead to expected knowledge,​
1.13 skills, and career and college readiness.​
1.14 (d) "Department" means the Department of Revenue or an organization with which the​
1.15 commissioner contracts to implement any portion of this section.​
1.16 (e) "Education savings account" or "ESA" means the account to which funds are allocated​
1.17 by the commissioner to the parent to pay for qualifying expenses to educate the ESA student​
1.18 pursuant to the requirements of this section.​
1.19 (f) "Educational service provider" means an eligible school, tutor, or other person or​
1.20 organization that provides education-related services and products to participating students.​
1.21 (g) "Eligible school" means:​
1​Section 1.​
25-03883 as introduced​02/13/25 REVISOR KRB/VJ​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 1974​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: BAHR, Draheim and Dornink)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​569​02/27/2025​
Referred to Education Policy​

2.1 (1) a nonpublic school, including nonpublic online learning programs, where a student​
2.2 can fulfill compulsory education requirements and that is recognized by the commissioner​
2.3 or accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Minnesota Nonpublic Education​
2.4 Council under section 123B.445, paragraph (a); or​
2.5 (2) a public high school, community college, or community and technical college that​
2.6 offers one or more individual courses to eligible students in person or online.​
2.7 A child receiving instruction in a home school is eligible for an educational savings account​
2.8 and may use it for eligible expenses, but the child's parent may not be reimbursed for the​
2.9 time a parent spends providing instruction to the child.​
2.10 (h) "Eligible student" means any student who:​
2.11 (1) resides in Minnesota; and​
2.12 (2) is a member of a household whose total annual income does not exceed an amount​
2.13 equal to four times the income standard used to qualify for reduced-price meals under the​
2.14 National School Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, section 1751, et seq.​
2.15 (i) "Eligible student participation maximum" means the maximum number of eligible​
2.16 students receiving an ESA. In the first year, the eligible student participation maximum​
2.17 shall be equal to five percent of the prior year's public school average daily membership.​
2.18 For each subsequent year, the eligible student participation maximum shall increase by an​
2.19 additional three percent of the prior year's statewide public school average daily membership.​
2.20 (j) "Eligible student selection priority" means the commissioner's acceptance of eligible​
2.21 students in the ESA program based on the following order:​
2.22 (1) a student entering kindergarten;​
2.23 (2) a student who attended a public school, including a charter school, for the full school​
2.24 year preceding anticipated participation in the ESA program;​
2.25 (3) a student whose sibling is participating in the ESA program; and​
2.26 (4) other eligible students.​
2.27 (k) "ESA program" means the program to implement education savings accounts.​
2.28 (l) "ESA student" means an eligible student who is participating in the ESA program.​
2.29 (m) "Parent" means a resident of Minnesota who is a parent, legal guardian, or other​
2.30 person having legal custody of an eligible student under age 18. For an eligible student age​
2​Section 1.​
25-03883 as introduced​02/13/25 REVISOR KRB/VJ​

3.1 18 or over, "parent" means the eligible student unless a guardian or conservator has been​
3.2 appointed, in which case it means the guardian or conservator.​
3.3 (n) "Postsecondary institution" means a college or university, including a career or​
3.4 technical school, accredited by a state, regional, or national accrediting organization.​
3.5 (o) "Qualifying expense" means any expense used to educate an eligible student,​
3.6 including:​
3.7 (1) tuition and fees at an eligible school;​
3.8 (2) payment to a tutor;​
3.9 (3) payment for purchase of curriculum, including any textbook and supplemental​
3.10 materials required by the curriculum;​
3.11 (4) fees for transportation to and from an educatio