Anonymous threat reporting system grants provided to schools, report required, and money appropriated.

A bill for an act

relating to education; providing anonymous threat reporting system grants to

schools; requiring a report; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.
new text begin
APPROPRIATION; ANONYMOUS THREAT REPORTING SYSTEM

GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin

(a) $....... in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner

of public safety for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, in

consultation with the Minnesota School Safety Center, to issue anonymous threat reporting

system grants to school districts, charter schools, cooperative units, or Tribal contract

schools.

new text end

new text begin

(b) A school district, charter school, or cooperative unit under Minnesota Statutes, section

123A.24, or a Tribal contract school may apply for a grant in the form and manner specified

by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The Division of

Homeland Security and Emergency Management may establish grant application timelines

and may award grants in more than one round. Grants may be awarded in an amount not to

exceed $....... per district, charter school, cooperative unit, or Tribal contract school. Grants

are contingent on recipients providing at least a 50-percent match from nonstate funds in

accordance with paragraph (c). Grants must be awarded to schools located in all geographic

regions of the state with at least half of the grants awarded to school districts, charter schools,

cooperative units, and Tribal contract schools with administrative offices located outside

of the 11-county metropolitan area.

new text end

new text begin

(c) Grant funds may be used to fund expenses associated with the development, purchase,

implementation, operation, and maintenance of an anonymous threat reporting system,

including staff compensation. Grant funds may also be used to compensate staff who are

responsible for responding to threats received through the system.

new text end

new text begin

(d) Before a grant is awarded, the district, charter school, cooperative unit, or Tribal

contract school must provide documentation acceptable to the director of the Division of

Homeland Security and Emergency Management on how the grant will be used, including

identification of how staff will be responsible for responding to threats received through

the anonymous threat reporting system.

new text end

new text begin

(e) The Department of Public Safety may retain up to ten percent of the appropriation

for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to administer the grants

and for the Minnesota School Safety Center to provide technical assistance to districts,

charter schools, cooperative units, and Tribal contract schools.

new text end

new text begin

(f) By February 15 following each year a grant is awarded under this section, the

Minnesota School Safety Center, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency

Management, and Department of Public Safety must report to the chairs and ranking minority

members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade

12 education and public safety on how grant money was awarded and distributed. The report

must identify the grant recipients and how the grant money was used by each recipient.

new text end

new text begin

(g) This is a onetime appropriation. This appropriation does not cancel but is available

until June 30, 2028.

new text end