Noncommercial radio station grants eligibility modified, and money appropriated.

A bill for an act

relating to state government; modifying eligibility for noncommercial radio station

grants; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 129D.14,

subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 129D.14, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Eligibility.

(a) To qualify for a grant under this section, the licensee must:

(1) hold a valid noncommercial radio station license from the FCC that is a Class "A"

or "C" FM, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 47, subpart B, sections 73.210

and 73.211 or Class "C" or "D" AM, as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 47,

subpart A, section 73.21. Stations with a Class "L1" and "LP100" are not eligible for this

funding. The station must be licensed to a community in the state of Minnesota and must

be operated as a noncommercial educational station;

(2) have facilities adequate to provide local program production and origination;

(3) employ a minimum of
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two full-time
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1-1/2
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professional radio staff persons or the

equivalent in part-time staff and agree to employ a minimum of
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two full-time
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1-1/2
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professional radio staff persons or the equivalent in part-time staff throughout the fiscal

year of the grant;

(4) maintain a minimum daily broadcasting schedule of (i) the maximum allowed by its

Federal Communications Commission license, or (ii) 12 hours a day during the first year

of eligibility for state assistance, 15 hours a day during the second year of eligibility and

18 hours a day during the third and following years of eligibility;

(5) broadcast 365 days a year or the maximum number of days allowed by its Federal

Communications Commission license with an exception for power outages and natural

disasters;

(6) have a daily broadcast schedule devoted primarily to programming that serves

ascertained community needs of an educational, informational or cultural nature within its

primary signal area; however, a program schedule of a main channel carrier designed to

further the principles of one or more particular religious philosophies or including 25 percent

or more religious programming on a broadcast day does not meet this criterion, nor does a

program schedule of a main channel carrier designed primarily for in-school or professional

in-service audiences;

(7) originate significant, locally produced programming designed to serve its community

of license;

(8) have a total annual operating income and budget of at least $50,000;

(9) have either a board of directors representing the community or a community advisory

board that conducts advisory board meetings that are open to the public;

(10) have a board of directors that: (i) holds the portion of any meeting relating to the

management or operation of the radio station open to the public, and (ii) permits any person

to attend any meeting of the board without requiring a person, as a condition to attendance

at the meeting, to register the person's name or to provide any other information; and

(11) have met the criteria in clauses (1) to (10) for six months before it is eligible for

state assistance under this section.

(b) The commissioner shall accept the judgment of Corporation for Public Broadcasting

accepted audit when it is available on a station's eligibility for assistance under the criteria

of this subdivision. If the station is not qualified for assistance or is qualified for but not

receiving funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an independent audit is

required to verify eligibility under paragraph (a), clause (8). If neither is available, the

commissioner may accept a written declaration of eligibility signed by an independent

auditor, a certified public accountant, or the chief executive officer of the station's parent

organization.

Sec. 2.
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APPROPRIATION.
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$165,000 in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner

of administration for grants to the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio

Stations to provide resources, software, training, and assistance to help its member stations

consolidate resources and expenses. This is a onetime appropriation.

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