Plain English Breakdown
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HF4799 • 2026
School safety video analytics grant program established, report required, and money appropriated.
School safety video analytics grant program established, report required, and money appropriated.
Education
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-04-07
House
Introduction and first reading, referred to Education Finance
Official Summary Text
School safety video analytics grant program established, report required, and money appropriated.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act relating to education; establishing a school safety video analytics grant program; requiring a report; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 123B. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: Section 1. new text begin [123B.573] SCHOOL SAFETY VIDEO ANALYTICS GRANT PROGRAM. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Program established. new text end new text begin The commissioner must establish a voluntary grant program to assist school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools in implementing school safety video analytics software that operates on existing camera infrastructure. new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin Eligible uses. new text end new text begin (a) Grant money awarded under this section may be used for the acquisition, licensing, implementation, training, and maintenance of video analytics software designed to enhance school safety, including but not limited to: new text end new text begin (1) early threat detection and situational awareness; new text end new text begin (2) monitoring of unauthorized access, unsecured entry points, or restricted areas; new text end new text begin (3) real-time alerting to school officials and first responders during safety incidents, which may incorporate automated notifications; and new text end new text begin (4) operational safety functions that reduce manual monitoring burdens on school staff. new text end new text begin (b) Grant money awarded under this section must not be used to purchase new camera hardware except where necessary to integrate with existing camera systems. new text end new text begin Subd. 3. new text end new text begin Voluntary participation; local control. new text end new text begin Participation in the program is voluntary. Nothing in this section requires a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to adopt or use video analytics software. A participating school retains local control over implementation, configuration, and operational policies. new text end new text begin Subd. 4. new text end new text begin Data privacy; safeguards. new text end new text begin (a) A school using video analytics software funded under this section must comply with all applicable state and federal data privacy laws, including chapter 13, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, United States Code, title 20, section 1232g. new text end new text begin (b) A video analytics system must employ privacy-protective features, including facial image masking by default, to ensure safety monitoring does not identify individuals unless required to for a defined and documented security purpose. new text end new text begin (c) Facial recognition capabilities, if enabled, must be limited to narrowly defined, high-risk watch lists established by the school or district and governed by written local policy. new text end new text begin (d) Data collected under this program may be used only for school safety and operational purposes and must not be used for general surveillance or student discipline unrelated to safety. new text end new text begin Subd. 5. new text end new text begin Grant awards. new text end new text begin (a) A school district, charter school, or nonpublic school must apply for a school safety video analytics grant in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. new text end new text begin (b) In awarding grants, the commissioner must give priority to applicants that: new text end new text begin (1) to the extent practicable, utilize existing camera infrastructure and demonstrate an ability to operate across multiple systems and cameras to minimize cost; new text end new text begin (2) demonstrate a documented school safety need; new text end new text begin (3) demonstrate a plan for staff training and incident response planning; and new text end new text begin (4) provide for evaluation of outcomes over time, including the effectiveness of artificial intelligence-based video analytics in improving early threat detection, reducing response time during safety incidents, and decreasing the need for continuous manual monitoring of security camera feeds. new text end new text begin (c) The commissioner must award at least three grants to public schools and at least three grants to nonpublic schools located in the seven-county metropolitan area. The commissioner must award at least three grants to public schools and at least three grants to nonpublic schools located outside of the seven-county metropolitan area. new text end new text begin Subd. 6. new text end new text begin Reporting. new text end new text begin By January 15, 2027, and each year thereafter, the commissioner must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education finance and policy. The report must include, at a minimum: new text end new text begin (1) grant recipients and award amounts; new text end new text begin (2) general categories of grant-funded activities; new text end new text begin (3) observed safety or operational outcomes; and new text end new text begin (4) any recommendations for statutory changes. new text end new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2026. new text end Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; SCHOOL SAFETY VIDEO ANALYTICS GRANTS. new text end new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end new text begin Department of Education. new text end new text begin The sum indicated in this section is appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education in the fiscal year indicated. new text end new text begin Subd. 2. new text end new text begin School safety video analytics grants. new text end new text begin (a) For school safety video analytics grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 123B.573: new text end new text begin $ new text end new text begin ....... new text end new text begin ..... new text end new text begin 2027 new text end new text begin (b) If the grant application amounts exceed the available grant funds, the commissioner must prorate the grant awards. new text end new text begin (c) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.98, subdivision 14, up to $....... of the appropriation is available for grant administration. new text end new text begin (d) The base is $....... for fiscal year 2028 and later. new text end