Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to support economic development by providing free test and professional licensure preparation services to students in public higher education and dislocated workers in Minnesota.

Main Provisions

• Free Preparation Services: The bill mandates the establishment of a program that offers free preparation services for various professional exams. These include tests such as the Medical College Admission Test, Law School Admission Test, Graduate Record Examination, and other professional exams in fields like nursing, teaching, real estate, and securities.

• Vendor Contracting: The commissioner of employment and economic development is responsible for procuring and contracting with vendors to provide these services.

• Participant Priority: If funding is not sufficient to cover all participants, priority for these services may be given to recipients of state grants.

• Annual Reporting: The commissioner must submit annual reports on the program's effectiveness, including metrics on student recruitment and retention, the number of students remaining in Minnesota after education, and the value provided to students. This information will be provided to the legislative committees responsible for higher education finance and policy.

Significant Changes

• Program Establishment: Introduces a comprehensive program that did not exist before, specifically aimed at reducing barriers to professional licensure and educational advancement for eligible individuals.

• Funding: Allocates $5,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the workforce development fund to support the program.

Relevant Terms

economic development, test preparation, professional licensure, dislocated workers, public higher education, vendor contracting, state grants, Medical College Admission Test, Law School Admission Test, Graduate Record Examination, nursing, securities, workforce development fund.