This bill appropriates $500,000 from the arts and cultural heritage fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Minnesota Humanities Center to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. The funding aims to recognize the cultural and historical contributions of Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese Minnesotans, addressing historical funding inequities and underrepresentation in previous commemorative initiatives. The Minnesota Humanities Center, in collaboration with the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, is tasked with administering an equitable process for allocating funds directly to nonprofit organizations representing these communities, ensuring fair representation, outreach, and technical assistance.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific requirements for programming decisions to be made by the respective communities, ensuring alignment with their cultural and historical priorities. The Minnesota Humanities Center is also required to provide a report detailing the allocation of funds, descriptions of funded projects, distribution methods, and recommendations for future funding. Any remaining funds after the initial programming must be reallocated equitably among the communities for further programming, with the appropriation available until fully expended.