This bill proposes the elimination of the North Star Promise scholarship program and reallocates its unencumbered balances to the state grant program. It amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, specifically sections 136A.053 and 136A.84, while repealing section 136A.1465, which pertains to the North Star Promise. The amendments include the removal of references to the North Star Promise in the reporting requirements for the Office of Higher Education, which will now focus solely on the state grant program. The bill also mandates that any unencumbered funds from the North Star Promise special revenue fund account be transferred to the general fund and appropriated for the state grant program by July 1, 2025.

Additionally, the bill establishes an effective date for the changes, with the reporting requirements set to begin on March 1, 2026, and the repeal of the North Star Promise affecting scholarship awards starting in the fall 2025 term. The commissioner of the Office of Higher Education is tasked with reporting on the status of the state grant program and the closing transactions for the North Star Promise fund, ensuring transparency and accountability in the transition of funds and programs.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 136A.053, 136A.84, 136A.1465