HF3581 Summary

• Establishes intensive comprehensive peace officer education and training program within Department of Public Safety to recruit and train college degree holders to become licensed peace officers, with up to 125 participants per fiscal year selected by a multi-agency committee.

• Creates peace officer college scholarship program providing up to 125 scholarships annually to Minnesota high school graduates pursuing law enforcement degrees, covering tuition, fees, skills training, and living expense stipends.

• Establishes social work scholarship program for eligible students in baccalaureate social work programs, covering cost of attendance minus other financial aid, with recipients required to work as licensed social workers in Minnesota for four years.

• Requires employment obligations: peace officer program graduates must work full-time as peace officers in Minnesota for six years; scholarship recipients must work as peace officers or social workers for six or four years respectively, with scholarships converting to student loans if obligations are not met.

• Appropriates $13,000,000 for peace officer training program, $2,600,000 for peace officer scholarships, $2,600,000 for social work scholarships, and $2,000,000 for peace officer explorer and mentor grants in fiscal year 2023.