HF4846

Purpose

• The bill aims to change how grant awards for the Lights On program can be used, and to require more formal record-keeping and reporting by groups that receive those grants.

Main Provisions

• Record-keeping requirement

  • Applicants must keep records of vouchers distributed and all expenses tied to awarded grant money.

• Use of grant funds for administrative costs (restricted for many recipients)

  • Applicants, as well as counties, cities, towns, the State Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies (including law enforcement agencies of federally recognized Tribes), must not use awarded grant money for administrative costs.

• Rules for nonstate organizations operating the program

  • The bill includes a provision about nonstate organizations that contract with the commissioner to operate the Lights On program. It ties how such organizations may use grant money for administrative costs to the requirement of submitting a separate itemized list of administrative expenses and costs paid with grant money in the report required under subdivision 8.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 169.515, subdivision 5 (Use of grant award), by:
  • Introducing explicit record-keeping requirements for vouchers and grant-related expenses.
  • Prohibiting the use of grant funds for administrative costs by listed public entities (applicants and certain government entities).
  • Adding a reporting condition for nonstate organizations operating the program, connecting any use of grant money for administrative costs to providing an itemized list of those costs in the required subdivision 8 report.

Practical effect

• Grants for the Lights On program would be more tightly tracked, with stricter limits on what recipients can spend grant money on (specifically restricting administrative costs for many entities) and requiring detailed expense reporting, including itemized admin costs for nonstate operators.

Affected parties

• Applicants and a wide range of governmental and tribal law enforcement entities
• Nonstate organizations contracted to operate the Lights On program
• The commissioner (who administers the program)

Relevant Terms - Lights On program - grant award / awarded grant money - administrative costs - vouchers - records of vouchers distributed - expenses - itemized list of administrative expenses - report required under subdivision 8 - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 169.515 subdivision 5 - Applicants - counties - cities - towns - State Patrol - local law enforcement agencies - federally recognized Tribe - nonstate organization - commissioner - operate the program