Bill > SF2248

This bill establishes a grant program to support the training of real-time stenographic writers (professionals who translate spoken words into text using a stenographic machine and phonetic shorthand) at higher education institutions in Minnesota. The Office of Higher Education will award two $300,000 grants annually, with one grant designated for an institution in the seven-county metropolitan area and the other for an institution outside this region, beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. Priority will be given to institutions that can most effectively increase training capacity, demonstrate strong collaborative partnerships, or propose innovative training approaches. Grant recipients may use funds to provide individual student grants or scholarships, but recipients must commit to working as a real-time stenographic writer for six months for each semester of support. Institutions receiving grants must submit annual reports assessing the effectiveness of their training programs and identifying best practices for recruiting and retaining stenographic writers. The bill appropriates $3,150,000 from the general fund, specifically stipulating that the funding is for educational training of stenographic writers and cannot be used for digital recording or AI transcription, with up to 5% available for administrative costs. The program aims to address workforce needs in fields like court reporting and closed captioning.

Education

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF2248&ssn=0&y=2025