Friday, March 18, 2011

House Higher Education bill released; Schedules posted

Yesterday at the Capitol

The House Higher Education Policy and Finance committee released its higher education finance bill yesterday. The bill includes significant reductions to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The Legislature looks at both the 2012-2013 forecasted base as well as the 2010-2011 base, which drives different percentages. If reduced from the 2012-13 forecasted base (which is what the governor's proposal does), it's a cut to the system of 16 percent. If reduced from the 2010-2011 base, it's a cut of 13.3 percent to the system. Either way you look at it, the reduction brings the system's annual base down to $528.7 million.

The bill caps tuition and mandatory fees for a Minnesota resident undergraduate at 4 percent per year for the state universities and 2 percent per year for the state colleges. A provision is also included that encourages the Board of Trustees to offer entering students a plan providing stable tuition for students pursuing two-year or four-year degrees.

The bill also holds back 1 percent of the fiscal year 2013 appropriation to the system until after the Board of Trustees demonstrates the system has achieved at least three of five goals. You may recall a similar process from the 2007 legislative session. The Board is also required to place the highest priority on meeting the needs of Minnesota employers for a skilled workforce. They are to focus on efficient delivery of higher education, eliminate duplication throughout the system and provide an education that prepares students for the workforce needs of Minnesota.

Other provisions in the bill include reducing the age of a senior citizen in statute to be eligible to receive reduced tuition back to age 62 from 66 (the statute was changed in 2010 from 62 to 66); and language regarding transfer that reads by Feb. 15, 2012, the Board of Trustees must adopt a policy requiring every college and university in the system to grant credit for a course taken for credit at any of the colleges or universities in the system. The transfer provision also addresses the transferability of credits from 2+2 programs, including the Anoka STEP program.

In relation to the state grant program, the bill makes whole the 2012-13 state grant projected deficit of $34 million, and sets a statutory amount for the tuition and fee maximum used to calculate the state grant award to the highest tuition and fees charged by a Minnesota public college for two-year programs, and the highest average tuition and fees charged by a Minnesota public university for four-year universities. The bill also sets the living and miscellaneous expense allowance, or LME, at $7,000 each year.

The bill also repeals the requirement for public institutions to sell American-made clothing and apparel in their bookstores to the extent possible; the requirement that public employers purchase or require employees to furnish uniform or protective accessories that are made in America; the matching state grant program that is part of the Minnesota College Savings plan; and the requirement to provide one-time Achieve grants to students who were eligible before Jan. 1, 2009 and have not yet been awarded the grant.

The committee is expected to mark-up the bill Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. If they do not finish by the end of the scheduled time at 2:15, they will reconvene at 5:30 p.m. to pass the bill. We expect the Senate to release their higher education finance bill Monday.

The bill can be found here.

The spreadsheet can be found here.


Today at the Capitol


There are no higher education related committee hearings today.

Legislative leaders will hold their weekly briefing at 10:30 a.m.


Looking Ahead

Monday, March 21


9:00 AM
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda: HF 934 (Garofalo) Education finance statute obsolete reference removed.
Omnibus education finance bill walk through

9:30 AM
Rules and Legislative Administration
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Matt Dean
Agenda: Proposed House budget

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

1:00 PM
Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Mike Parry
Agenda:
S.F. 692-Hall: Natural resources department (DNR) peatland area management; recreational trail and snowmobile watercross requirements and mineral coordinating committee membership modifications; Blakeley state wayside repeal.
S.F. 759-Kruse: Coon Rapids dam commission creation; Three Rivers park district grant appropriation.
S.F. 907-Nelson: State building efficiency, fleet management improvements, and Medicaid and tax fraud prevention and detection consulting services contracts for improvements to state-operated systems and services requirements.
S.F. 908-Carlson, J.: Strategic sourcing request for proposals.
S.F. 813-Hoffman: State and public employees retirement plans member and employer contribution rates modifications.
S.F. 812-Gazelka: Salary reduction for state employees and elected officials.

3:00 PM
Senate Higher Education
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Michelle L. Fischbach
Agenda:
S.F. 591-Nelson: University of Minnesota and Mayo foundation research partnership appropriation.
S.F. 799-Miller: Student records and data usage liability clarification.
S.F. 897-Sheran: Higher education provisions modifications and appropriations.

3:00 PM
Senate Education
Room 15 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Gen Olson
Agenda: S.F. XXXX-Olson, G.: Education Finance Omnibus.

3:00 PM
House in Session

Tuesday, March 22

10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda:
S.F. XXXX: Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee Omnibus Budget Bill.

12:30 PM
House Higher Education Policy and Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bud Nornes
Agenda:
HF1101 (Nornes) Postsecondary education provisions modified, and money appropriated.
HF821 (Nornes) Senior citizen higher education program eligibility changed.
HF849 (Nornes) College and university mandates eliminated.
*HF1101 will become the Omnibus Higher Education Bill. If necessary, Tuesday’s meeting will recess at 2:15 PM and reconvene at 5:30 PM in Room 200 until all amendments and testimony on the omnibus bill have been heard.

12:30 PM
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther
Agenda: HF1049 (Gunther) Jobs, economic development, and housing funding provided, and money appropriated.

12:30 PM
House Education Finance
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Pat Garofalo
Agenda: K-12 omnibus bill

Wednesday, March 23

10:30 AM
Senate Jobs and Economic Growth
Room: 107 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Geoff Michel
Agenda:
S.F. XXXX: Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee Omnibus Budget Bill.

2:00 PM
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Liz Holberg
Agenda: TBA

6:00 PM
Senate Capital Investment
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. David H. Senjem
Agenda:
S.F. 204-Langseth: Flood hazard mitigation grants bond issue and appropriation.


Thursday, March 24


4:30 PM
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Liz Holberg
Agenda: TBA

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