Legislative Notes for the week of April 9-13, 2007

House score: One more committee down, two more to go

The House Finance Committee approved HF797, the Higher Education and Economic Development omnibus bill, on Thursday. An amendment was offered to remove the DREAM Act provision, which gives certain undocumented students an opportunity to attend higher education at in-state tuition rates; this failed. The bill also adds two AFL-CIO representatives to sit on the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees; an attempt was made to remove this from the bill, but the action failed. A final amendment sought to remove the provision that provides funding for the Bemidji State University's women's hockey team; this amendment also was defeated.

The committee then split the bill into two sections - a higher education bill and an economic development bill - that now travel as two bills. They go to the House Tax committee today, then to the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. A floor vote is expected on Wednesday.

Chair and author Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, said, "I think I have a pretty good bill here." The funding remained mostly unchanged. The bill includes $46 million for tuition relief at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. This would provide funding to hold tuition increases to 2 percent; the Board of Trustees set a 4 percent limit. The bill also includes $2 million for Gov. Tim Pawlenty's Achieve scholarship proposal, which gives $314 scholarships to high school students who take college courses in programs such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Post-Secondary Enrollment Options. The funds can be used later at any higher education institution in Minnesota. The House bill concentrates this program in rural Minnesota schools. Finally, $10 million is in the bill to fund higher education benefits to veterans under the GI bill.

Shots, clean room and wind in Senate

The Higher Education Committee in the Senate heard three bills Thursday relating to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, offered legislation that would immunize students against bacterial meningitis. One of her constituents testified in favor of the bill because her son contracted the disease while attending college in Kansas, and he had part of his limbs amputated. The state Department of Health was asked to study this issue further to determine the best route to immunize students to prevent spread of the disease. One potential solution may be immunizing students in high school. The Department of Health also will look at the costs of the shot, whether insurance covers the fee, and how long the immunization lasts.

Another bill, authored by Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, would provide funding for the system to train workers on wind energy installation and maintenance. If approved, the funds would be used at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, Minnesota West Community and Technical College and Riverland Community College.

A final consideration was offered by Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, to construct a clean room facility at St. Paul College. The clean room designation means particles in the air are kept to a minimum. The facility would bring a new service to the system, and any campus could use the laboratory for a fee. Students can enhance their nanotech, biotech, nursing and medical electronic skills in a clean room.

House K-12 omnibus is one step closer to a floor vote

The House K-12 Education Finance omnibus bill passed out of the House Finance Committee on Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, appropriates $13.9 billion over the next biennium.

A portion of the House Early Childhood Learning Finance Division omnibus bill was incorporated into the House's K-12 omnibus bill. The legislation includes restored funding for Head Start and pilot scholarships for early childhood programs.

Greiling offered several amendments, and all were approved. One of the amendments addresses a new academic standard that includes the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as they relate to each of the required academic standards.

The bill now moves to the House Taxes Committee. The Senate version, SF2095, sponsored by Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, was approved 51-12 on March 26.

Trustees get the Senate nod

The Senate heard from the five governor-appointed members of the system's Board of Trustees Tuesday during the Higher Education Committee meeting. All five trustees were recommended unanimously for confirmation: Caleb Anderson, Michael Boulton, Christine Rice, C. Scott Thiss and James Van Houten. The next step is a full Senate confirmation. We will keep you posted about when that is scheduled.

Federal Update

The DREAM Act goes national

Should undocumented students be eligible for in-state college tuition rates? That topic is being debated in 22 states this year. About half of the states are considering options to reduce tuition for undocumented students. Minnesota is among those states; the legislation specifies these students would be eligible to attend college at in-state rates if they have attended a Minnesota state high school for at least three years or graduated with a diploma and are seeking permanent status. The other half of the states are debating an explicit ban on the practice. And two states, Arizona and Georgia, have prohibited undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition rates.