With the work of conference committees continuing, I have been spending most of my week working on the higher education budget or on the Senate floor considering other bills for passage. Just two weeks remain in this year?Äôs session; I expect our compromise budget bills will be voted on over the course of the next week. These budget bills will be based largely on the joint budget targets that were developed between members of the House and the Senate and highlight the spending compromises for each area.
Higher education budget
As co-chair of the higher education budget conference committee, I have been working with my counterparts in the House to develop a comprehensive budget that will finance our state?Äôs higher education systems and prepare our students to be productive, successful citizens. Many of what is included in our bill is what has been heard in committee throughout the session. The higher education budget compromise spends $3.19 billion over the course of the next two years ?Äì a slight increase from the Senate proposal, and $113 million more than the previous budget. Among the notable provisions:
?Ä¢ $18.5 million in new funding for the Minnesota State Grant Program.
?Ä¢ $68.5 million in campus support funding for the Minnesota State (formerly MnSCU) system, which includes $6 million in supplemental funding for technical and community college campuses in Greater Minnesota.
?Ä¢ A tuition freeze at two-year Minnesota State colleges next year, as well as a 1% tuition decrease at two-year Minnesota State colleges and a tuition freeze at four-year Minnesota State universities the following year.
?Ä¢ $1 million for a Workforce Scholarship Program through the Minnesota State system.
?Ä¢ An increase of $24 million over the next two years to the University of Minnesota.
Passed and signed: National Night Out
In April, the Senate unanimously passed a bill that I authored, Senate File 870, which authorizes local police departments to raise and spend funds on National Night Out events and on other events and programs meant to foster good relationships within the community. The House passed the bill this week and I am pleased to report that the governor has signed this bill into law.
Action from the floor
As we await conference committee reports, we considered several pieces of legislation on the Senate floor this week. Here are a few of the most notable:
Passed: Safeguarding our cybersecurity
SF251?Äì In an age where we are increasingly reliant on technology, this bill creates a legislative commission on cybersecurity to provide oversight of the state?Äôs cybersecurity measures. The commission will review the policies and practices of state agencies about cybersecurity and make recommendations to the legislature.
Passed: Minnesota Telemedicine Act flexibility
SF 1353?Äì This bill builds on the Minnesota Telemedicine Act of 2015 and provides additional flexibility for physicians and patients to have routine interactions online. This could be of interest to Greater Minnesota or for patients with mobility issues ?Äì in both cases, the ability for in-home medicine may prevent the need for a difficult journey.
Passed: Grocery labeling changes
SF 2008?Äì Currently, grocery stores are required to affix a price sticker to each product. The bill replaces that requirement with a ?Äúconspicuously displayed?Äù requirement that better reflects current industry practice, like a posted price on the shelf under each item.