Friday, May 15, 2009

Final week is busy

Legislative Update
May 15, 2009

Countdown to Monday - no special session
The House and Senate both approved a “lights-on” bill earlier this week that would keep government going if no other appropriation bills for the 2010-11 biennium are enacted; however, such a bill may not be necessary. Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Thursday that he would like to work out a compromise with legislative leaders, but if such an agreement cannot be reached, he will resolve the budget on his own with line-item vetoes and his authority to unallot, making a special session unnecessary.

Pawlenty said he intends to sign all the omnibus appropriation bills sent to him, but he will line-item veto them where necessary. Without providing any specifics, he said the end result will resemble his budget proposal in January. He has already line-item vetoed the health and human services finance bill. Lawmakers have passed budget bills that leave a $3 billion shortfall between spending and revenues; however, the tax bill passed by the Legislature attempts to resolve that shortfall. The governor vetoed that bill, saying he will not sign a bill with any tax increases included.

Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, responded to the governor's plan by saying Minnesotans expect to know where the governor is planning to cut. With the intention of making the process as open as possible, DFL leaders continue to flesh out the budget through the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy. The Commission was meeting at the time of this writing. Legislative leadership is hoping to understand the details behind the governor’s plan.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said he thinks it's important to find a calm and reasonable solution to the end of session and not make rash decisions. Pogemiller said the governor is showing willingness to compromise by signing the budget bills. With only a few days left, can a global deal be reached, or will the governor end up resolving the budget deficit through line-item vetoes and unalloting?

You may view Pawlenty's press conference and the reaction from legislative leadership here.

Agreement reached on higher education omnibus appropriation bill
The House and Senate approved the higher education conference committee report Wednesday. The Senate approved it by a vote of 54-12, and the House approved it 103-31.

Going into conference committee, the governor and House were recommending a 2010-11 base cut to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system of $161.8 million, with a one-time federal stimulus appropriation of $133.8 million. The Senate was recommending a cut of $103.8 million, with a one-time federal stimulus appropriation of $75 million. The final bill cuts the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system $95 million over the 2010-11 biennium, with a one-time federal stimulus appropriation of $79 million, $15.3 million one-time in the current fiscal year 2009 and $63.9 million one-time funds in fiscal year 2010.

For financial aid, the bill language provides for an increase in the tuition maximum for students in four-year programs from $650 to $10,488; does not change the two-year cap; increases the number of semesters a student is eligible for a state grant from eight semesters to nine semesters; funds a summer bridge program, which is a research-based high school-to-college development transition program after high school graduation to prepare students for college-level academic coursework; and increases the living and miscellaneous expenses, or LME, by $800 to $7,000. The bill also increases work study by $5 million and child care assistance grants by $1 million.

Included in the bill for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities:

• Tuition cap of 5 percent each year with a buy-down using the federal stimulus funds to 3 percent in FY 2010 and 3 percent in FY 2011 for a net increase of 6 percent.

• Language on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 taken from the House bill that states the federal funds may be used for modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities that are primarily used for instruction, research or student housing. Language also reads that the federal funds must be used as a bridge for budget reductions, and may be used to retain faculty and staff jobs, provide severance and early retirement incentives and to mitigate the rising costs of attendance through minimizing tuition increases and the support of student employment opportunities.

• Separate line item for the Office of the Chancellor and Shared Services Division of $47.328 million in both FY 2010 and FY 2011.

• Caps the technology initiative, including technology infrastructure improvements, at $40 million for the 2010-11 biennium.

• $150,000 each year for technical and community college emergency grants for students experiencing extraordinary economic circumstances that may result in the student dropping out of school without completing the term or their program.

• $500,000 ongoing funds each year for the Power of You program at the three current institutions; Saint Paul College, Minneapolis Community and Technical College and Metropolitan State University; and $500,000 one-time funds each year for an expansion of the program to rural and suburban pilot sites.

• $40,000 each year for the Cook County Higher Education Board to provide educational programs and academic support services.

• $1 million each year for the Northeast Higher Education District and area high schools for state-of-the-art technical education opportunities.

• $225,000 each year to enhance the eFolio Minnesota project on the Iron Range

• The Board of Trustees is encouraged to place a priority on identifying and implementing measures to improve the human resources system used by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in order to increase efficiencies and equity for faculty and staff.

The provision from the House bill that stated the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities could not fill administrative or managerial positions or use search firms for hiring was not included in the final bill.

The language that capped the funds for underrepresented students at $5 million over the biennium was not included in the final bill.

The Senate language that removes the restriction on marketing to high school students about the financial benefits of the PSEO program was not included in the final bill.

The tuition guarantee language that requires the system to offer students a four-year stable tuition rate was not included in the final bill.

Included in the final bill was the House language on the 60 college and 120 university credit cap policy for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The language states that the A.A.S. degree is exempt from the 60-credit limit until July 2, 2012. By January 2, 2012, MSCF and MSCSA are to present a joint report to the Legislature on a process for reviewing the credit requirements for an A.A.S. degree.

The provision on course equivalency that directs the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to maintain course equivalency guides that include information on the course equivalency and awarding of credit for learning acquired as a result of the successful completion of formal military courses and occupational training, is in the final bill. The system currently does this so is already in compliance.

The language on notice to prospective students on possible impact of criminal records was amended in the final bill to read that each institution is to give notice to every person accepted for admission. The notice is to be given at or before the time of acceptance for admission to the institution and at or before the time students select a major. An institution is not liable for failing to provide notice.

The provision on American made clothing in bookstores was amended to delete the word "only." The final language now reads, "To the extent possible, a bookstore located on the campus of a public college or university in Minnesota must offer for sale clothing or articles of apparel that are manufactured in the United States of America. The college or university must make a report to the legislature on the results of efforts to comply with this section."

There is language included in the bill that encourages public higher education institutions to offer research-based high school-to-college developmental transition programs to prepare students for college-level academic coursework. A program must not be more than one semester of full-time study occurring in the summer following high school graduation.

The provision in the bill that required, as a condition of enrollment, that each entering Minnesota resident student complete the federal application for student aid, or FAFSA, was amended to now require all eligible institutions to adopt policies and procedures that ensure applicants are aware that they must annually complete the FAFSA to be eligible for financial aid. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is to report to the Legislature.

Regarding the Board of Trustees, language was adopted that amends the board’s membership so that a commissioner of a state agency may not serve as a member of the board. However, the bill includes language that allows for a commissioner currently serving on the board to continue serving the remainder of the term.

The final language on labor market data review for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities was amended to now read, "The board must assess labor market data when conducting college program reviews. Colleges must provide prospective students with the job placement rate for graduates of technical and occupational programs offered at the colleges."

Language regarding textbooks was included that requires the Office of Higher Education to report to the Legislature on the implementation of textbook information requirements under federal code. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is to take part in preparing the report.

Also included in the bill is the Senate language on a teacher education report. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Department of Education are to report on best practices in innovative teacher education programs and teacher education research by June 15, 2010.

The language that was in the House bill for the sale of the Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical aviation training center was included in the final bill.

The language in the final bill on the oral health practitioner and dental therapist programs was amended to be the advanced dental therapist program. Either the University of Minnesota or the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will be able to train dental therapists and advanced practice dental therapists.

The final bill is available online here.

The spreadsheet is available online here.

As of the time of this writing, the governor has not taken any action on this bill.

Final bonding bill
The House approved the bonding bill on the floor this week by a vote of 109-25. The Senate passed it by a vote of 59-8. The total general obligation bond proceeds is $299.9 million. Included in the bill is $40 million in HEAPR for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. All five of the 2008 vetoed projects are also in the final bill:

• Lake Superior College health science center - $11 million

• Mesabi Range Community and Technical College, Eveleth addition - $5.25 million

• Metropolitan State University classroom center - $5.7 million

• North Hennepin Community College center for business - $13.3 million

• System wide classroom renovations - $3.625 million

There are other projects in the bill related to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Those include:

• Minnesota State College - Southeast Technical - authority to retain proceeds from sale of surplus property

• City of Mankato - $6.5 million grant for the women's hockey Expo Center for use by Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Board may lease land on campus to the city.

• Olmsted County steam line - $5 million grant to construct steam pipeline to the Rochester Community and Technical College campus

• Metropolitan State University and Minneapolis Community and Technical College co-located Law Enforcement Training Center - excluding revenue from student tuition and fees, the university and college may use up to $2 million of college/university funds, or other non-state money for the remainder of the project.

• Owatonna College and University Center - may use remaining funds from property acquisition for capital improvements to the property.

• St. Cloud State University - may use funds available from Brown Science Hall renovation to complete design and construction drawings for the Science and Engineering Lab and to demolish building number 801.

The final bill can be found here.

The final spreadsheet can be found here.

As of the time of this writing, the governor has not taken any action on this bill.

Agriculture and veterans affairs bill passes with overwhelming support
The full House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the agriculture and veterans affairs omnibus bill this week. The bill includes $100,000 each year for mental health counseling support to farm families and business operators through farm business management programs at Central Lakes College and Ridgewater College. Language is also included in the bill that establishes a Feeding Minnesota Task Force to study the consumption of Minnesota-grown produce and livestock by facilitating the donation of harvested products to charities that provide food for hungry people. Included on the task force is a representative from a higher education institution.

Also included in the bill is the Green Jobs Food Production Study provision that requires the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute to prepare a detailed study of the state's food production sector in coordination with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; urban, rural, and tribal community-based agriculture and food security organizations; members of the Legislature with service on committees created by the Green Jobs Task Force; and other interested stakeholders. The study is to define the size of the employment base and identify opportunities to increase the number of green jobs in each of the following sector segments: organics and organic value-added processing and local, conventional, natural, traditional, and urban farming.

In the veterans section of the bill, $100,000 each year is included for the costs of administering the Minnesota GI Bill program.

As of the time of this writing, the governor has not taken any action on this bill.

Contract ratification bill passes
Both the Senate and House have passed the state contract ratification bill, SF 1036, and it is now awaiting the governor’s signature. Included in the bill is the 2010-11 Inter Faculty Organization contract. Also included is the 2008-09 MSUAASF contract that was not ratified last session due to timing. The 2010-11 MSUAASF and MSCF contracts, as well as other contracts and plans, will be heard by the Legislative Coordinating Commission Subcommittee on Employee Relations during the interim and ratified by the Legislature next session.

Pension bill
The omnibus pension bill made its way through the committee process this week. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mary Murphy, DFL-Hermantown, and Sen. Don Betzold, DFL-Fridley, comprises the work of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement. It includes language from more than two dozen individual bills dealing with pension issues. Included in the bill is the provision that permits the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to establish an early separation incentive program for its employees.
The bill is awaiting action by the full House and Senate.

Survey regarding economic future of colleges and universities
Witt/Kieffer, a search firm that conducts searches on behalf of colleges and universities, national educational associations and others, surveyed 1,551 college and university presidents and chancellors in February 2009 to gauge their reactions to the economic crisis.

Responses indicated presidents and chancellors expect the economic downturn will have a lasting impact on higher education including: decreased levels of support from state, local and federal governments; a growing burden on families to finance college education; increased scrutiny of the quality and outcomes of programs; and increasing competition from for-profit schools.

You may view the full report here.

President Obama’s FY 2010 budget
Last week, President Obama released further details of his fiscal year 2010 budget. The details in the administration’s budget will assist Congress in understanding the president’s priorities. Nearly all of the higher education accounts have been level funded at the FY 2009 level. The proposal does provide further detail on the president’s Pell entitlement proposal to make the program a complete and full entitlement, not subject to the annual appropriations process. In addition, federal supplemental educational opportunity grants, or SEOG, is funded at $757 million, and work-study is funded at $980 million. There is an increase of $50 million for the Academic Competitiveness and SMART grants, which encourage students to take more challenging courses in high school and pursue college majors in high demand in the economy, such as science, mathematics, technology, engineering and critical foreign languages.

Institutional aid to higher education institutions to strengthen academic quality, institutional management and financial stability provided through Titles III and Title V of the Higher Education Act both saw overall funding levels drop; however, with regard to discretionary funding, the administration has requested higher funding amounts. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 provided mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions. These funds were only provided for fiscal years 2009 and 2010. The president requests an additional $31.5 million for Title III schools and an additional $4.6 million for Title V schools.

The federal TRIO program, designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, is level funded at $905 million, and GEAR-UP, designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education, is level funded at $313 million. The administration is recommending an increase of $4.2 million to the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, or FIPSE, program, which supports and disseminates innovative reform projects that serve as models for improving the quality of postsecondary education and increasing student access.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Higher education bill work continues; Economic Development vetoed; Tax bill agreement reached

Legislative Update
May 8, 2009

Conferees close to agreement on higher education omnibus appropriation bill - waiting for targets
After meeting for almost two weeks, the higher education conference committee has made progress on many policy differences in the House and Senate bills, but without targets, they cannot negotiate the finance provisions. Conferees have adopted the language that requires the Pell grant surplus to stay in the state grant program, but no other decisions on how to spend the state grant surplus have been made. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities students are advocating for an increase in the living and miscellaneous expense, or LME allowance, which they said is the most equitable way to spend the state grant surplus.

Conferees considering the policy provisions have deleted the language that states the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities cannot fill administrative or managerial positions or use search firms for hiring.

The provision on American-made clothing in bookstores was amended to delete the word "only." The language now reads, "To the extent possible, a bookstore located on the campus of a public college or university in Minnesota must offer for sale clothing or articles of apparel that are manufactured in the United States of America. The college or university must make a report to the legislature on the results of efforts to comply with this section."

The provision on labor market data review for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities was amended to read, "The board must assess labor market data when conducting college program reviews. Colleges must provide prospective students with the job placement rate for graduates of technical and occupational programs offered at the colleges."

Conferees also deleted the tuition guarantee provision that requires the system to offer students a four-year stable tuition rate. Also, the language in the House bill authorizing the sale of the Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical aviation training center was adopted.

The provision in the bill that required, as a condition of enrollment, that each entering Minnesota resident student complete the federal application for student aid, or FAFSA, was amended to now require all eligible institutions to adopt policies and procedures that ensure applicants are aware that they must annually complete the FAFSA to be eligible for financial aid. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education is to report to the Legislature.

The language on the oral health practitioner and dental therapist programs was amended to be the advanced dental therapist program. Either the University of Minnesota or the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will be able to train dental therapists and advanced practice dental therapists.

The conference committee has adjourned until Monday. Because the higher education bill includes federal stimulus funds, more time may be needed to work through the complications presented by the federal stimulus package. Stay tuned.

Governor vetoes economic development bill - lawmakers go back to work
Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the economic development conference committee report this week. The bill includes $350.6 million in total spending, representing a cut from forecasted base funding. The Senate had proposed $356 million and the House $368.4 million. "I think we have a really good compromise here," said economic development conference committee co-chair Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, after the conferees adopted the report. Tomassoni said he did not like some of the budget cuts included in the final bill, but said they were made in the interest of reaching a compromise with the governor’s office.

The governor stated in his veto message to the Legislature, that the items he felt necessitated a veto were not subject to line-item veto, therefore triggering a veto of the entire bill. One of the biggest reasons given by the governor for vetoing the bill is the provision that forgives a loan payment by the city of St. Paul to the state of Minnesota for the Saint Paul River Centre.

Included in the bill was $1 million from the 21st Century Minerals Fund for a grant to the Northeast Higher Education District for planning, design, and construction of classrooms and housing facilities for upper-division students in the engineering program.

Also included was language that directs the Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development to lead a project to provide advice on state agency collaboration in the design, coordination, and administration of a strategic science and technology program for the state. A representative of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities was to be a project member.

Conferees reach agreement on tax bill - will likely be vetoed
Working late into the night Thursday, the tax conference committee passed a tax bill that would raise approximately $1 billion from new taxes to fund K-12 schools, nursing homes and hospitals. The bill adds a new fourth-tier income tax rate of 9 percent for married couples filing jointly and earning more than $250,000, and for single taxpayers making more than $141,250. The 9 percent rate sunsets after tax year 2013 if the February 2013 economic forecast shows a general fund balance of $500 million or more. The bill also charges credit card companies a 30 percent surtax on income from interest exceeding 15 percent, raises the sales tax on alcoholic beverages from 2.5 to 5 percent and charges an excise tax on alcoholic beverages. Of the revenue raised from the different taxes, $586 million would fund K-12 education, $288 million would go to nursing homes and long-term care, and $114 million to hospitals.

The conference committee report is currently being debated on the House floor. The bill will likely be vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty who has said he will not sign any bill with tax increases included. The governor’s budget proposes using $1 billion from tobacco bonds that will have to be repaid over 20 years. Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said that if the bill is vetoed, deeper cuts can be expected in E-12 education and health care.

Bonding bill still being debated
Conferees for the capital investment bill continue to meet and negotiate a number of projects. This week, lawmakers discussed flood mitigation, commuter and passenger rail projects and transit projects. For the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, both the House and Senate are now at $40 million for HEAPR and both bodies include all five vetoed projects from the 2008 session. At the time of this writing, a conference committee has not been called.

With May 18 deadline approaching lawmakers continue session-ending negotiations
While conference committees meet to wrap up appropriation bills, the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy continues to meet almost daily to reach agreement on the $6.4 billion budget deficit. The commission, chaired by Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, has become the forum for transparency regarding end-of-session negotiations.

Speaker Anderson Kelliher said that federal stabilization money is complicating the mix in setting spending targets, especially in the areas of health and human services, K-12 education and higher education. Thursday was the final deadline for conference committee reports to be finished. However, the House and Senate voted to amend their Joint Rules regarding committee deadlines. In Thursday’s floor session, Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, referenced Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson who stated in a recent commission hearing that he would rather see them all take a little more time and not rush through bills just to meet a deadline.

With May 18 just a little more than a week away, many wonder if the Legislature is headed into overtime. Stay tuned.

Here's What's Happening at the Capitol:
The legislative schedule is fluid and subject to change. Please watch the House and Senate schedules posted on the Legislature web site.

Monday, May 11

8:30 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: Basement State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Phyllis Kahn
Agenda:
HF0354 (Hilstrom) Mortgage foreclosure proceedings on homestead property mediation provided prior to commencement, and homestead-lender mediation account created;
HF0723 (Murphy, M.) Omnibus retirement bill;
HF0866 (Hosch) School districts required to obtain employee health coverage through the public employees insurance program;
HF1032 (Fritz) Self-advocacy program established for persons with developmental disabilities, and appropriated money transferred.

At the call of the Chair
Higher Education Conference Committee
Room: 118 Capitol
Chairs: Sen. Sandra L. Pappas and Rep. Tom Rukavina
Agenda: S.F. 2083-Pappas: Omnibus higher education appropriations.

Time TBA
Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy
Room: TBA
Chair: Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher
Agenda: TBA

Friday, May 1, 2009

Higher education and bonding conference committees begin to meet; Two weeks of session remain

Higher education conferees begin working through differences
Conferees for the higher education bill met this week to work through the differences between the House and Senate bills. Senate conferees include Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul; Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan; Sen. Ann Lynch, DFL-Rochester; Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park; and Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona. Conferees on the House side include Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia; Rep. Linda Slocum, DFL-Richfield; Rep. Larry Haws, DFL-St. Cloud; Rep. David Bly, DFL-Northfield; and Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake.

Conferees have adopted language in the two bills that is the same or similar and now are working to come to an agreement on the bigger issues including the budget. Co-chairs Sen. Pappas and Rep. Rukavina said they will conduct an open and inclusive process and asked for testimony from anyone with concerns on any of the provisions in either bill.

The same or similar language that was adopted includes the course equivalency provision that directs the system to maintain course equivalency guides with information on the course equivalency and awarding of credit for learning acquired as a result of the successful completion of formal military courses and occupational training.

Another provision adopted yesterday is language that encourages the Board of Trustees to place a priority on identifying and implementing measures to improve the human resources system used by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to increase efficiencies and equity for faculty and staff.

Conferees adopted the language pertaining to American Indian scholarships that provides for the Minnesota Office of Higher Education director to contract with at least one person with demonstrated competence in American Indian culture to assist students with scholarships and other financial aid. Bemidji State University is to provide office space to administer the American Indian scholarship program.

Also adopted is language that requires the Office of Higher Education to report to the Legislature on implementation of textbook information requirements under federal code.

There has been discussion on the state grant program and how each body and the governor packages the state grant surplus. Jacob Littler of the Minnesota State College Student Association and Graeme Allen with the Minnesota State University Student Association testified that using the state grant surplus to increase the living and miscellaneous expense, or LME, is the most equitable for students. No action has been taken on the state grant, and conferees indicated financial aid would be further discussed Monday. The conference committee meets again at 9 a.m. Monday in Room 118 of the Capitol.

The side-by-side comparison of the two bills prepared by the Revisor’s office can be found here.

Bonding conference committee update
The Capital Investment Conference Committee met early this week and heard from Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson regarding Gov. Tim Pawlenty's letter sent April 24 to bonding conferees. Hanson reiterated that a $275 million bonding bill is too large and emphasized that projects should be "shovel ready." The governor has said he is not in favor of projects that build new facilities, but rather wants to focus on preserving existing buildings. The governor also has said he would like to see flood mitigation funding to address the immediate needs in northwestern Minnesota.

Capital Investment conferees may meet again as soon as this evening. Currently, $5 million in HEAPR separates the system in the Senate and House bills. The last Senate proposal is $45 million in HEAPR and the five vetoed projects. The House is at $40 million in HEAPR and also includes the five projects. Those projects include the health and science center addition at Lake Superior College; the carpentry and industrial mechanical technology shops at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College; the smart classroom center at Metropolitan State University; the center for business and technology at North Hennepin Community College; and the systemwide classroom renovation initiative at Central Lakes College, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Northland Community and Technical College, Pine Technical College, and Rochester Community and Technical College.

Approximately two weeks remain to reach agreement
This week at the Legislature consisted of long floor sessions and even longer conference committees. Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said the work by conference committees on four omnibus appropriation bills should be completed this weekend with the intent of having them to the governor by the middle of next week. Those bills include agriculture and veterans affairs, transportation finance, economic development, and environment and natural resources.

While conference committees meet, the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy also is meeting to discuss budget targets. Speaker Anderson Kelliher has called for transparency as the House, Senate and the governor work toward a 2010-2011 biennial budget agreement. Anderson Kelliher emphasized that as the constitutionally required deadline of May 18 nears, there will be some closed-door negotiations, but she expects more work to be done openly through the committee process.

Trustees confirmed by full Senate
The full Senate confirmed Cheryl Dickson, Jacob Englund, Clarence Hightower, Allyson Lueneburg, Louise Sundin and Terri Thomas as members of the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities earlier this week after the Senate Higher Education Policy Committee recently put forth the recommendation. The committee recommended the final trustee confirmation of David Paskach this week. That recommendation will head to the full Senate for final confirmation. David Metzen was also confirmed by the full Senate as director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

Congress passes FY 2010 budget resolution
The House of Representatives passed a FY 2010 budget resolution this week by a vote of 233-193. The Senate then passed the resolution by a vote of 53-43. The budget resolution provides approximately $1.06 trillion to be divided among the 12 appropriations bills, including the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill. Congress is expected to begin the appropriations process shortly, with the expectation that appropriation bills will be finalized in the fall. It is also expected that President Obama will submit his budget priorities the first week of May.

The budget calls for the education committees to reduce spending in programs by $1 billion over the next five years. However, the resolution also contains reserve funds that would allow the committees to spend for a specific purpose. It allows for a higher education reserve fund to accommodate legislation that would impact access to higher education. This could allow for a measure that increases funding for the Pell Grant program, including the maximum award, and shifts all higher education loans to be made through the Direct Loan Program as suggested by President Obama. The appropriations committees will determine final funding levels for education and each specific program.

Here's What's Happening at the Capitol:
This schedule shows all meetings that we are aware of at the time of publication that MAY have an impact on the system. This schedule may change. Please watch the House and Senate schedules posted on the Legislature web site.

Monday, May 4

9:00 AM
Higher Education Conference Committee
Room: 118 Capitol
Chairs: Rep. Tom Rukavina, Sen. Sandy Pappas
Agenda: higher ed bill

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

12:00 PM
House in Session

Time to be announced
E-12 Education Conference Committee
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chairs: Sen. LeRoy A. Stumpf and Rep. Mindy Greiling
Agenda: H.F. 2-Stumpf: Omnibus K-12 appropriations.

Tuesday, May 5

8:00 AM
House Finance
Room: TBD
Chair: Rep. Lyndon Carlson
Agenda: HF1193 (Koenen) Department of Corrections and Department of Employment and Economic Development claims settlement provided, and money appropriated.
HF1218 (Lillie) State labor contracts ratified.
HF905 (Doty) Commissioner of military affairs authorized to accept uncompensated and voluntary services.
SF666/HF985 (Hayden) Children aging out of foster care provisions modified.
HF1988 (Murphy, E.) Managed care plan and county-based purchasing plan provider medical assistance (MA) reimbursement rate information annual report requirement
HF1565 (Kelly) Goodhue County; Nursing facility beds consolidated and relocated to a new site.
HF682 (Magnus) Rock County; Nobles County; State rail line loan forgiven.
HF108 (Norton) Seat belt violation made a primary offense in all seating positions regardless of age.