Minnesota Lawyer
Rep. Gene Pelowski (Staff photo: Peter Bartz-Gallagher)
The House passed a higher education finance bill that increases spending by $250 million and freezes tuition for two years by a 76-56 vote on Friday. The legislation cleared the Senate earlier on Friday and awaits a signature from Gov. Mark Dayton.
It is the third finance bill to clear both chambers. The public safety and jobs and energy bills have already been sent to Dayton.
Just three Republicans voted for the higher education bill, sponsored by Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, chair of the Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee.
The increased funding includes $102 million for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, $79 million for the University of Minnesota and $75 million for the state’s tuition assistance program.
“We are investing; this is new money,” said Pelowski, noting that higher education has faced repeated cuts in recent years. “This is catch up.”
The legislation also includes the “Dream Act,” which allowed high school graduates without documentation to pay in-state tuition rates and qualify for state grants. Pelowski was opposed to the proposal and refused to bring it up for a vote in his committee, but it got adopted in the conference committee.
During the floor debate, Republicans criticized the inclusion of that provision. “I believe that’s wrong, and I’m troubled by the possibility that they’re eligible,” said Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings.
The bill also includes $1.5 million in funding for Teach for America, a program that links up recent college graduates with troubled schools. According to Pelowski, Dayton has indicated that he intends to line-item veto that provision.
