Higher education committees hear U of M's requests

The state legislature completed its second week on Friday, with activity taking place in all committees and hundreds of new bills introduced daily. In fact, more than 1,170 bills were introduced in the session’s first two weeks alone.

The state legislature completed its second week on Friday, with activity taking place in all committees and hundreds of new bills introduced daily. In fact, more than 1,170 bills were introduced in the session’s first two weeks alone.

On Tuesday, February 8, both the House and Senate higher education committees held hearings on the University’s supplemental budget and capital requests. President Joan Gabel and Senior Vice President Myron Frans provided overviews of the requests, while CFANS Dean Brian Buhr provided details about the proposed new agricultural research and education complex dedicated to the Future of Advanced Agricultural Research in Minnesota (FAARM). FAARM is one of the University’s priority requests this session. The higher education and bonding committees will provide budget and capital investment recommendations later in the legislative session.

Tomorrow, University leaders will present the capital request to the House Capital Investment Committee. The committee toured several of the University’s projects this fall when they visited the Duluth and Twin Cities campuses. Historically, the House and Senate capital investment committees announce their official bonding recommendations mid-session, and these recommendations drive the final negotiations on a bonding bill. However, there is no statutory or constitutional requirement to pass a bonding bill, and in many years the legislature has not passed a bonding bill at all, including in the 2021 session.