Today marks the final committee deadline at the state legislature, meaning all policy and finance bills must have received an affirmative vote in committee or are no longer viable.
Today marks the final committee deadline at the state legislature, meaning all policy and finance bills must have received an affirmative vote in committee or are no longer viable. This deadline significantly narrows the number of bills moving forward and sets the stage for final deliberations between the legislature and governor.
For the University of Minnesota, this deadline advances the discussion about potential funding for tuition relief for students, which is a Board of Regents priority this session. While the Minnesota Senate had no higher education budget target this year, the House moved forward $5 million in new funding for cyber security at a Minnesota State campus. The governor has recommended $10 million for the University. The differences in funding approaches between the legislature and governor must now be resolved in upcoming negotiations.
The outcome of the session is driven by the decisions made in the final four weeks before the May 21 adjournment. Major spending and tax decisions remain to be seen, as well as the fate of a capital infrastructure bill for projects across our campuses and in towns and communities around the state.