Minutes

Present: Senator David J. Tomassoni - Chair, Senator Jason Rarick - Vice Chair, Senator Michael P. Goggin, Senator John R. Jasinski, Senator Aric Putnam

Absent: Senator Gregory D. Clausen

Senator David J. Tomassoni called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. A quorum was present.

S.F. 980: Senator Nelson: Higher education facilities authority rename as Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority; health care facilities construction and finance authority; bond capacity increase.

Senator Nelson, chief author of S.F. 980, explained the bill (see summary, bill and handout).  The title is as follows:                          A bill for an act relating to health care facility finance; restructuring and renaming the Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority as the Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority; authorizing the authority to construct and finance health care facilities; increasing bonding capacity; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 3.732, subdivision 1; 10A.01, subdivision 35; 136A.25; 136A.26; 136A.27; 136A.28; 136A.29, subdivisions 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, by adding a subdivision; 136A.32, subdivision 4; 136A.33; 136A.34, subdivisions 3, 4; 136A.36; 136A.38; 136A.41; 136A.42; 136F.67, subdivision 1; 354B.20, subdivision 7; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 136A.29, subdivision 4.

Senator Putnam moved to amend S.F. 980 (see amendment SCS0980A-1).  The MOTION PREVAILED.

Barry Fick, Executive Director of the Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority, testified in favor of S.F. 980.

Joan White, Senate Counsel, presented an overview of the bill section by section.

Following questions and comments from committee members, Senator Rarick moved that S.F. 980, as amended, be recommended to pass and re-referred to the Health and Human Services Committee.  The MOTION PREVAILED (see attached committee report).

 

S.F. 863: Senator Hoffman: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees adoption of retroactive internship credit standards requirement.

Senator Hoffman, chief author of S.F.863, explained the bill (see summary and bill).  The title is as follows:  

        A bill for an act relating to higher education; requiring the Board of Trustees to adopt retroactive internship credit standards.

Testifying in favor of S.F. 863 were the following:

1) Hope Hoffman, former student, testified in favor of the bill.

2) Mary Rothchild, Sr. System Director of Workforce Development - MN State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU)

Following questions and comments from committee members, the chair announced that S.F. 863 would be laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus Higher Education bill.

S.F. 967: Senator Dziedzic: Higher education summer academic enrichment program appropriation.

Senator Dziedzic, chief author of S.F. 967, presented the bill (see summary and bill).  The title is as follows:

        A bill for an act relating to higher education; appropriating money for the summer academic enrichment program.

Testifying in favor of S.F. 967 were the following:

1) Dr. Robert Johnson, Professor of Ethnic, Gender and Women's Studies - St. Cloud State University

2) Mary Maus Kosir, Director of Concordia Language Village

3) Bob Kaitz, CEO of Best Prep

Following questions and comments from committee members, the chair announced that S.F. 967 would be laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus Higher Education bill.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 p.m.

Senator David J. Tomassoni, Chair	Laura Bakk, Legislative Assistant