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Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division

FORTY-NINTH MEETING

2007-2008 Regular Session - Tuesday, February 26, 2008

STATE OF MINNESOTA FORTY-NINTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION

HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND
FINANCE DIVISION

MINUTES


Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division, called the meeting to order at 12:35 P.M. on Tuesday,
February 26, 2008, in Room 5 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:

Rukavina, Tom, Chair
Poppe, Jeanne, Vice-Chair
Atkins, Joe
Bly, David
Brynaert, Kathy
Clark, Karen
Dettmer, Bob
Eastlund, Rob
Gunther, Bob
Haws, Larry
Hortman, Melissa
Mahoney, Tim
McFarlane, Carol
Moe, Frank
Nornes, Bud
Norton, Kim
Severson, Dan
Slocum, Linda

Members excused:

Murphy, Mary
Ruth, Connie
Welti, Andy

A quorum was present.

Chair Rukavina discussed the agenda for the meeting, and invited Representative Hosch to come forward to present his bill.

HF 3014 (Hosch)

Representative Hosch presented HF 3014, relating to higher education; clarifying the loan forgiveness program for nurses.

Representative Slocum moved that HF 3014 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division.

Representative Slocum moved to amend HF 3014 as follows:

Page 1, line 16, strike "six credit hours per term" and insert "twelve credit hours, or 720 hours per year"

THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Discussion and questions followed.

Chair Rukavina announced that the bill as amended is now before the Division.


Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
February 26, 2008
Page Two



Representative Slocum moved that HF 3014 as amended be recommended to pass and be referred to the Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2647 (Bly)

Representative Bly moved that HF 2647 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill.

Representative Bly presented HF 2647, relating to higher education; clarifying administrative funding for teach education and comprehension helps program grants.

Ann McCully, Executive Director, Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network, introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 2647.

Discussion and questions followed.

Representative Bly renewed his motion that HF 2647 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 3304 (Mahoney)

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 3304 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill.

Representative Mahoney presented HF 3304, relating to economic development; establishing a grant program for innovative technology and economic development research at the University of Minnesota; appropriating money.

Dr. Tim Mulcahy, Vice President for Research, University of Minnesota, speaking on behalf of the Bioscience Committee (not the U of M or the Board of Regents), introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 3304.

Discussion and questions followed.

Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF 3304 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 1256 (Masin)

There was a brief discussion of the history of HF 1256.

Representative Brynaert moved that HF 1256 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill.

Representative Masin presented HF 1256, relating to bioscience and technology; providing grants for bioscience business development and commercialization; requiring a report; appropriating money.

Dale Wahlstrom, CEO, Bioscience Alliance, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1256.

Discussion and questions followed.


Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
February 26, 2008
Page Three



Mark Ungs, CEO, AC Therapeutics, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 1256.

Discussion and questions followed.

Representative Brynaert renewed her motion that HF 1256 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2972 (Mahoney)

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 2972 be recommended to pass and be held over for possible inclusion in the Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division omnibus bill.

Representative Hortman moved that the minutes of February 20, 2008 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Representative Slocum moved that the minutes of February 21, 2008 be adopted.

Representative Dettmer moved to correct the minutes to reflect that he was in attendance.

Chair Rukavina apologized and said the minutes would be corrected.

Representative Slocum moved that the minutes as corrected be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 2972 be recommended to pass and placed on the General Register.

Representative Mahoney presented HF 2972, relating to economic development; renaming Minnesota Technolocy, Inc. to Enterprise Minnesota, Inc.; updating provisions; making technical changes.

Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF 2972 with the amendment H2972A1, attached.

Representative Mahoney moved to amend the amendment H2972A1 as follows:

Page 1, line 12, after "shall" insert "conduct onsite and applied research,"

Discussion and questions followed.

Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF 2972 with the amendment H2972A1, as amended.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Robert Kill, CEO, Minnesota Technology Inc., introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 2972.

Discussion and questions followed.

Kim Roden, Board Chair, Minnesota Technology Inc., introduced herself and provided testimony regarding HF 2972.

Discussion and questions followed.

Robert Kill provided additional testimony regarding HF 2972.

Further discussion and questions followed.


Minutes
Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division
February 26, 2008
Page Four



Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF 2972 as amended be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division with a recommended re-referral to the Finance Committee with a recommendation for referral to the House Floor. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 3205 (Mahoney)

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 3205 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Capital Investment Committee.

Representative Mahoney presented HF 3205, relating to economic development; providing a grant for utility upgrades and estension for bioscience researchpark and integrated medicine facility, appropriating money.

Representative Mahoney moved to amend HF 3205 with the amendment H3205A1, attached.
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Mahoney moved that HF 3205 as amended be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Capital Investment Committee.

Discussion and questions followed.

Geoff Griffin, Chair, Tower Investments, introduced himself and provided testimony regarding HF 3205.

Discussion and questions followed.

Representative Mahoney renewed his motion that HF 3205 as amended be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division with a recommended re-referral to the Finance Committee with a recommendation for referral to the Capital Investment Committee. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Chair Rukavina commented on the week's agendas.


The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 P.M.


Representative Tom Rukavina, Chair



_______________________________________
Susan Scott, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

HF3014 (Hosch) nurses loan forgiveness program clarified;
HF2647 (Bly) Teach education and comprehensive helps program grants clarified;
HF1256 (Masin) providing grants for bioscience business development and commercialization;
HF3304 (Mahoney) University of Minnesota grant program established for innovative technology and economic development research;
HF 2972 (Mahoney) Minnesota Technology, Inc. renamed Enterprise Minnesota, Inc.
HF3205 (Mahoney) Pine Island Economic Development Authority utility upgrade for bioscience research park