Higher Education Finance and Policy

SIXTEENTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Thursday, April 3, 2025

STATE OF MINNESOTA SIXTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION

HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

Representative Dan Wolgamott, Chair of the Committee on Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Room Capitol G23 in the State Capitol Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
WOLGAMOTT, Dan (DFL Chair)
RARICK, Marion, (GOP Chair)
COULTER, Nathan (DFL Vice Chair)
SCHWARTZ, Erica, (GOP Vice Chair)
ALLEN, Keith
DURAN, Bidal
HANSON, Jessica
HICKS, Kim
KLEVORN, Ginny
LIEBLING, Tina
NOOR, Mohamud
NOVOTNY, Paul
ROBBINS, Kristen
SCOTT, Peggy

HF2930 (Hill) - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research funding provided, report required, appropriation cancelled, and money appropriated.

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF2930.

Representative Hill presented HF2930.

Testifiers on HF2930:

• Dante Tomassoni, ALS Advocate
• Dr. David Walk, Professor and Neuromuscular Medicine Division Director, University of Minnesota

A quorum was present.

Representative Hill moved an oral amendment to HF2930, as below:
Page 1, Lines 10 and 11, delete “$15,000,000” and insert “$15,262,263”
THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE ORAL AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF2930, as amended, be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

Representative Coulter moved the minutes of April 1, 2025, be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF2561 (Bahner) - Authority to offer applied doctoral degrees at state universities expanded

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF2561.

Representative Bahner presented HF2561.

Testifiers on HF2561:

• Ginny Arthur, President, Metro State University
• Bernie Omann, Director of Government Relations, Minnesota State

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF2561 be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

HF1165 (Bahner) - Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority restructured and renamed to Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority, authority to construct and finance health care facilities authorized, and bonding capacity increased.

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF1165.

Representative Bahner presented HF1165.

Testifiers on HF1165:

• Barry Fick, Executive Director, MNHEFA

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF1165 be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

HF0421 (Hanson) - Legacy admissions prohibited in higher education institutions

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF0421.

Representative Bahner presented HF0421.

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF0421 be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

HF2151 (Wolgamott) - Plant-based foods production training pilot program established, and money appropriated.

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF2151.

Chair Wolgamott moved the A1 Amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Wolgamott presented HF2151 as amended.

Presenting:
• Daniel Gertner - Lead Economic & Industry Analyst, The Good Food Institute
• Zach Hubert - Corporate Development Manager, PURIS Foods

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF2151, as amended, be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

HF2767 (Wolgamott) - Grant amounts for the dual training competency grant program increased, and money appropriated.

Chair Wolgamott moved to lay over HF2767.

Chair Wolgamott moved the A1 Amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Chair Wolgamott presented HF2767 as amended.

Presenting:
• Danny Ackert, Director of Government Relations, Minnesota Hospital Association
• Abigail Knieste, RN and Clinical Supervisor, Children’s Minnesota

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion that HF2767, as amended, be laid over.

The bill is laid over.

HF2908 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) - Statewide children's savings account program for higher education established, local partner design and implementation grants established, report required, rulemaking required, and money appropriated.

Chair Wolgamott Moved to lay over HF2908.

Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn Presented HF 2908.

Presenting:
• Erin Martin, Director of Policy and System Transformation Programs, Youthprise
• Amy Trombley, Vice President for Community, Central Minnesota Initiative
• Maureen Nelson, Parent and St. Paul resident

Chair Wolgamott renewed his motion to lay over HF2908.

The bill is laid over.

The meeting adjourned at 2:52 PM.

___________________________________
Representative Dan Wolgamott, Chair

_____________________________________
Andrew Jones, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..

Bills Added:

HF2908 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) - Statewide children's savings account program for higher education established, local partner design and implementation grants established, report required, rulemaking required, and money appropriated.
HF1165 (Bahner) - Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority restructured and renamed to Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority, authority to construct and finance health care facilities authorized, and bonding capacity increased.
HF2151 (Wolgamott) - Plant-based foods production training pilot program established, and money appropriated.
HF2561 (Bahner) - Authority to offer applied doctoral degrees at state universities expanded.
HF2930 (Hill) - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research funding provided, report required, appropriation cancelled, and money appropriated.
HF2767 (Wolgamott) - Grant amounts for the dual training competency grant program increased, and money appropriated.
HF421 (Hanson) - Legacy admissions prohibited in higher education institutions.

Documents:

H2767 - A1 Amendment.pdf - 4/2/2025
H2151 - A1 Amendment.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - Effect on MN Debt Capacity.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - MHEFA History.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - MN College & Univ Benefits.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - MPCC Letter of Support.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - Need for Expansion.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2767 - MHA Letter of Support_4.3.2025.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2676 - CentraCare Letter of Support.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2908 - Letters of Support.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2908 - MinneKIDS Data.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2908 - MinneKIDS One Pager.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2908 - United Way Letter of Support.pdf - 4/2/2025
LRAP Handout.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF1165 - HR Summary.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2908 HR Summary.pdf - 4/2/2025
HF2151.pdf - 4/3/2025
HF2561.pdf - 4/3/2025
HF2930 - HR Summary.pdf - 4/3/2025
HF2767 - HR Summary.pdf - 4/3/2025
HF0421 - HR Summary.pdf - 4/3/2025
HF1165 - Fiscal Note.pdf - 4/3/2025

Audio:
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House TV Video:
View Archive

00:09 - HF2930 (Hill) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research funding provided, report required, appropriation cancelled, and money appropriated.
11:25 - HF2561 (Bahner) Authority to offer applied doctoral degrees at state universities expanded.
34:39 - HF1165 (Bahner) Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority restructured and renamed to Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority, authority to construct and finance health care facilities authorized, and bonding capacity increased.
55:41 - HF421 (Hanson) Legacy admissions prohibited in higher education institutions.
1:06:02 - HF2151 (Wolgamott) Plant-based foods production training pilot program established, and money appropriated.
1:14:38 - HF2767 (Wolgamott) Grant amounts for the dual training competency grant program increased, and money appropriated.
1:25:59 - Loan Repayment Assistance Program of Minnesota presentation.
1:32:10 - HF2908 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) Statewide children's savings account program for higher education established, local partner design and implementation grants established, report required, rulemaking required, and money appropriated.
Runs 1 hour, 52 minutes.

Show Full Schedule Agenda:

I. Call to Order

II. Approval of the Minutes

III. HF2908 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) - Statewide children's savings account program for higher education established, local partner design and implementation grants established, report required, rulemaking required, and money appropriated.

IV. HF2561 (Bahner) - Authority to offer applied doctoral degrees at state universities expanded.

V. HF1165 (Bahner) - Minnesota Higher Education Facilities Authority restructured and renamed to Minnesota Health and Education Facilities Authority, authority to construct and finance health care facilities authorized, and bonding capacity increased.

*VI. HF0421 (Hanson) - Legacy admissions prohibited in higher education institutions.

VII. HF2151 (Wolgamott) - Plant-based foods production training pilot program established, and money appropriated.

VIII. HF2767 (Wolgamott) - Grant amounts for the dual training competency grant program increased, and money appropriated.

IX. HF2930 (Hill) - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research funding provided, report required, appropriation cancelled, and money appropriated.

X. Presentation from Loan Repayment Assistance Program of Minnesota

XI. Adjournment

*Agenda updated. Agenda items may be added or removed.

HANDOUTS: All handouts must be provided electronically to the Committee Administrator at sean.herring@house.mn.gov by 3pm the day prior to the hearing. Handouts should be in PDF format with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capability.

TESTIFYING: In-person public testimony will be taken as time allows. Requests to testify must be submitted electronically to the Committee Administrator at sean.herring@house.mn.gov by 3pm the day prior to the hearing. Testimony information must include name, organization, and title (if applicable), email, phone number, and position on the bill. Written testimony is encouraged and will be posted on the committee webpage.

DOCUMENTS: Meeting documents may be found on the Higher Education Finance & Policy webpage.