Minnesota House of Representatives
Republican Caucus

ST. PAUL -- Before adjourning the regular session last night at midnight, the Minnesota House and Senate passed the first major spending bill of the year, the Family and Early Childhood Education Finance bill. The legislation funds programs such as Head Start, government-assisted child care, community education and adult basic education.

House Republican leaders are pleased that the bill provides needed funds to important initiatives.

"All in all, this is a good bill," said Rep. Barb Sykora, R-Excelsior, chair of the House Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Committee. "Early childhood family ed, community ed and adult basic ed all receive funding increases under this legislation."

Highlights of the two-year, $544 million bill include:

child care assistance is increased and will stay in its current three-program format; a $5 million levy for community education is authorized, with the new money earmarked specifically to school districts whose taxpayers choose to fund youth programs -- community education has not seen a funding increase in 14 years; Rep. Richard "Doc" Mulder's award-winning At-Home-Infant Care Program, which provides funding to parents in financial need who spend up to one year at home with their babies, is maintained -- Rep. Mulder is a family physician and Republican legislator from the southwestern Minnesota town of Ivanhoe.

The bill was sent to Governor Ventura after passing the House, 69-65, and the Senate, 47-18.

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