Legislative Testimony
The 2019 legislative session has already been extremely eventful for LeadMN. On January 30 and February 7 LeadMN President Frankie Becerra, Treasurer Dillon Forcier, and Anoka Ramsey-Cambridge Senate Vice President Julia Yates shared with the House Higher Education Finance and Policy committee and the Senate Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee an overview of LeadMN and our priorities for the legislative session.
On February 7 Vice President Oballa Oballa testified in the House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Committee as part of the committee’s food week overview. Oballa shared his story on food insecurity, discussed the impacts of going hungry on campus, the work he led at Riverland Community College-Austin to create a food pantry, and the work that LeadMN is doing to try to help address food insecurity on our campuses.
Lastly, on February 14 Anoka Ramsey-Cambridge Senate Vice President Julia Yates testified in support of SF699. This legislation would require every Minnesota State campus to provide a Z-Degree, a zero textbook cost associate degree program, to students. The legislation also provides $2 million in funding to accomplish this and requires faculty who are not teaching a full credit load to review Open Educational Resources in their field.
Audio from Testimony
January 30: House Overview of LeadMN
February 7: Senate Overview of LeadMN
February 7: House Agriculture Committee Food Insecurity
February 14: SF699 Z-Degree Legislation testimony
Debt Free College Legislation Press Conference
On February 13 LeadMN was joined by its coalition partners Students United and Youth Collective, and Senator Kari Dziedzic and Senator Kent Eken at a press conference announcing the introduction of legislation that would cover the first two years of tuition, fees, and textbooks at any public college or university. This new Minnesota Promise grant would be available to both high school graduates and returning students who have some college credit, but no degree. “Too many of our college students are realizing that the high cost of a college degree is pushing the American dream further and further out of reach,” said LeadMN President Frankie Becerra.
At the press conference LeadMN also announced the release of a report looking at the affordability of community and technical colleges in Minnesota. Utilizing a formula developed by the National College Access Network (NCAN), LeadMN found that for many low-income students, attending a community or technical college is unaffordable.
Media Coverage from February 13 Press Release
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Questions?
If you have any questions about the legislative session or what is happening at the capitol, contact LeadMN Director of Government Relations Matt Gutsch at mgutsch@leadmn.org.