Transcript Highlights:

• Your classification will determine the type of housing you receive.
• <00:49:44.559> to classification system reviewed by Dr. to classification system reviewed
• <00:56:23.040> and different um risk classifications and different um risk classifications
• it's been mentioned that classification it's been mentioned that classification is<01:03:18.319>
• Before changing the policy on classification, the department wanted to have a classification study done

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And currently there isn't a good classification for an electric motorcycle. of other layers whether it
• <00:03:30.080> of issue of different classifications of issue of different classifications
• and the electric motorcycle classification, and it clarifies that for all parties involved.
• By class, establishing better classification allows local communities to better educate the public, and
• <00:08:18.360> it establishing better classification it establishing better classification

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3785, a bill from Representative DePauw dealing with classification issues for electric bicycles and electric motorcycles. DePauw said the bill responds to concerns raised by a constituent, the Department of Public Safety, insurance companies, and law enforcement about the lack of a clear category for electric motorcycles and the need for clearer rules on where these vehicles may be used and how accidents and liability are handled. Several members spoke in support of the bill’s safety and education benefits, while also noting that the issue is still evolving and may need further work before final passage. The committee first considered and adopted the DePauw A11 amendment, described as a technical amendment to allow the Department of Natural Resources to use appropriated money or license-fee revenue for signage. Fiscal staff explained that the DNR has a $30,000 cost and $32,000 in offsetting revenue in a special revenue fund, but cannot access that revenue without a direct appropriation, making the amendment necessary. Representative Frazier noted the bill still needs additional work and confirmed with DePauw that further changes would be made before the bill reaches the floor. After discussion, including comments about the growing use of e-bikes by seniors, people with disabilities, commuters, and families, the committee voted to advance House File 3785 as amended. The motion to refer the bill to the general register passed on a voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• B IRA, which would also put them into Group 2 classification.
• I'm sorry, the name of the bill is An Act Relative to Retirement Classification of Certain Employees
• We have submitted detailed written testimony to the committee on the three job classifications in the
• But this one is about a classification that was taken away.
• For starters, the job title a person holds is what governs their classification.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service heard testimony on a wide range of retirement classification and benefit bills affecting municipal and state employees. Much of the hearing focused on proposals to move various workers from Group 1 to Group 2 or Group 4, including municipal building officials (H. 2776), MassDOT highway workers (H. 2908/Sousa’s Law), DCF attorneys (H. 2771), probation officers, licensed electricians, drinking water operators (H. 3000/S. 1834), MWRA non-clerical workers (S. 1803), transitional parole officers (H. 2878), Plymouth BCI criminal investigator officers (H. 2975/S. 1863), Beverly fire alarm operators/public safety telecommunicators (S. 1876), Massport pipefitters and refrigeration technicians (H. 2788/S. 1829), and other public safety or hazardous-duty classifications. Witnesses generally argued that their work is physically dangerous, understaffed, or comparable to already higher-classified employees, and several said the changes would help recruitment and retention with little fiscal impact because the affected groups are small. The committee also heard testimony on H. 4508, a home rule petition to grant a disability pension to Boston principal Patricia Lampron. Supporters, including Representative Dan Hunt, Boston city councilors, and Lampron herself, described a severe 2021 assault at the Henderson Inclusion School that left her with lasting physical and psychological injuries and forced her into early retirement. They urged the committee to advance the bill quickly. One witness, Pamela McLaughlin, testified in opposition, arguing the bill would set the wrong precedent and describing alleged prior misconduct by Lampron, and asked that the bill be sent to study. Several witnesses and committee members asked brief questions, mainly about the scope of the bills, whether certain workers were already in higher groups, and the fiscal or precedent concerns. No votes were taken during the hearing. At the end, the chairs announced that testimony was complete, asked whether anyone else wished to speak, and then the committee voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• September 2025 they will no longer have in-state tuition.
• In-state tuition, which is way better than out-of-state tuition, and it is not cheap.
• Now you will see your tuition rate quadruple.
• The tuition waiver obviously there is a lot of concern about it.
• path opportunity for students to complete their degree with in-state tuition.

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They will be happily admitted, and I am certain that they will get full tuition and financial aid if
• Kirkmeer concerning the classification Kirkmeer concerning the classification of<04:12:19.680>
• Under current law, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs administers a tuition waiver program
• So many more of our National Guard members will get the opportunity to have tuition-free enrollment in
• So many more of our National Guard members will get the opportunity to have tuition-free enrollment in

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House opened with the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Members then approved the journal of April 8, 2026, and heard several introductions and tributes, including recognition of Home Education Day in Colorado, a welcome to Sigma Lambda Gamma members, and a reminder about an education luncheon. The chamber then recessed briefly before moving into second reading and floor consideration of bills. The main substantive debate centered on House Bill 1357, which phases out the Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation (TREP) program. Supporters said the program serves a relatively small number of students, costs more per student than community college alternatives, and should be wound down so limited state education dollars can go to core services and the school finance formula. Opponents argued the state had promised the program to students who planned their education around it, including some who turned down scholarships, and said the change would harm future teachers and should have been treated as a pause rather than an end. The House adopted an appropriations amendment (L003), withdrew a proposed substitute amendment (L005), and then passed HB 1357 as amended. The House also passed House Bill 1358, which reduces the appropriation for the Colorado Academic Accelerator Grant Program by $5.2 million in general fund. The sponsor described it as a grant program supporting community learning centers and math/STEM enrichment, but said funding will end after the following fiscal year and the program must step down so families can seek other services. The bill was adopted without further opposition. Finally, the House considered House Bill 1359, which redirects certain revenue from public school land natural resource removals to the state public school fund rather than the permanent fund, with projected transfers of $25 million in FY 2025-26 and $45 million in FY 2026-27. Supporters said the measure is needed to help balance the budget. An opponent raised concerns about impacts on a constituent ranch lease tied to a proposed green energy project, but the sponsor clarified the bill applies only to royalties and leases on state-owned public school lands. The House then adopted HB 1359.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is my view: that they don't deserve to get in-state tuition.
• Now I want to go back into the discussion of the tuition waiver. Okay.
• About 6,500 students who are getting the tuition waiver right now.
• at these schools, because remember it's a tuition waiver.
• They are paying tuition, and there may not be anyone to replace them.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then read an amended joint proclamation expanding the special session call to include financial penalties for government officials, criminal penalties for offenses committed by illegal aliens, and programs and appropriations to support law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. No committee reports, governor’s messages, or House messages were on the desk before the chamber moved to the special order calendar. The main item was Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2B, the immigration bill, along with a late-filed strike-all amendment by Senator Gruters. Gruters said the amendment aligned terminology with federal law, increased penalties for crimes by unauthorized aliens, added transnational crime organizations to gang definitions, required stronger participation in the federal 287(g) program, created financial penalties for noncompliance, offered a $1,000 bonus for officers assisting ICE in large operations, directed more information-sharing with federal agencies, and barred DHSMV from issuing licenses or IDs to unauthorized aliens. He framed the bill as supporting President Trump’s immigration agenda and focusing on criminal illegal aliens rather than street-level enforcement. A long question-and-answer period followed, with Senators Polsky, Pizzo, Smith, Jones, Roscoe, Berman, and others pressing the sponsor on scope, legality, costs, and implementation. Questions focused on whether the bill would require participation beyond jails and detention centers, whether schools or churches could be affected, liability and immunity for local agencies, the size and purpose of the proposed appropriations, and the impact on undocumented students receiving in-state tuition waivers. Gruters and Senator Fine said the 287(g) provisions were intended to apply to jails and detention facilities, that green-card holders and lawful residents would not be affected, and that the tuition waiver repeal would end discounted tuition for students in the country illegally while not affecting their ability to attend. Fine also defended the mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses committed by illegal immigrants, acknowledging it would likely be challenged in court but arguing the bill was designed to test and advance the policy. No final vote or other action on the bill is reflected in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that is my view: that they don't deserve to get in-state tuition.
• Now I want to go back into the discussion of the tuition waiver.
• About 6,500 students who are getting the tuition waiver right now.
• at these schools, because remember it's a tuition waiver.
• They are paying tuition, and there may not be anyone to replace them.

Summary: The Senate opened with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the reading of an amended joint proclamation expanding the Legislature’s immigration agenda. The proclamation added items calling for financial penalties for government officials, enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed by illegal aliens, and programs and appropriations to support law enforcement in enforcing federal immigration law. The chamber then took up the special order calendar, beginning with Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2B, the immigration bill. Most of the meeting was devoted to debate and questions on the strike-all amendment to SB 2B. Sponsor Senator Gruters described the bill as a broad immigration enforcement package aligned with President Trump’s agenda. He said it would require greater cooperation with federal immigration authorities, strengthen participation in the 287(g) program, create a chief immigration officer and council, authorize financial penalties for noncompliance, provide bonuses for officers assisting ICE, and direct information-sharing with federal agencies. He also said the bill would bar DHSMV from issuing licenses or ID cards to unauthorized aliens and would end in-state tuition waivers for undocumented students. Senators Polsky, Pizzo, Smith, Jones, Berman, Osgood, and others questioned the scope of the bill, whether it would affect schools, churches, cities, nonprofits, and green-card holders, and how the 287(g) provisions would work in practice. Gruters repeatedly said the operational focus was on jails and detention facilities, not street-level enforcement. A major point of controversy was the bill’s proposed mandatory death penalty for unauthorized aliens convicted of certain capital offenses. Senator Fine said the covered crimes were the most serious capital felonies, including murder, child sexual battery, destructive-device offenses causing death, and certain trafficking offenses, and argued the provision was intended to withstand constitutional challenge. Senator Pizzo raised Eighth Amendment concerns and questioned whether the bill could mandate death sentences. The tuition waiver provisions also drew extended debate: Fine said the state would save about $41 million by ending discounted tuition for undocumented students, while Democrats argued the savings would not return to general revenue and that the policy would harm students who are already enrolled. Fine and Gruters said green-card holders would not be affected and that the bill targeted only students in the country illegally. The discussion also covered appropriations and implementation. Senator Smith asked about the bill’s large funding levels, and Fine broke down the spending as including $375 million for the chief immigration officer, $100 million in grants to local law enforcement, $29 million for the new Office of State Immigration Enforcement, and $10 million for an unauthorized-alien transport program. Gruters said the funds would reimburse local governments and help address staffing shortages, while critics questioned the lack of benchmarks and the fiscal impact. No final vote or disposition on the bill appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Up to 2019, there was a $200 a year increase in tuition every single year, and that stopped, and I'm
• We've got to take a look at TAP TUITION, AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY POSITIVE STEP.
• We don't want to increase tuition, but one of the most significant issues, and the last one I'm going
• New York's Tuition Assistance Program, or TAP, has not kept pace with inflation or rising tuition costs
• NEW YORK'S TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR TAP HAS NOT KEPT WITH INFLATION OR RISING TUITION COSTS SINCE

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Higher Education Conference Committee met to discuss budget priorities for SUNY, CUNY, community colleges, TAP, student aid, and capital funding. Chair Toby Ann Stavisky emphasized the need for increased operating and capital support, protection against enrollment-based funding losses, no tuition increases, a review of TAP because it has not kept pace with living costs, and action on student loan access and research funding cuts. Assembly Chair Alicia Hyndman outlined the Assembly’s higher education proposal, including $475.7 million to expand TAP eligibility, raising income thresholds for TAP and the Excelsior Scholarship, creating a graduate tuition assistance program, adding community college operating aid, expanding the Opportunity Promise Scholarship, forgiving SUNY hospital debt service, increasing CUNY operating support, restoring opportunity program funding, creating a $110 million student loan support program called New York Rises, and funding five-year capital plans for SUNY and CUNY plus additional ECAP grants. Members broadly supported making higher education more affordable and accessible, while highlighting district-specific needs. Senator May praised SUNY Reconnect, community college workforce programs, hospital debt service relief, and a five-year SUNY capital plan. Senator Gonzalez framed the budget as an investment in economic mobility. Senator Griffo supported affordability, operating and capital aid, and additional support for medical schools and hospitals. Assembly Members Walker, Colton, and Fall backed TAP expansion, opportunity programs, disability supports, SUNY Downstate’s transformation, and capital needs at CUNY and SUNY campuses. Assembly Member Smullen, speaking for the minority conference, urged a five-way budget process, said TAP has not kept pace with inflation, and called for a more stable long-term funding model for community colleges. He also stressed aligning higher education with workforce needs. Assembly Member Pirozzolo pointed to the College of Staten Island as an example of the benefits of investment and warned that employers recruiting students directly from high school could weaken higher education unless colleges continue strengthening trade and career training. The meeting ended with no vote on the budget items, and the chairs adjourned the conference committee after concluding remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you look at our tuition, we have the lowest tuition in the nation.
• Dana finds tuition. This is very important. Undergraduate tuition is set in statute.
• the board of governors concept tuition.
• As I mentioned, tuition and fees have not gone up since 2013 lowest tuition.
• tuition here in Florida, we have the lowest resident undergraduate tuition fees in the country.

Transcript Highlights:

• We back out tuition revenue.
• Tuition rates vary slightly in the Florida College System.
• There's also a tuition rate for workforce courses.
• And so the question is, we haven’t really raised tuition.
• We’re saying that we haven’t raised tuition for some time.

Summary: The Higher Education Budget Subcommittee met to review funding models for the Florida College System and district workforce education programs, with an emphasis on how new dollars are allocated in the program fund and how performance and targeted funding are incorporated. Chancellor Hebda explained the Florida College System model, including base program funding, student success and pipeline funds, performance incentives for industry certifications, and the 2022 president-developed formula that weights enrollment, workforce enrollment, completions, small-college factors, and regional cost differences, plus a targeted funding floor for colleges below a minimum per-FTE level. Vice Chancellor Goodman then outlined the district workforce model, which uses lagged enrollment, program cost weights, local revenue offsets, small-district adjustments, and unmet-need calculations to distribute lump-sum appropriations to school districts offering workforce education. The department also provided updates on several grant programs and funding delays. Goodman said the Workforce Development Incentive Grant, Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant, Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education Startup Grant, and teacher apprenticeship/mentor bonus programs all involve multi-year awards and often require reversions and reappropriations because projects are delayed, extended, or not fully obligated by year-end. She said the department is moving toward an electronic grants system and had already adjusted internal deadlines to speed awards, while acknowledging some reimbursement delays and explaining that mentor bonuses for teacher apprentices will not be paid until the first cohort reaches the statutory timing requirement. Members asked about tracking whether CTE students work in their trained fields, how Xello is used to inform students about career pathways, how FTE is calculated, whether the funding formulas could encourage growth over quality, and how students with disabilities are counted in workforce funding. Questions also focused on tuition, enrollment trends, and the gap between college and university funding. The committee heard that tuition has remained flat for more than a decade, enrollment has rebounded from COVID and is projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels, and the college system’s funding per FTE varies widely. Valencia College President Kathleen Plinsky testified in support of the proposed formula and an additional $200 million for the Florida College System, saying Valencia is the second-largest college in the state but ranks last in per-FTE funding, which has made it difficult to recruit and retain faculty and admit qualified students in high-demand programs like nursing. The committee took no vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, they are raising tuition on the students in our state 6.5% to cover this.
• Members, they are raising tuition on the students in our state 6.5% to cover this.
• Members, they are raising tuition on the students in our state 6.5% to cover this.
• Members, they are raising tuition on the students in our state 6.5% to cover this.
• <00:17:34.080> by potentially tuition by potentially tuition by 6.5%.<00:17:37.360> That's

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The out-of-state tuition is roughly double the in-state, right?
• So the current resident tuition is $36,000, and the out-of-state tuition is $71,000.
• <00:09:09.519> is resident tuition is resident tuition is 36,000<00:09:12.040> right
• 36,000 right and the out ofate tuition 36,000 right and the out ofate tuition is<00:09:13.240>
• How many take advantage of the tuition? What do we give them?

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education heard Senate Bill 101, which would require University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine graduates who paid in-state tuition to serve as physicians in Hawaiʻi for at least two years after residency or fellowship, beginning with the class of 2029. The Deputy Attorney General said the bill addressed a matter of statewide concern. JABSOM Dean Sam Shoemaker testified in opposition, arguing the school already uses scholarships, loan repayment, and other incentives, and that the strongest predictor of where physicians practice is where they complete residency; he said the school is working to expand residency slots, neighbor-island training, and class size. Supporters argued the state faces a severe physician shortage and should do more to ensure publicly subsidized students remain in Hawaiʻi. The committee ultimately recommended passage with amendments, including a statewide concern statement, and deferred the measure to July 31, 2025; the vote was adopted. The committee then heard Senate Bill 19, which creates funds to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program on Maui. University of Hawaiʻi and nursing workforce representatives testified in support, saying there is ample capacity on Maui and strong demand for higher nursing education. Members discussed the broader nursing pathway, including existing associate and bachelor’s programs at UH campuses and the need to improve access for Maui and nearby communities. The measure was moved to decision-making and adopted with amendments and a deferred date. Senate Bill 637, appropriating funds for various University of Hawaiʻi nursing programs, also received support from UH nursing leaders, who said the funding would support the final phase of the West Oʻahu-Manoa collaboration and an online RN-to-BS program. The Hawaiʻi State Center for Nursing said its research showed capacity and demand for these programs. The committee recommended amendments to blank out appropriation amounts for the committee report and deferred the measure, then adopted it. The committee also adopted Senate Bill 741, which establishes an external audit committee within the UH Board of Regents, and deferred or amended several other measures, including a wastewater technology pilot program, a coconut rhinoceros beetle response program, and a climate-resilient development appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• personal struggles to afford tuition personal struggles to afford tuition balance<00:25:22.720><
• Minnesota raised tuition by 4.5% this Minnesota raised tuition by 4.5% this year<00:28:26.960> and
• So I appreciate you highlighting that. tuition and affordability um it's not tuition and affordability
• <00:40:31.040> I family without affordable tuition I family without affordable tuition I would
• <00:41:44.480> and tuition and tuition and fees<00:41:46.280> we<00:41:46.440> believe

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard informational testimony from student and advocacy groups focused on higher education affordability and support programs. Representatives of the Minnesota Association of Private College Students urged full funding for the Minnesota State Grant, describing it as essential for low- and moderate-income students and noting prior successes such as increased support for hunger-free campuses. Two student witnesses, including one first-generation college student and one refugee student, said the grant made college possible for them and warned that underfunding or cuts would limit students’ ability to choose the right school, especially at private colleges not covered by North Star Promise. Members asked questions about the students’ schools, majors, and why they chose their institutions. The witnesses emphasized scholarship opportunities, campus community, faith-based support, and the importance of financial aid in making college accessible. No votes or formal actions were taken during this portion of the hearing. The committee then heard from Vivian Dudley of Foster Advocates, who testified in support of the Foster Independence Grant. She described how the grant allowed her to begin college, stabilize housing and basic needs, and continue toward a social work degree, while warning that aging out of eligibility leaves foster youth facing renewed financial barriers. Members responded with supportive comments and asked about her educational path and work with youth; she said she wants to use her education to help others and to educate campuses on better supporting foster students. Finally, Shay Hornik of the University of Minnesota student government testified in support of North Star Promise, arguing that the program reduces financial burdens and signals that higher education should be accessible regardless of family income. Hornik cited student financial stress, rising living costs, and public opinion favoring greater investment in higher education, and urged expansion of North Star Promise to help middle-class families. No committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, last year the legislature imposed a temporary cap on the tuition and recognized tuition and fees
• <00:03:03.840> and<00:03:04.159> recognized<00:03:04.640> tuition on the tuition
• and recognized tuition on the tuition and recognized tuition and<00:03:05.120> fees<00:03:05.360
• <00:03:14.959> and the lesser of the average tuition and the lesser of the average tuition
• <01:29:20.719> and tuition rates uh even if the tuition and tuition rates uh even if the tuition

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4252 and first heard a walkthrough of a DE2 amendment that largely incorporated Office of Higher Education technical and statutory cleanup items, including reporting consolidations, updates to postsecondary registration and licensing statutes, and an anti-fraud provision. New provisions in the DE2 would require public postsecondary institutions to explain developmental courses before enrollment and obtain a written acknowledgement, revise the state grant tuition cap, add a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation in FY 2027 for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and provide $5,000 one-time funding for reforestation at Bemidji State University. Fiscal staff also noted additional special revenue fund revenue and expenditures tied to licensing and registration litigation response. The main debate centered on the A8 amendment offered by Representative Rarick, which would require the governor to appoint University of Minnesota regents only from candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature fails to elect regents. Rarick argued the amendment was needed to address what he described as conflicts of interest and pay-to-play concerns in recent gubernatorial appointments. Several members questioned whether the language was constitutional, whether it actually addressed conflicts of interest, and whether it should instead refer to ARCAC-screened or ARCAC-recommended candidates. Nonpartisan staff said the governor’s appointment power is addressed in the university charter, not directly in the constitution, but could not definitively assess constitutionality if challenged. Members were divided: some supported the goal of cleaner governance but said the amendment was not ready or did not match the problem being described; others argued the legislature had failed to complete its own regent appointments and that the amendment was a response to that failure. No vote on the A8 amendment or the bill was reached in the portion provided, though a roll call was requested on the amendment and the chair indicated the bill would continue through amendment consideration before final discussion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students and families still have to pay the published tuition rates even if the tuition and fee rate
• tuition up to the highest public institution tuition so that access to all institutions is possible
• tuition up to the highest public institution tuition so that access to all institutions is possible
• tuition up to the highest public institution tuition so that access to all institutions is possible
• tuition up to the highest public institution tuition so that access to all institutions is possible

Bills: HF4252

Keywords: higher education, student aid, financial aid, grant programs, scholarships, Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, community college, technical college, postsecondary institution, college affordability, student fees, athletic facilities, competitive athletics, developmental education, remedial courses, pregnant students, parenting students, priority registration

Transcript Highlights:

• tuition increases to 1%.
• Thank tuition.
• The resident tuition policy. I'm Okay. The resident tuition policy.
• are given resident tuition. are given resident tuition.
• <02:47:01.840> These tuition. These are not luxuries. These tuition.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Higher Education Finance and Policy Conference Committee met publicly to compare House and Senate positions on the higher education budget, with the chairs emphasizing transparency and alternating gavel control. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through a spreadsheet of differences across the Office of Higher Education and Minnesota State, including major items such as state grants, childcare grants, work study, tribal college grants, emergency assistance grants, hunger-free campus grants, student parent support, direct admissions, paramedic scholarships, and several medical residency and fellowship programs. The House and Senate also differed on administrative funding, campus sexual assault reporting, and a House FY25 cancellation that would be carried forward. Members discussed several of the larger policy and funding choices. The Senate explained its increase for Minitex as support for operating costs and statewide access to information. The House explained its cuts to student parent support and other items as necessary to work within a zero target and to prioritize direct aid to students, while the Senate said it focused on direct appropriations and access-related programs. On hunger-free campus grants and emergency assistance grants, the Senate said it was changing the distribution method and direct appropriations rather than reducing the overall money, while the House noted differences in whether nonprofit institutions remained included. The committee also reviewed Senate-only additions and reductions in Minnesota State, including free course materials, Lake Superior College remediation, and changes to the Kids on Campus appropriation. A representative from Lake Superior College testified that the PAS remediation funding would help address contamination issues at an emergency training site near Lake Superior and that the money was shifted from the Kids on Campus initiative. No final conference agreement or vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided; the committee continued discussing differences and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• These include providing that a student's financial aid be applied for granting a tuition waiver for a
• What happens to the tuition for students?
• Is it the New College tuition, which is higher, or is it the USF tuition, which is lower?
• We know that there were tuition challenges and challenges with student enrollment and so forth.
• And I asked the question about tuition because I'm really curious.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:34.240> and as as you know, uh tuition and as as you know, uh tuition and transportation
• <00:21:50.200> and mainly been tied to tuition and mainly been tied to tuition and and<00:
• <00:43:02.960> and disseminate for tuition and disseminate for tuition and transportation.
• tuition and and transportation grants. tuition and and transportation grants.
• <01:17:34.680> for<01:17:34.880> free of your tuition for free of your tuition for

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tuition for public Matter on raising tuition. And this is a consequence of that.
• Tuition for public higher ed is up 13% nationally.
• country, and Florida's the lowest tuition in the country.
• Florida's tuition is 55% of the national average.
• But again, tuition and fees have not increased.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met to hear two presentations focused on the state university system: an update from the Board of Governors on performance-based funding and a state university efficiency study from Ben Watkins of the Division of Bond Finance. Chair Harrell emphasized accountability, maintaining Florida’s top-ranked higher education system, and getting the best return on state investment. A quorum was present, with several senators excused and one arriving later in the meeting. Sarah Donaghi outlined changes to the performance-based funding model. She said the current model will be used for 2026-27 funding, with only minor benchmark changes for metrics tied to programs of strategic emphasis, reflecting a statutory review that reduced the list of designated programs from about 800 to about 200. She also described a new “PBF 2.0” framework approved by the Board of Governors for implementation in 2027-28 funding, which will combine excellence and improvement measures, update benchmarks to the SUS 2030 strategic plan, reduce “layups” where many schools score perfect tens, expand the affordability metric to include students without loans, remove SUS transfer students from certain graduation metrics, and create a new transfer-student outcome metric. The board will run the new model alongside the current one before using it for funding, and no funding changes will occur this year. Watkins presented findings from an eight-month efficiency study ordered by executive order. Using audited financial data, student outcome data, and personnel data, he concluded that Florida’s universities provide strong value because of low tuition, rising degree production, and improved job placement and earnings outcomes. He said tuition remains the lowest in the country and that state support has increased, while per-student spending has also risen, driven largely by payroll costs. He argued that universities should operate more like business enterprises, with more granular budgeting, clearer financial reporting, and efficiency metrics such as operating expense per student and cost per degree, and he recommended that such measures be incorporated into performance funding and board oversight. Committee members asked about national comparisons, data transparency, payroll growth, admissions selectivity, and whether legislation should require more detailed institutional reporting. The meeting ended with no public comment and adjournment after Senator Bracey Davis moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• classifications: private, confidential, and public; and data not on people had similar classifications
• It was an overhead that said, "This is the data classification system," because the data classification
• system because the data classification system because the data<00:13:59.120> classification<00
• Those two broad categories are then broken down into classifications.
• <01:31:46.080> are statutory sharing or classifications are statutory sharing or classifications

Keywords: 1183, house