Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:26.800> that pupil Aid that's a three-fold Aid that pupil Aid that's a three-fold Aid
• So if the legislature creates an aid but only funds that aid for two years, that aid goes out to school
• So if the legislature creates an aid but only funds that aid for two years, that aid goes out to school
• This also lines up with an aid appropriation on my typical aid appropriation spreadsheet.
• or<01:35:56.159> credits reduction Aid Border City Aid or credits reduction Aid Border City

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Education Finance Committee met on January 21, 2025, for its first hearing of the session and began with organizational business. Members and staff introduced themselves, described their districts and backgrounds, and the chair reviewed committee procedures, including how to request bill hearings, amendment deadlines, and handout deadlines. The committee also heard introductions from nonpartisan and partisan staff, including House Research and House Fiscal Analysis personnel who will support the committee’s work this session. The main substantive item was an overview presentation on the state budget and education finance process. Staff explained how Minnesota’s general fund is forecast twice a year, how the committee should read the budget documents and aid/levy tracking sheets, and how the current biennium compares with the upcoming budget window. They described the November forecast, noted that the committee will later receive the February forecast, and outlined the committee’s role in reviewing K-12 state aid spending, school district revenue, and property tax impacts. Staff walked through the aid appropriation summary spreadsheet and explained its columns, including end-of-session spending, fiscal year 2024-25 actuals and estimates, and the 2026-27 and 2028-29 planning horizons. They emphasized that many education programs are forecast-driven and can change with enrollment and other data. The presentation also summarized the state’s overall revenue mix and spending priorities, noting that K-12 education is the largest general fund category and that state aid makes up the majority of school revenue. No bills were heard and no votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• family education aid, and home visiting aid.
• family education aid, and home visiting aid.
• family education aid, and home visiting aid.
• family education aid, and home visiting aid.
• family education aid, and home visiting aid.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• application for federal student aid. application for federal student aid.
• to as a student aid account.
• aid.
• And so the lower the student aid aid.
• <00:07:16.479> student<00:07:16.720> aid financial aid um federal student aid financial

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• about the running out of financial aid. about the running out of financial aid.
• trying to fund uh the financial aid trying to fund uh the financial aid programs<00:21:07.360>
• strengthening our student financial aid strengthening our student financial aid protections.<00:
• So, if an federal financial aid.
• ,<00:36:55.839> we're various financial aid statutes, we're various financial aid statutes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We want you to vote no on this for legal aid funding and essential life-saving legal aid services like
• Aid for almost 50 years now.
• This is to fund legal aid.
• We have bankers on the legal aid board and the local legal aid board.
• I'm a supporter of legal aid...

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and nonpublic education aid.
• , and nonpublic education aid.
• , and nonpublic education aid.
• Um, just for aid to that program.
• aid uh is aid background, school library aid uh is aid to<00:59:30.240> districts<00:59:30.799

Bills: HF2430, HF2433

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• and general education aid.
• education aid over the years.
• Aid, Health and Developmental Screening Aid, and School Readiness Aid, which will continue to be paid
• Readiness Aid screening Aid and School Readiness Aid um<01:02:28.359> which<01:02:28.480>
• <01:09:31.359> categories AIDS and rates of the aid categories AIDS and rates of the aid categories

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Finance Committee met on January 21 with a quorum present for the first meeting of the 2025 biennium. The co-chairs described the temporary power-sharing arrangement in the tied Senate, introduced committee staff and pages, and had members briefly introduce themselves and share what subject they would teach. After the introductions, the committee moved to a presentation from State Demographer Susan Brower. Brower reviewed Minnesota’s school-age population trends and projections, noting that the state had just under 1 million children ages 5 to 17 in 2023 and that, for the first time, the older adult population exceeded the school-age population. She said the school-age population is concentrated in the Twin Cities metro and other regional centers, and projected an overall decline of about 5% over the next 15 to 20 years, driven mainly by declining birth rates and long-running net outmigration of young adults. She also explained that growth is expected in some areas, especially along the I-94 corridor north of the metro, while northern regions are projected to see the largest declines. She clarified for members that her figures measure resident children, not school enrollment, and that boundary changes are not reflected in the district-level data. The presentation also covered demographic change among students. Brower said about 35% of Minnesota children ages 5 to 17 are children of color, with growing multiracial populations and increasing linguistic diversity. She reported that about 20% of school-age children have at least one foreign-born parent, and about 18% of enrolled students speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish, Somali, and Hmong the largest home languages. She also discussed child poverty, saying Minnesota’s rate is just under 10%, below the national rate of about 15%, and that poverty is concentrated in Minneapolis-St. Paul, some first-ring suburbs, and parts of northern Minnesota, including districts with larger Native populations. Members asked questions about whether the projections accounted for migration and whether open enrollment affected the figures; Brower said the data reflect where children live, not where they attend school, and that the projections are based on recent migration and birth patterns, with future changes more likely to come from international immigration than from domestic migration.

Transcript Highlights:

• So they couldn't spend EFA funds or whether it's different agent aided aid or adequacy aid on, you know
• So they couldn't spend EFA funds or whether it's different agent aided aid or adequacy aid on, you know
• So they couldn't spend EFA funds or whether it's different agent aided aid or adequacy aid on, you know
• aid or adequacy different agent aided aid or adequacy aid<00:51:22.400> on<00:51:22.720> you
• They're not aid. for HAL. They're not aid.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission to study the cost of special education met, confirmed a quorum, introduced members and guests, and approved the minutes from the October 29 meeting. Members noted the commission’s mandate under Senate Bill 57 and emphasized the need to focus on recommendations and findings by July 1, 2026. The chair also distributed additional handouts, including materials related to the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program and administrative rules tied to differentiated aid and disability determinations. The main discussion centered on how students qualify for differentiated aid under the EFA program. Matt Sutherton of the Children’s Scholarship Fund explained that the organization, which contracts with the state to administer EFAs, accepts either school-district/IEP documentation or a medical certification of disability (MCD) from a licensed medical professional. Members questioned how this process relates to the state’s special education rules and whether the school-district examiner standards in ED 107/1107.04 apply to EFAs. Sutherton said the MCD form, created with the department, requires the medical professional to sign that they are qualified to make the determination and to identify the disability. Several members expressed concern that the EFA process is less rigorous than the school-district IEP process and may be inflating disability counts. One member argued that the administrative rules cited are primarily for school districts, not EFAs, and said the Department of Education may not know how many of the roughly 890 EFA students receiving differentiated aid came through school-district documentation versus the MCD pathway. Another member said the EFA system appears more generous than the school system and raised concerns about oversight, auditing, and whether the program’s data are accurate. Sutherton said the organization reviews signed documentation, credentials, and diagnosis information, and may request additional records to help adjudicate expenses. No votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the prior minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also are support personnel aid.
• general education aid.
• requests nor receive aid. requests nor receive aid. So<01:54:42.639> Mr.
• aid.
• and the non-public non-public pupil aid and the non-public transportation<02:02:30.400> aid.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for building aid stays as building<01:11:54.719> aid,<01:11:55.679> which<01:11:56.000
• building aid. building aid.
• Also dealing with the formula in regard to differentiated aid, where differentiated aid when it comes
• Also dealing with the formula in regard to differentiated aid, where differentiated aid when it comes
• Also dealing with the formula in regard to differentiated aid, where differentiated aid when it comes

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up several school building aid bills. HB 295, which would make school building aid program funds non-lapsing, drew debate over whether the program is effective and whether funds should be allowed to carry forward. Supporters argued the program is underfunded and that even small leftover amounts should remain available for building aid; opponents said non-lapsing funds limit future budget flexibility and that the program creates winners and losers. The committee voted 4-3 to recommend HB 295 inexpedient to legislate (ITL). The committee then considered HB 366, which would increase school building aid for eligible projects and include retroactive funding for projects completed in the past. The motion to ITL was supported on the grounds that retroactive payments would be unfair to districts still waiting in line and that the legislature should focus on future projects. Supporters of the bill said the increase was modest and that districts that built during a prior moratorium on aid were left with long-term fiscal burdens. The committee again voted 4-3 to recommend ITL. The discussion also broadened into special education funding and a retained bill, HB 742, concerning catastrophic special education aid and the source of funding. Members debated whether the education trust fund should cover the aid and whether the committee should act now or wait for a separate commission studying special education costs. Several members emphasized that special education costs are rising, that more data is needed on student identification and funding formulas, and that the commission’s report may provide better guidance. The chair said the subcommittee’s recommendations would go to the full committee, and the next meeting was expected to be rescheduled from November 4 to later that week because of election-related conflicts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legal Aid of the Bluegrass. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass.
• Aid. Aid. >> Good<00:02:16.720> morning.
• Aid. Aid. >> Good<00:02:21.599> morning.
• Legal Aid Society. Legal Aid Society.
• So, the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky is made up of four civil legal aid programs.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Legal Aid Network of Kentucky, including Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, Kentucky Legal Aid, AppalRed Legal Aid, and the Legal Aid Society in Louisville. The presenters explained that the four nonprofit programs provide civil legal services in all 120 counties, focusing on low-income clients and matters such as domestic violence, family law, housing, expungement, public benefits, and veterans’ issues. They emphasized that they do not handle criminal defense cases and described statewide efforts such as the kyjustice.org website and Project Renew, which helps people in recovery with legal issues that affect stability, employment, housing, and family reunification. Each organization highlighted regional service challenges and examples of casework. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass described its 33-county service area, its mobile “justice bus,” and expungement work for people in recovery. Kentucky Legal Aid focused on disaster response after the December 2021 tornadoes, including insurance disputes and contractor fraud, and said it has continued to handle repeated FEMA-declared disasters. AppalRed described serving 37 rural counties with limited attorneys, the shortage of lawyers in “rural legal deserts,” and its disaster-response work after flooding and tornadoes, including FEMA appeals clinics and volunteer attorney support. The Legal Aid Society described its Louisville-area veteran services, including Social Security and VA disability cases, veterans treatment court referrals, and homeless outreach. Committee members praised the organizations’ work and noted the importance of their services. In response to questions about funding, the presenters said their support comes from a mix of Legal Services Corporation funds, state appropriations, federal grants such as VOCA, VAWA, and HUD, United Way, and foundation funding. They stressed that many grants are restricted, while state funding is more flexible and useful for emergencies and day-to-day operations. The presenters said current funding does not fully meet demand and requested an increase in the General Assembly’s appropriation from $500,000 per year to $1 million per year, or $2 million over the biennium.

Transcript Highlights:

• and state AIDS and and federal AIDS and state AIDS and and local<00:11:31.959> AIDS<00:11:32.959
• And the aid amount is a function of initial aid, transportation aid, which is a portion of initial aid
• <00:42:36.160> a Aid um transportation Aid which is a Aid um transportation Aid which is a
• Um, they, you know, maybe have an aid or a part-time aid.
• They're, you know, they maybe have an aid or a part-time aid.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Aid, which I just covered.
• Act Literacy Incentive Aid, which I just covered.
• , and non-public education aid.
• This was an aid program that was created in 2023.
• Telecom equity aid.

Bills: HF2430, HF2433

Keywords: education finance, teacher training, Read Act, state aid, school funding, education funding, children with disabilities, transition aid, special education, school district consolidation

Transcript Highlights:

• Those include school readiness aid, ECF, and home visiting aid, and health and developmental screening
• aid.
• education aid streams.
• education aid streams.
• education aid streams.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :10.440> around<00:46:10.720> $40 ongoing literacy aid of around $40 ongoing literacy aid
• financial impact of the literacy aid financial impact of the literacy aid formula<00:52:45.400><
• Is it targeted literacy aid?
• Is it targeted literacy aid?
• Is it targeted literacy aid?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• because they couldn't get financial aid because they couldn't get financial aid at<00:19:58.799>
• :23.760> problem because building aid is a huge problem because building aid is a huge problem
• after we had a moratorium should get building aid now. aid all along.
• And if you did, we would aid all along.
• school building aid was not available. school building aid was not available.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division met to consider two bills: HB 112 and HB 1399. On HB 112, members debated a proposal tied to civics education requirements for public higher education. Supporters argued the measure would reinforce basic civic knowledge and noted that a similar high school requirement had already been enacted with little apparent fiscal impact. Opponents said the legislature should not dictate university curriculum and raised concerns about administrative burden and precedent. The committee voted 5-3 to recommend ought to pass. The committee then heard testimony on HB 1399, which concerned Claremont and retroactive school building aid related to past construction during the state moratorium on building aid. A Claremont representative explained the district’s history, estimated the lost state aid, and said any funds would likely be used for contingency, tax relief, or future liabilities, while preferring normal building aid participation going forward. Members discussed whether the issue reflected state policy, local governance, or both, and whether the bill would create an unfair retroactive precedent or a broader statewide obligation. After discussion, the committee voted on an ITL motion for HB 1399. The motion failed, and the committee instead approved the bill 7-1. The chair then closed the hearing and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• He says he has copies of those reports if you would like. aids first up Insurance division state aids
• to be prescription of hearing aid to be prescription hearing<00:05:17.479> aid<00:05:17.960><
• um Falls from not wearing hearing aids um Falls from not wearing hearing aids are<00:07:33.919><
• <00:08:54.680> so aids as prescription hearing aids so aids as prescription hearing aids so
• It exempts hearing aids from the general excise tax gross receipts regarding hearing aids.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony on several health-related measures, with most of the discussion focused on SB 1419, SB 1494, and SB 1495, which were taken out of order to accommodate ASL/Death Blind Task Force testimony. SB 1419, relating to Act 253 (Session Laws of Hawaii 2023), drew support from the Department of Human Services and the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, with testimony emphasizing use of the term “low vision” and support for the program timeline. The committee later recommended passage with amendments, including technical changes and updated appropriation fiscal years, and the motion was adopted unanimously by the members present. SB 1494, concerning hearing aids, drew broad support from disability advocates and others who argued that hearing aids improve health, reduce accidents, and may help reduce dementia risk. Testifiers also urged that the bill define hearing aids as prescription hearing aids rather than including over-the-counter devices, and the Department of the Auditor and Insurance Division raised cost and coverage questions. The committee recommended passage with amendments, changing the coverage approach to optional coverage similar to vision and dental and requesting a sunrise analysis for prescription hearing aids; that recommendation was adopted. SB 1495, which exempts hearing aids from the general excise tax, also received support, while the Attorney General flagged a possible single-subject issue and the Tax Department estimated a potential $1.1 million revenue impact. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including deletion of the challenged language, technical fixes, and noting the revenue estimate; that recommendation was adopted. The committee then moved through additional measures with mostly supportive testimony. SB 1421 on medical records prompted questions about what happens when a solo practitioner dies or closes practice, and the discussion centered on ensuring patients can obtain records, including a proposed amendment requiring a successor provider to send records to the patient’s last known address. SB 1422, dealing with a special fund and vital statistics funding, was supported by the Department of Health, which said the special fund did not meet criteria and that deposits should instead go to the Vital Statistics Improvement Special Fund. SB 1423 on certificate of need exemptions for Department of Health facilities drew support, with discussion of possibly extending exemptions to dialysis and behavioral health/psychiatric services; the Department indicated it would not oppose that change. SB 1424 on credentialing of health care providers also received support, and SB 1425 on the State Emergency Medical Services Committee focused on reducing quorum requirements because many members are active first responders and cannot always attend meetings. The committee also heard support for SB 1426 on emergency medical services, SB 1431 on viral hepatitis, and SB 1433 on harm reduction, with testimony on hepatitis outreach funding and syringe access best practices; for SB 1433, the Department of Health identified a blank in the bill and recommended a six-month period for the syringe-possession exception.

Transcript Highlights:

• > kind<00:36:44.319> of<00:36:44.480> Aid any kind of Aid any kind of Aid really
• institutional aid or private aid the student might receive.
• institutional aid or private aid the student might receive.
• institutional aid or private aid the student might receive.
• financial aid such as institutional Aid financial aid such as institutional Aid or<00:59:57.720>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The committee received an informational presentation from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education on the State Grant program and governor-recommended changes, with some discussion of North Star Promise. Staff explained that State Grant is the state’s largest financial aid program, intended to promote college access and choice for students with the highest financial need, and that it works alongside Pell Grants. They reviewed program eligibility, award calculation, and participation rules, and noted that the program serves a large share of low- and middle-income students, including many dependent students, student parents, BIPOC students, and adult learners. They also described how awards and spending are distributed across public and private institutions and how the agency projects spending using enrollment, tuition, and FAFSA data. A major focus was the current fiscal-year deficit in State Grant. Staff said the program is experiencing a shortfall driven by higher-than-expected enrollment, more students with greater financial need, and major FAFSA formula changes that increased the number of applicants with zero or negative student aid index values. They said the office has already rationed awards where allowed and imposed a FAFSA deadline for spring awards, and does not expect to fund some awards. Officials explained that if the program projects a surplus, they typically adjust the living and miscellaneous expense allowance to spend down funds; if it projects a deficit, they can increase student and family responsibility to reduce award sizes, but the program must stay within its appropriation. Senator Duckworth asked several questions about whether unused funds could be transferred between State Grant and North Star Promise, and how the two programs are treated. Staff said State Grant funds revert to the general fund at the end of the biennium, while North Star Promise uses a special revenue account, and that transfers may be possible but would need clarification under current authority. They referenced a prior legislative transfer from North Star Promise funds to cover a shortfall in the Fostering Independence Grant and said they would follow up on the exact transfer authority. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• c> for<00:09:36.320> the out and that Aid was calculated for the out and that Aid was calculated
• The second one is that this aid, or the bill, does pay for itself by taking a portion of our buffer aid
• We feel like this aid is warranted.
• c><00:20:27.320> trickle across the state this Aid does trickle across the state this Aid does
• regarding ongoing in 20 uh estimated Aid regarding ongoing in 20 uh estimated Aid in<00:29:17.679

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• um public in interest legal aid um public in interest legal aid attorneys<00:32:01.240> that<
• aid works.
• little bit of a kind of financial aid little bit of a kind of financial aid 101<00:54:28.000>
• That means that it is the first financial aid dollar applied to the student's financial aid offer.
• aid offer you'll students's financial aid offer you'll also<00:59:33.280> see<00:59:33.559>

Keywords: 1183, house