Transcript Highlights:

• I do over 500 matches a year.
• I do over 500 matches a year.
• I do over 500 matches a year.
• I do over 500 matches a year.
• <02:07:20.719> but you wanted it as part of a package but you wanted it as part of a package

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um and so that's a very broad brushstroke overview of the bill, uh the package, and um we have Mr.
• Um and so that's a very broad brushstroke overview of the bill, uh the package, and um we have Mr.
• Um and so that's a very broad brushstroke overview of the bill, uh the package, and um we have Mr.
• And so, we're trying to keep in close touch so we can match things up appropriately and so on.
• We can do our work and try and match up where we can. Um, and that's what we're doing.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This A9 amendment reflects that we are pulling this bill out of the Human Services Program Integrity Package
• mostly changes that we put on in the Human Services Committee when it was sitting in that broader package
• provide ongoing funding for additional staff, which is really critical because there's a three-to-one match
• And as I'll note again, there's a three-to-one match on those dollars.
• <00:03:47.959> on again, there's a three-to-one match on again, there's a three-to-one match

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 2354, a bill by Representative Norris to strengthen Minnesota’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and combat medical assistance fraud. Norris explained that the bill, previously part of a broader Human Services program integrity package, was being converted into a standalone measure through the A9 amendment. The amendment made conforming changes and shifted the appropriation to ongoing funding from a special revenue fund, which Norris said was important to secure a three-to-one federal match for additional staff. As amended, the bill would increase investigative and prosecutorial capacity, create new penalties for Medicaid fraud over $100,000 and over $1 million, align prison time with other theft laws, extend the statute of limitations, and include medical assistance fraud under the state racketeering law. Norris and supportive members emphasized that Minnesota’s fraud unit is smaller than comparable states and that the added funding would help hire more staff. Members Pinto and Cleborne, along with Representative Koznick, offered supportive comments about the importance of the bill and broader legislative efforts to address fraud. The A9 amendment was adopted by voice vote, and after discussion the committee voted to refer House File 2354, as amended, to the General Register. The motion passed by voice vote, with no opposition recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• there's no amendments in the package there's no amendments in the package today<01:02:52.960>
• <01:48:00.400> the page three of the amendment package the page three of the amendment package
• So this is uh this operating match.
• So can use it to match federal funds.
• the state fund for non-matching the state fund for non-matching and<02:36:48.160> this<02

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first revisited HB 781, the cell phone bill, after previously retaining it. On reconsideration, members moved to OTP the bill, and it passed unanimously. The committee then moved into the budget tracking packet and adopted an amendment to HB 2 to add the same cell phone policy language, also unanimously, and separately reduced HB 1 by $1 million to match the policy change. Members noted the cell phone language had already been stripped of grant funding language in the House version and that the policy and funding pieces were being aligned across the budget bills. The committee then took up a Department of Education technical amendment to HB 2 on charter school grants, which made timing and administrative changes without altering grant amounts, and adopted it unanimously. Members also discussed but held other education-related items, including adequacy grants, pending broader decisions on overall education funding. Another HB 2 item concerning E-911/state police radio communications prompted a longer discussion about whether E-911 surcharge funds were being used for purposes that should instead be general-funded. After debate over whether to leave the current practice in place or split the funding 50/50 between E-911 and general funds, the committee adopted a joint HB 1/HB 2 change to shift the funding source to a 50/50 split and delete the HB 2 language authorizing the prior use; the motion passed 7-0. The committee also discussed but did not act on several lottery-related provisions, including the video lottery terminal amendment, the increase in maximum ticket price from $30 to $50, and related tax split changes, with members planning to hear from the Lottery Commission on Monday. The meeting ended with the committee beginning review of new amendments in the tracking packet, including a Department of Education request related to Public School Infrastructure Commission grant administration, but no action was taken on that item in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 59's conference report just matches the bill with my original bill that left the House that
• Senate Bill 59's conference report just matches the bill with my original bill that left the House that
• here, Delegate Reaser, HB 1022, a click-to-cancel bill, and this is just the Senate version that matches
• a package or the number of identical packages of the same product, but may be issued per package for
• . ...contains more than 2 milligrams of total THC per package.

Keywords: March 14, 2026 - Regular Session Part 3, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are putting up the state match in order to get enhanced rates.
• You know, they'll give us a match rate for kids 0 to 6 at 80%.
• It's because all of this required non-federal match.
• In all the other 12, they have to have a 25% match.
• We've been able to match some of that to some of the CWP money.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:31.679> Um<00:32:32.000> it<00:32:32.320> does<00:32:32.880> match
• Um it does match with our House draft 1.
• Um it does match with our priority<00:32:34.159> to<00:32:34.399> promote<00:32:34.799>
• >> Just while you're out there, so among those 39 products, none of them are packaged in disposable .
• :53:23.200> standards targeting um matching federal standards targeting um matching federal standards

Bills: SB2421, SB2690, SB3103, SB3137, SB3164, SB3206, SB2933, SB3133, SB3315

Keywords: cannabis, marijuana, Hawaii Cannabis Law, legalization, decriminalization, adult use, hemp, taxation, social equity, public health, primary care, health insurance, health carrier, insurance commissioner, Med-QUEST, Medicaid managed care, provider reimbursement, downcoding, prior authorization, utilization review

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several health-related bills. HB 1864, which would require health insurance coverage for standard fertility preservation services for people undergoing medically necessary treatment, drew broad support from SHIPA, the Department of Health, HMSA, the Hawaii Association of Health Plans, and others. Testifiers emphasized that fertility preservation is routine coverage on the mainland and important for patients facing infertility from cancer or other treatment; one patient described incurring more than $20,000 in costs. The Insurance Division flagged possible Affordable Care Act issues, a potential conflict in the bill’s language about using patient history to determine limits, and a mismatch with state medical-necessity standards. Committee discussion also focused on whether the bill should apply to all women of childbearing age rather than a narrower age-based category. HB 2305 would require nutrition and metabolic education as part of physicians’ continuing medical education. The Hawaii Medical Board opposed the measure, arguing that CME should remain flexible and tailored to each physician’s specialty and warning that topic-specific mandates can expand over time. The Office of the Governor supported the bill, saying it would help the state’s rural health transformation application and could improve federal funding prospects, though the exact impact was unclear. Members questioned whether nutrition is already covered in medical training and whether the requirement should be limited to primary care physicians; the board said Hawaii currently has no topic-specific CME mandates and that physicians can already choose relevant courses. The committee also heard strong support for HB 1597, which would establish an Alzheimer’s disease research center at the University of Hawaii. Supporters from the university, the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, and others said the center could attract federal research dollars, expand clinical trials, and help address the state’s high Alzheimer’s-related health costs. HB 2159, which appropriates funds for health care workforce development, also received broad support from the University of Hawaii, health systems, and advocacy groups, with no opposition noted. Finally, HB 2121, which would prohibit the sale and distribution of disposable electronic smoking devices, drew support from the Department of Health, youth advocates, and public health groups citing youth addiction, environmental waste, and fire hazards; the department said a separate bill, HB 1573, would be more comprehensive and better defined for enforcement and penalties. The committee ended with HB 1913, creating a veteran services mental health coordinator position at Tripler Army Medical Center, which was supported by veteran services officials and others who said veterans need better navigation and coordination for behavioral health care.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the issue with matching programs..." Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Any mail or packages that enter the facility are also reviewed.
• Any mail or packages that enter the facility are also reviewed for any potential contraband.
• Will this be able to be factored into your decision package? There is definitely time for that.
• That analysis has been completed and the decision package is running through the proposal Process.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the signature matches and the birth date matches and the address matches, that one's easy.
• If your signature does not match on your ballot, we do have a cure period in Florida.
• Little shakier, our folks are trained to recognize that, and you match those up.
• So we want those two to match.
• So we want those two to match.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from several county supervisors of elections and the Florida Supervisors of Elections Association on the 2024 election cycle and priorities for the 2025 session. They described very high turnout in the presidential election, major operational planning needs, and the heavy reliance on seasonal workers, list maintenance, ballot-on-demand systems, and secure chain-of-custody procedures. They also discussed the impact of recent legislative changes on voter-roll maintenance, including inactive voter removal, and said Florida’s election administration has improved to what they called a “platinum standard.” The supervisors outlined several legislative requests: allowing more than one non-government “wild card” early voting site to improve access and emergency flexibility; requiring newly naturalized citizens to update driver’s license information so voter records match DHSMV data; exempting home addresses of certain election workers and ballot transporters from public records to improve safety and recruitment; restoring a checkbox on vote-by-mail return envelopes so voters can stay on the vote-by-mail list for the next cycle; aligning base salaries for supervisors, property appraisers, and clerks with other constitutional officers; and reducing ballot length by removing precinct committee races from the ballot. They also said they expect a committee bill to carry some of these proposals. Members questioned the panel about ballot transport security, signature verification, vote-by-mail expiration, public records transparency, and the petition process for constitutional amendments. The supervisors said ballots are transported under detailed county plans with tamper-evident seals, chain-of-custody logs, trained workers, and in some cases two-person transport teams. On petitions, they said the process is labor-intensive and expensive, that fraud has occurred in some cases, and that they favor reforms such as requiring more personal identifying information and having initiative sponsors mail petitions to voters rather than making supervisors handle the mailing. They also said signature mismatches can be cured within 72 hours after Election Day and that voters are notified when possible. After the supervisors’ presentation, the committee also heard brief public testimony from Kathleen Griffiths, who urged adoption of commercial-style risk management standards in election systems and referenced several election-related bills her group supports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Once again, our January payroll, 24 months of January payroll, the salary benefit package gets us to
• So if you package them all together, we would need $18.9 million in general fund and $4.7 million in
• And that's the $101,000, and then I added the salary benefit package because without that it wouldn't
• We did have a variety of different requests in our decision packages, and we didn't add in, this was
• So we would be losing all of the federal money on some of these positions that would be matched.

Bills: SB2399

Keywords: mental health, psychiatric treatment, reimbursement, medical assistance, legislative report, 908, all

Summary: The Senate Appropriations HR Division met to work through amendments and budget items in House Bill 2012/HB 1004, focusing first on long-term care, disability services, and behavioral health. Members discussed competing approaches to a four-plex for medically complex individuals, a value-based care payment withhold for nursing facilities, accreditation requirements for providers, a study of developmental disability services, and funding for Family Voices and Ann Carlson-related services. Several amendments were accepted or set aside after discussion, including a study amendment for disability services and a Family Voices grant amendment that was adjusted to remove “one-time” language so it could continue as an ongoing grant. The committee also agreed to keep or defer some items for conference committee, including the youth crisis stabilization pilot and other long-term care proposals. A major discussion centered on the state hospital project. Members debated whether the $330 million project should remain in the DHS budget or be moved to the OMB budget for construction management. After discussion of costs, alternates, and the role of a steering committee and BND loan language, the committee agreed to remove the state hospital funding and related loan language from the DHS budget while leaving the steering committee language in place. The committee also considered a proposed Altru grant for additional beds and settled on a smaller planning-focused approach, with a $1 million grant and a line of credit concept to be refined later. The committee then turned to behavioral health items, including QRTP funding, nursing home behavioral health training, and a youth crisis stabilization pilot. Members generally supported keeping the QRTP funding level, but were divided on the nursing home behavioral health training and the crisis stabilization pilot, with some preferring to leave those issues for conference committee. The division also reviewed the HHS block grant and underfunding structure, with Donna Ackland explaining salary, vacancy, and flexibility calculations; the committee discussed adjusting the underfund and revenue assumptions but did not finalize every number before moving on. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 1577 on wastewater treatment grants. Senator Davison moved to hoghouse the bill into a study-focused version using the proposed amendment language, and the motion passed. The committee then moved HB 1577 as amended with a do pass recommendation; the roll call passed with Senators Cleary, Davison, Dever, and Mathern voting yes, and Senator Magrum not recorded as voting. The meeting adjourned with plans to return later in the day to continue budget work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have received a chance for federal money, but we need matching money to match the federal money.
• We've got this federal money, and we're going to lose it if we don't get state money to match.
• There may have been an effort two years ago, but that was part of another package.
• That are critical across the state in conjunction with this bonding package for the state highways.
• Will that match be eligible for this funding as well, Mr. Chairman? Mr.

Bills: SB2

Keywords: SB 2, State Highway Project Bonds, highway funding, transportation bonds, state road fund, motor vehicle fees, vehicle registration fees, electric vehicle fee, EV surcharge, plug-in hybrid fee, weight distance tax, road construction, infrastructure financing, Department of Transportation, State Transportation Commission, bonding authority, county road funds, municipal road funds, transportation improvement program, state highways

Transcript Highlights:

• and next week you will see the same pattern, although you'll start to see our safety and security package
• Our health and human services package is going to come to the floor.
• Uh, I believe we'll take up Metro Surge next week, and you'll see a gun violence package, uh, bill in
• And while we're never going to be able to match the federal funds that have been cut and sent to the
• of a negotiated package at the end<00:03:18.040> of<00:03:18.120> session<00:03:18.920

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: Senate leaders said they were in the final weeks of session, moving long days of floor and finance work focused on priorities they described as affecting Minnesotans’ cost of living, safety, and security. They said next week would bring major packages to the floor, including public safety, health and human services, Metro Surge, and a gun violence package, while negotiations continued with House leaders and the administration. They also highlighted a human services bill from Sen. John Hoffman as the final item completed that day. A major topic was the Senate’s response to H.R. 1, which leaders said would require about $1 billion in state budget adjustments to avoid federal penalties and Medicaid losses. They said the proposal would address federal compliance issues, support hospitals such as HCMC and other distressed providers through uncompensated care funding, and include food support for SNAP-related needs, food shelves, food grants, and prepared food. They also emphasized system modernization, especially IT upgrades, as both an implementation and anti-fraud measure. Leaders said several items appeared to have bipartisan support, including HCMC relief, the Office of the Inspector General, bonding, and IT modernization. They said they were arranging a meeting with House and Senate leaders and the governor to work through bonding differences, but noted that IT modernization and HCMC were unlikely to be financed through general obligation bonds this year. They also said the Senate would take up a bill on prediction markets after Sen. Klein’s recent platform suspension, describing the issue as a violation of platform rules and saying the chamber may need updated rules or statutes. In response to a question about an elections bill provision, they said the measure reaffirmed that a president should serve only two terms and that the language had moved through the normal committee process.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the USDA office, as part of the reconciliation package that was passed earlier in July, there were
• Also, in that reconciliation package, there were several improvements made to the livestock indemnity
• You have to show that you can do at least a one-to-one match to get this money to your state.
• It's federal match and state match, and it goes through the Department of Agriculture and University.
• There were changes to the structure of those payments moving forward in the reconciliation package.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have the federal funds available, but we have no other source of match to leverage those down.
• <00:20:21.760> to have no other source of match to have no other source of match to leverage
• funds, helping um raising local matching funds, helping um citizens<00:21:07.120> understand<
• We have the other package. I might as well bring it up.
• <00:26:12.720> is package. I might as well bring it up. is package.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Capital Project Overview Committee approved the minutes from its February 24 meeting and then received a briefing on the legislative parking garage from Terry Poff, Chief Operating Officer for the General Court. He reported that the pre-stressed concrete garage, being built with panels fabricated by Unistress in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, remains on schedule, with erection expected in late July through August and functional occupancy targeted for March 17, 2026. He said the garage will provide 409 spaces, security cameras, a communications repeater, and a maintenance plan developed from the outset. In response to questions, he explained nearby street excavation is for drainage vaults and oil-water separators, and that temporary closures will be needed during panel deliveries. He also said the garage was designed with future EV charging infrastructure in mind, but current charging stations would need to be located outside the secure facility; he has begun discussions with city officials about possible curbside charging options. The committee then heard and approved a $754,000 capital request for Cannon Mountain/Franconia Notch State Park maintenance projects. The request, recommended by the Cannon Mountain Advisory Commission, covers lodge exterior repairs, lift maintenance, snowmaking pipe replacements and pump controls, and equipment purchases to improve maintenance operations. The committee approved the item after brief discussion. Next, the Department of Transportation presented two toll-credit requests. The first, CAP 250007, sought toll credits to support transportation planning, regional planning commissions, GIS and asset-management work, and related federal planning requirements; members asked about coordination with Granite data and the effect of a prior budget decision on regional planning officers, and staff said the request would not affect the regular federally funded program. The committee approved the item. The second, CAP 25010, sought $245,000 in toll credits for bus terminal improvements, regional mobility management, a statewide transit assessment, and an intercity bus pilot intended to connect Keene with southern New Hampshire or Concord. Members asked about the subsidy structure and ridership reporting; staff said the intercity service would be a net-cost subsidy and agreed to provide updated ridership and route information. The committee approved this item as well. At the end of the meeting, the committee noted that a quarterly capital projects report from DAS and the community college system was informational only, and members opted not to hear a separate presentation that day. The next meeting was set for September 29 at 9:00 a.m., with a request to invite HHS to discuss closed-loop referral system projects. Members also asked for future updates on the planned sale of the Cenuunu Center, and the committee adjourned after a motion carried.

Transcript Highlights:

• the vote will be on that package.
• and then we will be voting on package and then we will be voting on that<00:20:08.640> package.
• things that are included in that package things that are included in that package and<00:20:16.799
• So if anybody is package. Okay?
• federal funds going from like 50% match federal funds going from like 50% match to<00:51:50.240>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a match.
• That's a matching fund. Those are matching dollars.
• So for every dollar we spend, we bring in a federal dollar to match that.
• So anybody wants to sign that quantum package, I think it was introduced today.
• So anybody wants to sign that quantum package, I think it was introduced today.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So I want to start on a positive note, which is I appreciate that CARB is trying to find a way to match
• That concept is an appropriate economic principle that tries to accurately match the cost of producing
• And we're able to match fees with the polluters, you know, causing the problem.
• I would argue it is still part of the affordability package.
• On issue number four, we support the investment package relative to GGRF.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, packaged shrimp sold through retail outlets or grocery stores is excluded.
• Well, for example, if the package comes in and it's not labeled as imported shrimp, and so the restaurant
• center or something or a housing development is going to buy up that land at a price you just can't match
• like, but we just want to make sure we're prepared that if money like that flows through, we get to match
• Relating to the honey production operation, harvesting, and packaging of honey and honeycomb, the chair

Bills: HB43, HB519, HB 1275, HB1592, HB2842, HB3088, HB3479, HB4163, SB823, HB609

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, bovine producers, dairy farms, permits, bovine tuberculosis, public health, wildlife management, disease prevention, alert system, Texas A&M, white-tailed deer, public safety

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with only four members initially present, so quorum was not established until later in the hearing. The committee heard several agriculture-, wildlife-, and food-labeling-related bills, including HB 3479 on expanding the Rio Grande vegetative management program beyond carrizo cane to other noxious vegetation, SB 823 on shrimp origin labeling and restrictions on misrepresenting imported shrimp as Texas or Gulf shrimp, HB 3088 on giving Texas Parks and Wildlife more flexibility to procure resale goods for park gift shops, HB 1275 on permits for non-bovine dairy farms in certain TB-affected areas, HB 519 on honey production and packaging rules, HB 609 on cleaning oyster cages in-bay with bay water only, HB 1592 on a voluntary AgriLife pest and disease alert system, HB 2842 on targeted urban deer depredation permits, and HB 4163 on limiting city requirements that agricultural operators maintain roadside rights-of-way. Testimony generally came from industry groups, agency resource witnesses, and affected producers, with most witnesses supporting the bills and several bills drawing questions about enforcement, labeling responsibility, and the scope of local authority. The most extensive discussion centered on SB 823, where Vice Chair Hancock and others questioned why wholesalers would be covered if they cannot relabel products. The bill author and restaurant association witness said the measure was intended to improve transparency and allow enforcement against intentional mislabeling, while preserving a good-faith defense and clarifying that the bill does not create a private cause of action. HB 519 also drew supportive testimony from beekeepers and a family farm, who argued that current rules treat honey extraction and bottling too much like food manufacturing and burden small operations. HB 609 was presented as a way to save time and resources for cultivated oyster mariculture by allowing cage cleaning in the bay without soaps or chemicals, and HB 1592 was described as a voluntary opt-in alert system for pests and diseases coordinated through AgriLife and other state agencies. HB 43 generated the most detailed policy debate. The bill would restructure and expand the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority, update grant and loan programs, and create a pest and disease control depredation program. The committee substitute reduced some funding caps, changed references from predators to depredating animals, and made the financial provisions contingent on appropriations. Supporters from Texas Farm Bureau, cotton growers, grain and feed interests, and young farmers described severe drought, inflation, land loss, rising input costs, and shrinking infrastructure as major threats to agriculture, while one witness urged preserving priority for young farmers. After testimony, the committee adopted the committee substitute and reported HB 43 favorably. The committee also voted HB 519, HB 609, HB 1275, HB 1592, HB 3088, HB 3479, HB 2842, and HB 4163 favorably, with several recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. SB 823 was reported from committee on a 6-2 vote after adoption of the committee substitute. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would tentatively reconvene Friday morning and then recessed subject to the chair's call.

Transcript Highlights:

• good news right financial aid packages good news right financial aid packages went<01:06:51.559>
• In March of 2024, Scholastica began packaging high school seniors with approximately 29% of those packages
• In March of 2024, Scholastica began packaging high school seniors with approximately 29% of those packages
• <01:21:29.360> in component to financial aid packages in component to financial aid packages
• March of 24 scolastica began packaging March of 24 scolastica began packaging High<01:21:32.560>

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:

• Then the federal matching rate would be reduced by 10%.
• This provision that they're putting into place, we're going to reduce your, your Medicaid match rate
• The FMAP changes or per capita cost weren't in the package, so we dodged a bullet there.
• Slide 20 We talked earlier about the SNA matching funds, uh, additional.
• Overall, the package backloads the spending reductions.