ST. PAUL— Today the Senate passed the State’s biennial Higher Education budget with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill works to keep college affordable for students and gives them the support they need to be prepared for today’s workforce.

Several additional investments in college affordability programs are made in the bill including Senator Draheim’s “Z-Degree” program requiring 8 more colleges to offer zero-textbook cost associates degrees.

“I’m happy that this bipartisan bill focuses on the pressing needs that many college students have and expands program funds so more students are eligible for state grants, said Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake). “College students take on a considerable financial burden and we should be helping them to obtain their goals, not restricting them.”

The budget increases grant awards for low- and middle-income families by $26 million by increasing the living expense allowance and decreasing the amount middle-class families are asked to pay. The budget includes the creation of the “Fostering Independence Grant” program to ensure students who were in foster care as teenagers can go to college at no cost. Finally, the bill increases funding to a variety of scholarship programs by $11 million and requires four additional colleges to implement zero-cost textbook degrees.  

“Anyone who has gone to college in recent years knows that costs have skyrocketed and are far higher than middle-class families can realistically afford,” Senator David Tomassoni said. “This budget is a positive step towards a higher education system where every student can feel college is attainable regardless of their families’ income.” 

The budget bill also invests in improving Minnesota’s workforce by increasing funding for the workforce development scholarship program and by allowing colleges to target funds to address local workforce shortages.  

The Senate-House agreed-upon budget also targets students struggling with their mental health, small emergencies, and housing and food insecurity. The legislation invests $2.5 million in new mental health and basic needs programs. It expands the Hunger Free Campus designation to all public, private, and tribal colleges in Minnesota and creates a competitive grant to increase access to food for low-income college students struggling with food insecurity. Additionally, it increases emergency grant aid to help students get through small emergencies without dropping out of college. 

The Senate passed the Higher Education budget unanimously. The House of Representatives passed the same bill on Saturday. The legislation now awaits the Governor’s signature to be enacted into law.