Legislative Review. A Look at Higher Education in Week 4: January 26-30, 2009
Author: North Dakota University System
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Collected Works - Serial
Subjects: Higher Education,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Finance,Grade 10,Grants,Tribally Controlled Education,Student Financial Aid,Foster Care,Federal Aid,Nursing Education,Community Colleges,Agriculture,State Boards of Education,Educational Technology,Expenditures,Educational Policy,State Legislation,State Government,Hearings,Budgets,Program Budgeting,State Programs,Weapons,Conservation (Environment),College Credits

This Legislative Review reports that: (1) HB 1348, a bill to permit concealed weapons at public events and places, including North Dakota University System (NDUS) campuses, was heard in the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee Friday, January 30. The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) opposes this bill unless it is amended to exclude the NDUS; (2) SB 2038, a bill to continue the &quot;flexibility with accountability&quot; recommended by the Roundtable on Higher Education, was re-referred to and heard in Senate Appropriations Tuesday, January 27; (3) HB 1400, the K-12 school district funding plan, was heard in the House Education Committee Monday, January 26; (4) HB 1532, a bill that mandates collection of recyclable materials on state property and facilities, was heard in the House Government and Veteran Affairs Committee Thursday, January 29; (5) SB 2302, a bill mandating tuition and fee waivers for children in foster care, was heard in the Senate Education Committee Tuesday, January 27; (6) HB 1480, a bill to establish an Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB) mentorship grant program, was heard by the House Education Committee Monday, January 26; (7) SB 2238, a bill appropriating $26.5 million to the NDUS to freeze 2009-11 tuition rates, was heard in the Senate Education Committee Monday, January 26; (8) SB 2226, a bill to increase state grant program and STEM/technology occupations grants from $1,000 to $2,000, was heard in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday, January 28; (9) HB 1487, a bill that prohibits expenditure of federal economic stimulus or recovery funds unless appropriated by the Legislature, was heard in the House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday, January 28 and unanimously recommended for passage January 29; (10) SB 2266, a bill to provide a $4.9 million general fund appropriation to University of North Dakota (UND) for a nursing simulation laboratory initiative, was heard Monday, January 26 in the Senate Human Services Committee; (11) HB 1394, a bill to provide an appropriation for financial assistance to tribally controlled community colleges, was reported out of the House Education Committee Wednesday, January 28 with a unanimous &quot;Do Pass&quot; as amended recommendation; (12) on Friday, January 30, the House Natural Resources Committee heard HB 1322, a bill creating an energy policy commission and an interim study of livestock feeding facilities and the use of byproducts from biofuels as feedstock; (13) SB 2062, a bill to create the North Dakota Opportunity Grant Program, was heard in the House Education Committee Tuesday, January 27. The SBHE supports this bill after full funding of the board's 2009-11 budget request; (14) HB 1434, a bill to appropriate funding for endowed chairs at each NDUS campus, was heard in the House Education Committee Wednesday, January 28. The SBHE supports this bill after full funding of the board's 2009-11 budget request; (15) HB 1347, a bill prohibiting the use of state property, equipment, services or funds to advocate for or against initiated or referred measures or constitutional amendments, was heard in the House Judiciary Committee Monday, January 26; (16) HB 1273, a bill to expand eligibility for dual-credit courses to 10th grade students, received a unanimous &quot;Do Pass&quot; recommendation from the House Education Committee Wednesday, January 28; (17) HB 1350, a bill to provide a $5 million appropriation to the Department of Commerce for construction of a Great Plain Applied Energy Research Center at Bismarck State College (BSC), was heard in the House Natural Resources Committee Friday, January 30; (18) HB 1566, a bill requiring the NDUS to study ways to improve interaction with the tribal colleges, was heard in the House Education Committee Tuesday, January 27 and received a unanimous &quot;Do Pass&quot; recommendation January 28; and (19) HB 1081, the SBHE-sponsored bill to create a P-20 council, was heard by the House Education Committee January 14. List of bills failed this week and bills on the week five agenda are also reported.