House passes higher ed bill that caps tuition
The Minnesota House has passed a higher education finance bill that would use federal economic stimulus money to hold down tuition increases.
The bill passed Wednesday by a vote of 86-46.
Under the measure, tuition hikes would be capped at 2 percent each of the next two years for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
Tuition increases at the University of Minnesota would be held to $300 a year.
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Rep. Larry Haws, DFL-St. Cloud, said college officials and students are happy about the bill.
But Haws said the economy must improve to prevent future problems in higher education.
"If it does not turn around, we're going to be back at increases in tuition, and we're going to be back at cuts," he said. "We're going to hit and hurt the economic engines of the state of Minnesota."
The House approved an amendment to the bill that prevents the University of Minnesota from using state funding for human cloning research.