United States Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) spoke at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on Oct. 6 as a part of the ongoing Mondale Dialogues series at the University of Minnesota, named after former professor and vice president of the United States Walter Mondale.

The series hosts different experts who speak on social issues. Klobuchar spoke to students about the ongoing threats to democracy and action she is taking federally to address these issues.

Organized and moderated by Larry Jacobs, a professor at the Humphrey School, the event covered the Electoral Count Act and a pending Supreme Court case that could change how states administer elections.

The Electoral Count Act was introduced on July 20 to clarify the role of Congress and the vice president when counting Electoral College votes. It was introduced in response to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol and recently passed by a committee Klobuchar chairs.

“One of the reasons she draws such a large crowd is because she is a leading national figure,” Jacobs said.

During her speech, Klobuchar also mentioned the Freedom to Vote Act and said she thinks voting rights have become a partisan issue in recent years. Klobuchar, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and other senators introduced the bill as a compromise between progressive and moderate Democrats to help ease its passage. The bill was unable to pass the Senate in January.

According to Klobuchar, the Freedom to Vote Act “corrects some other problems with the Voting Rights Act” that came after a Supreme Court decision in 2013.

“Sadly these bills are not supported bipartisan,” Klobuchar said during her speech.

Jacobs also mentioned a new Humphrey School program that will allow individuals to earn a certificate in election administration and become election officials.

The program will be taught by leading election officials in the country, according to Jacobs.

Klobuchar said in an email statement to the Minnesota Daily that this generation of students is the future, and she is “committed to updating the Electoral Counts Act to … ensure the will [of] voters prevails in presidential elections.”

“I’d say to all students — stay engaged, keep contacting your elected officials about the issues that matter to you and most importantly, vote,” said Klobuchar. “Your vote is your power.”

The 2022 midterm election is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Gov. Tim Walz is running for reelection for Minnesota’s governor. The former teacher was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 2006 before being elected to the state’s highest office in 2018.

A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party, Walz is running a reelection campaign focused on investing in the state and funding state education. During his term as governor, he and his cabinet navigated the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the riots that occurred in May 2020 after former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd.

After the Supreme Court decision in June that overturned Roe v. Wade, Walz signed an executive order that offered legal protection to those coming in from out of state seeking abortion care; a state Supreme Court decision, Doe v. Gomez, found abortion is a constitutionally protected right in Minnesota.

In recent weeks, Scott Jensen, the Republican candidate for governor, has lambasted Walz for the controversy surrounding Feeding Our Future, a hunger non-profit accused by the Department of Justice of accepting nearly $250 million in fraudulent funds. A judge in Ramsey County published a press release stating, even after the Department of Education stopped payments and had internally flagged the organization, the administration continued to make payments to the group.

Walz answered all questions from the Minnesota Daily via email.

One of Dr. Jensen’s main criticisms of your time in office was your COVID response. In hindsight, would you have done anything differently? Do you feel his characterizations are accurate?

“Minnesota’s response to COVID has been recognized as one of the best in the country. We have lower death rates than our surrounding states, and we also have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. There are always things you wish you could do differently, but the data show that Minnesota led a strong, balanced response using the best information we had at the time to protect lives and livelihoods.

My opponent, on the other hand, has undermined efforts to save lives and get people vaccinated at every opportunity. He has falsely claimed that the COVID vaccine has caused 10,000 deaths, sued to prevent 12 to 15-year-olds from getting the vaccine and promoted disproven COVID treatments like Ivermectin. He can’t be trusted to tell the truth about the pandemic.”

Abortion is top of mind in this election. Beyond Minnesota’s Supreme Court decision Doe v. Gomez, would you advocate further for any abortion protections?

“After Roe v. Wade was overturned, I issued an executive order to protect people who come to Minnesota for reproductive health care from legal repercussions in anti-choice states. The order prevents state law enforcement agencies from coordinating with anti-abortion states to extradite and prosecute women who come here for reproductive health care.

In my second term, I will fight to ensure that a woman’s right to choose remains protected in Minnesota. My opponent has repeatedly said he would ban abortion – even in cases of rape and incest. That will not happen on my watch.”

President Gabel said at the Sept. 8 Board of Regents meeting that, out of 65 officers, the University of Minnesota Police Department is still short 15. In your proposed supplemental budget last year, you did not include any money for the University’s public safety budget. Even after your recent announcement with State Patrol officers and UMPD, would you do anything different this legislative session?

“Executing the partnership between the State Patrol and UMPD will be a high priority for our administration. By assisting with patrols and bolstering law enforcement capacity in the area, we can help address the safety concerns near campus. I also proposed a plan that would have provided hundreds of millions of dollars to local police departments across the state, including in the Twin Cities. Addressing safety concerns is an inter-agency effort, so strengthening local police departments would help UMPD too.

Unfortunately, my opponent successfully encouraged Senate Republicans to walk away from a bipartisan deal that would have provided hundreds of millions for public safety.”

The Board of Regents, in the last year, has been criticized by students for not making significant decisions with their input. When vacancies appear, what criteria would you use to appoint future regents?

“Ordinarily, legislators fill vacancies on the Board of Regents, not governors. But due to unusual circumstances, I have appointed two, including the first Native person to ever serve on the board. My goal is to find appointees who will do a good job of ensuring that all voices – including student voices – are represented when decisions are made.”

Would you approve any form of state student debt relief or help to make public education in the state cheaper across all fields (apprenticeships, community colleges, public universities, etc.)?

“I was pleased to hear that the Biden Administration was forgiving $10,000 to $20,000 of student debt, but we know that will only help so many Minnesotans. What we need to do now is come together to pass a bill to fix the law that – if left unchanged – will make that debt relief taxable for the purposes of Minnesota state taxes. My opponent has said he does not support this common-sense fix.

We’ve also increased our state financial aid grants across the spectrum of income categories and added funding for 2,700 new students. And our administration helped pave the way for the University of Minnesota and Augsburg to offer tuition and fee waivers for Native students. The state’s Minnesota Indian Scholarship is also now fully funded with no waiting list, and eligibility has been expanded to include all citizens that Tribal nations and Canadian First Nations recognize.

Finally, just this month, we created ‘Direct Admissions Minnesota’ to authorize the direct admission of qualified public high school seniors to participating Minnesota colleges and universities without them having to first formally apply. The new program will address enrollment disparities and ensure that students have the opportunity for admittance to postsecondary institutions.”

Feeding Our Future has also been used as campaign fodder. Regardless of the Judge’s order and your administration’s interpretation of such, what protections would you put in place to ensure an instance like this does not happen again?

“This kind of criminal fraud is completely unacceptable, and the people who carried out this scheme will go to prison. Federal regulations that govern these kinds of programs were relaxed early in the pandemic, which made it much easier for this kind of scheme to succeed. Those regulations are now back in place, which will go a long way toward preventing fraud of this scale and nature from happening again. But we need to do more, which is why we’re also working at a state level to tighten processes and make improvements going forward. I’m committed to rooting out fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Former Gopher and state senator Scott Jensen is the Republican nominee running to be Minnesota’s next governor in the Nov. 8 election. Jensen called the Minnesota Daily on Oct. 3 to talk about a range of election issues facing students, from public safety to abortion.

Since the June Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the University of Minnesota has seen several demonstrations from students protesting the decision. Jensen has shifted his stance on abortion, originally being against it in almost all cases, but recently said the right is Constitutionally protected in Minnesota and any change should come from the people.

Jensen’s running mate is former football player Matt Birk. Birk came under fire over the summer for comments he made in June at a National Right to Life conference about abortion rights and women working.

Jensen served in the Minnesota Senate for four years and rose to prominence in conservative spheres during the COVID-19 pandemic for publicly speculating how case numbers were being recorded. Jensen, a doctor, has been accused of spreading misinformation about COVID-19 on multiple occasions.

He announced his run for governor in March 2021, two months after retiring from the Senate.

The GOP nominee has repeatedly attacked incumbent Gov. Tim Walz’s record on crime, citing the riots that occurred in May 2020 after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd. Hennepin County experienced on average a 20.3% increase in violent crime in 2021 between four metrics of violent crime, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Uniform Crime Report.

Abortion access, of course, is top of mind for many voters, including students. While you’ve most recently said that it is a Constitutional right, if a bill comes before your desk or there is gubernatorial action required for a legal act, how will you engage with your constituents before making that decision?

“Abortion clearly is not on the ballot in November. Tim Walz has said on multiple social media posts, as has Keith Ellison, and I agree with both of them there: no governor can change that. [Abortion] is a constitutionally protected right for all women … The bottom line is the governor has the responsibility to make certain that all laws are enforced, and those laws come through the legislative branch or through the judiciary branch. And that’s exactly what I will do.

And the law that provides constitutional protection for all women is clearly in place, it’s been litigated already. I would enforce the law as the [Minnesota] Supreme Court has passed their decision. If there’s going to be any change, that would have to be by constitutional ballot and that would be up to the people in Minnesota, and the governor has no role in that. The governor does not veto that, he does not sign that, it’s entirely outside the governor’s purview.

I think we right now are in a place where I think the pro-life movement has an opportunity, really stand up for women and say, ‘Listen, this is a shared responsibility.’ The whole concept of family planning [and] anticipating pregnancies, we should do things like other countries in Europe have done.

We should have birth control pills over the counter. We should put a ceiling cap on them, perhaps $10 per month. We should have available and ready access to Plan B or the morning-after pill. We should have paid maternity leave for women who have children. We should have streamlining of adoption. So that if parents decide to go in that direction, they know that there’s support. We should have harsher penalties for crimes that target women such as rape and robbery and carjacking. This is an opportunity for the pro-life movement to say we are going to stand up for women and try to truly protect and support them.”

You’ve criticized Walz’s COVID response. As of now, we’re beyond a declared state of emergency and beyond a state COVID response. Would you consider making any changes to the power of a governor to prevent a similar situation from occurring?

“Defining what an emergency is, or how long a single person can retain emperor-like powers should not be left to the person who holds the powers. What we saw here was a governor who was willing to take emergency powers and use them for political gain. That means we can never let this happen again; we need to rewrite emergency powers.

It should not be that the House of Representatives and the Senate have to both veto emergency powers. It should be that the House and the Senate both have to reaffirm the power every span of time being requested. And with each interval being requested, it should be a greater challenge to get that approved. So, in the initial phase of an emergency, or possible emergency, it should be both the House and the Senate approving it. But if there’s another increment of time requested, there should probably be a supermajority required.

I’m convinced that senators and representatives, Republicans or Democrats will not quibble about whether something is an emergency—if we’re facing a true emergency. If we have a real emergency…I do not believe that legislators will turn that into a political bickering session. But I do think an individual will, and we’ve seen it play out in real-time: [Walz] abused emergency powers for political gain and that should never happen again.”

Recently, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) and the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD) started to rebuild their relationship after severing it in 2020, yet UMPD said they are still nearly 15 officers (of 65) short. How will you as governor help local police departments like ours to respond to rising crime?

“We absolutely have to put more cops on the street. If you don’t feel safe, then you aren’t safe. The same way that we’ve got moms and dads in neighborhoods wanting to be able to let their kids play in the front yard, we need to ensure that those communities are safe…I think part of the issue is always where the dollar is being deployed. There’s been an unfortunate belittling of the word ‘police’ from the governor’s office and that has to stop. The bully pulpit of the governor is a powerful tool to elevate the various issues that face a society. I don’t think that that’s been used. I would say we need more cops on the street corner.

We need a restorative justice program, such as someone that thinks that they can deface a building that isn’t theirs, and that they’re going to be held responsible for the repair. If they wanted to base bridges and put graffiti up there that, frankly, is offensive to so many people. That’s going to be their responsibility. I think we need to use incarceration as a tool for repeat violent felons. And I think we also need to understand that mandated minimum sentences mean just mandated minimum sentencing. And that’s what we need to enforce the law.”

Over the past year and with a variety of decisions, Regents have been criticized by students for making decisions without their input. What criteria would you look for in a regent so they serve the taxpayer and the students?

“I think, when you look at all the steps necessary for a regent to be designated, who will be a regent, you go through the legislature…And I think too often, it’s partisan in nature. Because of that, I think the students at the University oftentimes feel like their voice is secondary…We should de-politicize some of these positions, whether you’re talking about the Board of Regents, the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and even the Met Council composition. I think we’ve allowed so much of this to be politicized and then we wonder why the everyday person is so frustrated.

I spent so much time at the University—I was there from basically 1973 to 1981—and I think it’s critically important that the students feel that their voice is not a token voice, but it’s a real voice. And if that means that we create at-large, or two at-large positions, to make certain that the student voice is being represented, then so be it.”

What would you say to students who aren’t sure about supporting you?

“I think students have a strong inclination toward a refreshing, no-holds-barred approach to the problems of the day. We need young people more involved in the political process. We need commissioners who are in their 20’s and 30’s. We need the Gen Zs and the millennials at the table of problem-solving. We haven’t done so well without them. I’m not, if you will, a career politician looking for a new career. I’m a 67-year-old family doctor who is really focused on solving problems. And I think young people are focused on solving problems.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced on Thursday that Newark, New Jersey’s Deputy Mayor Brian O’Hara is his final nominee for Minneapolis Chief of Police. The announcement comes after a national search was conducted by an outside firm and Frey named the three finalists on Sept. 7.

O’Hara served as a police officer for 15 years before being appointed public safety director for Newark and was chosen by Frey over Dr. RaShall Brackney and Elvin Barren. The nomination will be sent to the Minneapolis City Council for final approval on Oct. 6.

During a press conference announcing the decision, Frey emphasized O’Hara’s past experience working with the Department of Justices’ consent decrees, which are binding legal agreements issued by judges and enforced by the courts. O’Hara would start as Minneapolis chief of police in a time when the Minneapolis Police Department is still under a civil rights investigation launched by the DOJ in April 2021.

MPD has been without a permanent chief since December 2021, after Medaria Arradondo retired. Amelia Huffman has held the position in an interim capacity since his retirement.

“It should be clear by now to all that the idea that policing can simply go away, will be abolished, is just unrealistic,” O’Hara said in the Sept. 29 conference announcing his nomination. “The foundation of policing is trust, and as the Minneapolis chief of police, I will work day and night to ensure that the residents of Minneapolis can feel safe, and that all people can trust the MPD to have their backs.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced on Sept. 7 the three finalists for Minneapolis Police Chief, a position currently held by interim Chief of Police Amelia Huffman.

A national search for applicants began in March and ended with three finalists, Elvin Barren, Dr. RaShall Brackney and Brian O’Hara. Before the decision is finalized this fall, Frey will interview the finalists, receive background checks from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and submit his recommendations before sending his final nomination to the City Council for approval.

The news comes after the University of Minnesota announced in August a phased partnership with the Minneapolis Police department for large events, like sporting and other specialized events.

Comparing the finalists

Each of the three final candidates has at least 15 years of law enforcement experience and would be coming in from out of the state.

The only active officer of the three finalists, Barren, is the Chief of Police for Southfield, MI. Brackney is a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Practice at George Mason University and was previously the campus police chief for George Washington University. O’Hara is currently Newark, N.J.’s deputy mayor but has experience in local and state policing.

The candidates were chosen after a lengthy city review. In the spring, the city hired
Public Sector Search & Consulting, a search firm that specializes in police recruiting, to find candidates they deemed qualified for the position for the search committee to consider.

The search committee selected the three finalists after the search firm narrowed down a 50-person candidate pool to 19 and consulted with internal stakeholders, such as city staff and community organizers.

“They’re all good candidates. That’s why they rise to the top,” City Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw, who was on the search committee, said. “I got to meet all three of the candidates in person. It’s good for our city that we have three really good choices for the finalists.”

The Minneapolis Police Department deferred all questions about a potential nominee to the mayor’s office, as they did not have any part in the search process.

“The mayor is looking for someone who is reform-minded, someone who will strengthen community trust in the MPD and someone who reflects the values of the city,” Katie Lauer, communications director for the mayor, said in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

UMPD’s partnership with MPD and student perspectives

The incoming chief will come into their position as the city faces an increase in violent crime: Hennepin County experienced on average a 20.3% increase in violent crime in 2021 between four metrics of violent crime, according to the Bureau of Crime Apprehension’s Uniform Crime Report.

In response to parent and student concerns regarding public safety on campus, the University announced in August a phased partnership with MPD for large and specialized events, such as Gopher sports games.

The University previously announced in May 2020 after former MPD officer Derek Chavin killed George Floyd that it would limit its involvement with MPD in instances when additional officer numbers and special services for events are needed.

“With its public safety responsibilities in the neighborhoods near our campus, the Minneapolis Police Department plays an essential role in keeping members of our community safe,” Jake Ricker, the University’s public relations director, said in an email to the Minnesota Daily. “We look forward to meeting and working closely with the new Police Chief once that person is hired.”

Following a tense year of certain Board of Regent decisions being made without student input, such as changes to campus safety policies or President Joan Gabel’s salary raise, some students feel there should have been more opportunities for students to be consulted before the University pursued an increased partnership with MPD.

“I think [the Board] needs to have better communication, better transparency with students, because we all have a stake here at the University,” Mina Zhang, the Undergraduate Student Government’s communications director, said. “We all have a stake in keeping our campus safe in the ways we envision it. Not just how Joan [Gabel] and how the Board sees it.”

In June, the Minnesota Supreme Court determined Frey is legally obligated to hire more police officers or demonstrate why MPD cannot, meanwhile, the Department has struggled with its reputation and trust among residents after its officers killed three black men –– George Floyd, Amir Locke and Tekle Sundberg –– since 2020.

Some residents said they see a more fundamental issue of trust that needs to be repaired first.

“I don’t think the best-qualified person is capable of pushing back against what MPD has become,” Cal Mergendahl, a member of the University’s branch of Students for a Democratic Society, said. “It’s become the thing that people are afraid of. They dislike what they don’t trust, and MPD hasn’t done very much in the past few years to really earn that trust.”

On Sunday, during a memorial service for former Vice President Walter Frederick “Fritz” Mondale, Sen. Amy Klobuchar had to stop for a moment to compose herself while speaking about a 2004 memory of Mondale.

Klobuchar said while she was the Hennepin County attorney preparing to speak at the 2004 National Democratic Convention, Mondale told Klobuchar to memorize her speech and not rely on the teleprompter. Because of that advice, she did not use the teleprompter and had “fun” giving the speech. At the end, Klobuchar received a standing ovation.

“Do you know why?” Klobuchar asked the crowd. “Because Walter Mondale was there in the first row. And when he stood, they stood.”

The University of Minnesota hosted the memorial service for the late University professor. President Joe Biden, Gov. Tim Walz, Senators Klobuchar and Tina Smith and University President Joan Gabel spoke at the event, in addition to a performance by the University marching band.

Mondale, who was born and raised in Minnesota, died in Minneapolis on April 19, 2021.

Mondale is often credited with reshaping the role of the modern vice presidency under Jimmy Carter and was a champion of civil rights — both domestically and internationally. Before being elected to the executive branch, Mondale served as Minnesota Attorney General and in the United States Senate.

Mondale’s impact on Biden and the United States
After being elected to the United States Senate in 1972, Biden’s wife and children were in a car accident, which killed his wife and daughter and left his sons in critical condition.

“The last thing I wanted to do was go to the United States Senate,” Biden said. “But there was Fritz and [his wife] Joan, who contacted me, not just to be nice, but to bring me in. They came into the hospital to see my boys, to help me find my purpose in a sea of darkness and pain.”

Biden said it was the Mondale’s connection and support during that period in his life that encouraged him to stay in public life and work in the Senate.

Mondale had a career that was steeped in civil rights activism. When he was Minnesota Attorney General, he mobilized other states to file briefs in the landmark Supreme Court decision Gideon v. Wainwright. Afterward, that case required states to provide public defense attorneys.

During his time in the Senate, he helped to pass Title IX and filibuster reform, and also served on the historic Church Committee. The Committee highlighted the ways in which the FBI abused their power by spying on citizens, most notably civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Throughout the service, Mondale was characterized as someone who had a strong moral compass that was often guided by faith. Mondale’s Reverend, Tim Hart-Andersen, spoke at the event and quoted Mondale as saying, “I was taught that our faith was one of decency and social justice, based on the great commandment to love your God and to love your neighbor as yourself.”

From 2005 to 2020, Mondale created and lectured a Humphrey School class with professor Larry Jacobs, who also spoke at the service.

In an interview with the Minnesota Daily, Jacobs said that although Mondale had many accomplishments, he was someone who did not like to focus on himself.

“I knew [Mondale] for 16 years teaching and working with him,” Jacobs said. “I can’t remember ever hearing him talk about himself.”

Biden, before ending his remarks and inviting Mondale’s two surviving sons on stage, decided to speak about Mondale’s character.

“The highest compliment my grandfather used to say to a man or woman, was to say he’s a good man.” Biden concluded by saying, “Fritz Mondale was a good man.”

The state legislature released many of their omnibus bills within the last month to determine how to use the state’s projected $9.25 billion surplus; but what are omnibus bills and how exactly do they work?

Omnibus bills are an important tool for legislators to use, but not everyone understands exactly what they are. The Minnesota Daily talked to three experts to help students understand.

What are omnibus bills and why do legislators use them?
Omnibus bills are a way for legislators to combine smaller bills into a large cohesive bill in order to pass them all at once, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. They are common for budgetary items.

There is usually one omnibus bill per committee in both chambers of the legislature. For example, the House and Senate Higher Education Committees have their own omnibus bills they introduce by the middle of each session.

Omnibus bills can include either policy or budget initiatives, depending on the year. Typically, the legislature passes their main funding items every odd-year and then focuses on policy each even-year. This year, the state is projected to receive a large surplus, meaning these bills focus on both policy and supplemental funding.

Legislators also use these bills because it takes less time on the floor by not voting on each item. Smaller pieces of legislation, like a proposed clean water plan and amendments to the regent selection process, were included in the House Higher Education omnibus bill to save voting time on the House floor.

The Higher Education omnibus bills in both chambers were released by mid-April and included anywhere from $2.5 million to $32.5 million, depending on the chamber. Both bills included funding for the Natural Resources Research Institute and various funding for public safety programs; the House version was the more generous of the two and included money for scholarship initiatives and other sustainability initiatives.

“[Omnibus bills] can be more efficient, because rather than having to track and pass multiple different bills, you can put everything together in an overall package and move forward with it that way,” said Nathan Hopkins, a non-partisan legislative analyst with the House Research Department.

Omnibus bills also help to keep all budget items in the same place.

“By grouping all the spending together in a single bill, it is easier for the committee to see how much that committee is spending and allocating money among various projects or proposals,” Hopkins said.

What is next for these bills now that they’ve passed their first committee?
Once omnibus bills pass their initial committee, most of them go to different committees to be evaluated by different legislators. After making it to their chambers’ floor for a vote, the legislature will likely appoint a conference committee to resolve the differences between the two bills.

“In order for a bill to become law, the House and the Senate have to pass a bill that’s exactly the same. [A conference committee will] try to hammer out the differences between the two bills, because the bills have to be identical,” said Dr. Michael Minta, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota.

Once the differences are resolved in the conference committee, the final version of the bill is referred to Gov. Tim Walz, who will either sign or veto the bills.

How can students be involved in the process?
While most of the first hearings for bills are over, there are still many ways students can get involved to express their opinions about funding or policies in omnibus bills.

“They can reach out to their elected representatives,” Hopkins said. “Whether they’re a Minnesotan or they’re still voting back at home, reach out to their elected representative to express their views about whatever issues are of interest to them.”

Brandon Price, a state senate intern who started at the University in January, also pointed out how that the legislature is open to the public.

“One thing that a lot of people don’t know is that the Minnesota legislature is very public-oriented,” Price said. “You can go online and watch these committee hearings live on YouTube. Nothing’s closed off. You can go into the Capitol and go into the gallery and just watch things happen.”

The House and Senate Higher Education Committees both approved versions of their higher education omnibus packages on April 6 and March 31, respectively. The bills released the main appropriations for the University of Minnesota, both of which offer significantly less than the $936 million the University requested.

The two committees both had different caps on what they were allowed to spend, leading to vastly different proposed amounts. The House appropriated roughly $32.5 million by the end of 2023, whereas the Senate appropriated nearly $2.5 million for the University. Neither bill includes HEAPR funds, which would go toward University renovations and building upkeep, something the University requested. 

The legislature is projected to receive a roughly $9.3 billion surplus during the 2022 tax season and is currently in the process of appropriating their supplemental budget. Every odd year, the state gives state-run entities their main operating budgets, and supplemental budgets give the state a chance to fund extra areas that would not otherwise be included in regular operating budgets.

Omnibus bills are a way for legislators to pass many smaller bills on a broad topic at once, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.

The legislature is currently on break, but when it returns April 19, committees in both chambers will hear their respective bills and likely have full chamber votes soon.

House bill includes sustainability, safety initiatives and amends Regent selection process

House party leaders gave the Higher Education Committee a limit of $100 million to spend on higher education purposes, of which $32.5 million will go towards the University. 

Of the $32.5 million, roughly $10 million will go to public safety, $9.65 million for three campus sustainability initiatives and $6 million for scholarship programs at the University, among a few other funding areas. The bill also proposes amending the Regent selection process. 

“The bill opens doors for Minnesota students,” said Rep. Connie Bernardy, DFL-New Brighton, chair of the House Higher Education Committee and the main author of the House bill. “It focuses on affordability, equity, student well-being and safety. It also has sustainability measures in it.”

During testimony that unveiled the funding, J.D. Burton, the University’s chief government relations officer, said he was supportive but felt more could have been taken from a sustainability program to instead fund scholarships more robustly.

During public testimony, Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake criticized the bill saying it will spend money education systems did not ask for and does not appropriate money for tuition decreases.

“[The bill] is about misplaced intents,” said Rep. Tony Albright, R-Prior Lake, in an interview with the Minnesota Daily. “There’s a couple of programs in here that the governor and [the Office of Higher Education] did not spell out as a priority, but yet this bill funds them and gives them more money. Who are we listening to? Are we listening to the people that are putting the programs in place and actually administering them?”

On April 6, the committee voted 11-7 along partisan lines to advance the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee for a hearing. Bernardy said the bill will likely be voted on by the full House in the coming weeks.

Senate bill focused on police training, with lower overall limit to provide tax relief 

The Senate bill proposed $2.5 million for the University, nearly $30 million less than the House. The bill funds two programs: the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) and public safety. 

The NRRI was proposed to receive $2 million. The Senate proposed $454,000 for public safety programs, despite the University asking for nearly $100 million in their initial request.

The Senate had a roughly $46 million cap to spend on higher education, as arranged by party leaders.

“This is a supplemental year, we did our budget last year and a lot of people want to see the surplus go back,” said Sen. Jason Rarick, R-Pine City, co-chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. “What we’ve figured is doing tax cuts, [it] sends the money back and then it sends it to everybody. Instead of putting a big number in the higher education bill, students are going to be able to pay less on their Minnesota income taxes.”

The committee approved the budget March 31 on a 5-1 vote to advance the bill to the Senate Finance Committee for hearing. Rarick expected the bill to be voted on by the full chamber in the coming weeks, once the Senate returns from their break.

Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, the only member of the committee to vote against the bill, said the bill “just doesn’t meet the moment. That’s the simplest way to think about it. We’ve got some really big problems and a whole lot going on. And this bill is just inadequate.”

A bill that would give the University of Minnesota $650,000 to conduct a clean-water study for the state was introduced to the House Higher Education Committee on March 22 and included in the first version of its omnibus bill, which was released April 4.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Kelly Morrison, would require the University to create a 50-year comprehensive clean-water plan. If passed, the study would be completed by the end of 2023. Morrison said the bill would focus on drinking water, but “it also applies to clean lakes and rivers and bodies of water.”

An omnibus bill is a large bill composed of many smaller bills. The text of the House bill was adopted on April 6.

In northern Minnesota, where heavy mining and other industrial activities have taken place, bodies of water like the St. Louis River tend to have higher amounts of contaminants, like mercury, dioxins and other toxins. The Mississippi River, another important body of water in Minnesota, is also highly polluted, according to the National Parks Service.

However, recent studies by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) concluded that select contaminants, such as lead, have gone down in water and have remained comparatively low since the 1990s.

“When you ask a question like, ‘How is the water?’ the answer is confoundingly complex,” said Paul Gardner, administrator of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Clean Water Council. “The data that’s been collected is actually very specific to different parts of the state. In general, we have a lot of impaired waters, but we have a lot of water that’s in good shape.”

Morrison said she introduced this bill because of accelerating climate change. According to a climate summary by MDH, climate change would increase chances of floods while concurrently decreasing overall water levels.

“In an age of accelerating climate change and increasing water scarcity, we have to right now plan about how we’re going to manage this precious natural resource, both for the people of Minnesota and for downstream communities,” Morrison said.

The University is often a designee for the legislature on research topics when they want to receive a study on a topic that could be considered political. This is because both political parties see the University as an important asset due to its water resources, according to Gardner.

Since the University is independent from the state government, the governor could not affect the outcome of study in the same way he could if the study was done by a state agency. The governor, as head of the executive branch, would affect the outcome of studies because of his ability to influence what an agency could or could not research.

“Water and all of the issues around in our state are so politicized. I thought the best way to create an evidence-based, as close to a political nonpartisan plan as possible, would be to do it through an academic institution,” Morrison said as to why she chose the University to conduct the study.

Dr. Kristen Nelson, a professor of environmental sociology at the University, said a study of this size and scope would likely be one that pulls existing data together instead of doing new research because of the timeline of the study.

“There’s likely a team here that could put a benchmark study together,” Nelson said.

Morrison said this bill is integral to the quality of life for Minnesotans in the years to come.

“We need to do everything we can to be ready for that,” Morrison said, referring to climate change. “Water is life. We need water to survive.”

A bill to change Christopher Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the state level was voted 8-5 on March 15 to move the legislation out of the House State Government Finance and Elections Committee to be voted on by the full House.

Indigenous people have called for the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, which celebrates aspects of Native American culture and history.

At least 10 states have passed laws that celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, while more celebrate the day via a governor’s proclamation. Gov. Tim Walz has signed a proclamation every year since coming into office in 2019. While those proclamations only lasted one day, this bill would be a permanent change at the state level.

The bill would require public schools to dedicate one hour of the school day to teach students about Indigenous culture. Examples in the bill’s language include the history of treaties, Indigenous languages or contributions of Indigenous people to American culture, literature and society, among other areas of teaching.

Rep. Heather Keeler, the author of the bill and who is part of the Ihanktonwan and Eastern Shoshone tribes, is still finalizing dates with leadership to settle a day to be voted on by the full house.

Keeler said she was motivated by her constituents to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the state level after she made the switch in her hometown of Moorhead.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a bill is one thing, but the movement behind it to be visible and to talk about representation in this space is the other component of it,” Keeler said.

The Minnesota Department of Education is in support of this change and teaching students about Indigenous history, said Ashleigh Norris, the communications director for the department, in an email to the Minnesota Daily.

“Our schools are not only places of learning academics, but also understanding how those subjects apply to the world around them and the people around them. Indigenous culture and language is an integral part of our country’s past, present and future,” Norris said.

What it means to change the holiday
American Indian Studies professor Dr. Gabriela Spears-Rico, a member of the Pirinda Indigenous community in Mexico, said the education portion of this bill would help kids be aware of Indigenous culture. She told stories about her daughter, who is enrolled in the Red Lake Nation and is also a Dakota descendant, hearing degrading comments about Indigenous people at school and having to “debrief at home.”

“[The bill] is something that would make us feel more included and welcome here,” Spears-Rico said. “It would help reverse some of some of those negative encounters that she’s had to have that are related to her identity and her existence as a Native person.”

Keeler said she does not see this bill as a way to take away from Italian culture, but instead a way to talk about and celebrate Indigenous peoples and cultures.

“Bills like this lift up the beauty in who we are as an Indigenous community,” Keeler said.