ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota's state House has backed a higher education financing package that architects say will freeze undergraduate tuition at public colleges for two years.
The plan passed Thursday by a bipartisan vote of 86-44.
It would steer $150 million more than is spent now into higher education programs. Of that, 80 percent is earmarked for tuition relief.
Democratic Rep. Gene Pelowski says the bill is aimed at preventing people from being priced out of college. It includes more budget accountability goals for the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
The increase in spending would push the state's higher education spending above $2.7 billion for the next two years.
The House bill now heads to conference committees to be reconciled with a differing Senate version.
