Bill to increase state grants and create ‘State Grant Plus’ advances after Minnesota Education Equity Partnership testimony

Representative Richard Frasier introduced House File 2,090 to the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee as a package of measures aimed at making college more affordable and improving completion rates for underrepresented students.

The bill would increase the state grant living and miscellaneous expense (LME) allowance from 115% to 121% of the federal poverty guideline; create a State Grant Plus scholarship equal to 25% of a student’s existing state grant award; provide one-time grants to nonprofits for FAFSA completion efforts; fund competitive grants supporting retention of low-income students; require multilingual, culturally relevant materials; and create working groups on higher education financial stability and attainment goals. Representative Frasier moved to lay the bill over for possible inclusion in the higher education finance omnibus bill; the motion was laid over by voice vote.

Why it matters: supporters said the bill responds to…