Senate committee hears funding request to formalize Minnesota STEM ecosystem

Senate File 1726, a proposal to fund a Minnesota STEM ecosystem, drew testimony on March 3 before the Senate Jobs and Economic Development Committee.

The bill would appropriate $1,200,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,200,000 in fiscal year 2027; fiscal staff told the committee the bill contains no one-time language and therefore those amounts would be assumed ongoing. "Senate file 17 26 is appropriating 1,200,000 in fiscal year 26 and 1,200,000.0 in fiscal year 27," the committee fiscal analyst said during the hearing.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Hochschild, described the Minnesota STEM ecosystem as a statewide network of business, education, government, after‑school programs, museums, nonprofits and community organizations designed to coordinate STEM learning inside and outside schools. "A STEM ecosystem encompasses schools, community…