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Committee hears public television grant bill; laid over for inclusion
Summary
Senate File 449, supporting state operating and equipment matching grants for Minnesota public television stations, received testimony from station representatives and was laid over for possible inclusion.
Senate File 449, presented by Senator Swazinski, would continue state operating and equipment grants for Minnesota’s public television stations. Les Hien, representing the stations, and Patty Mester, president of the Minnesota Public Television Association, described the stations’ statewide reach, matching grant requirements and use of funds for programming, maintenance and educational services.
Mester told the committee that the state matching grants require stations to raise local funds and support community advisory boards; she said grants help cover programming, staffing and transmitter costs and said the stations submit independent annual audits as part of grant reporting. Les Hien noted the stations reach most of the state’s television audience and highlighted local volunteer and board involvement.
After brief questions, the committee laid Senate File 449 over for possible inclusion. No formal vote advancing the bill to another committee was recorded; committee members expressed appreciation for public broadcasting’s educational role.
