Weekly Legislative Update
Week 15: Legislative Update –April 16, 2009
Highlights from Week 15:
The Senate approved HB 645, the stimulus bill, on Wednesday (4/15). The bill is now headed to conference committee along with HB 2, the general appropriations bill, and HB 5, the long range building and planning (LRBP) bill. (See attached spreadsheet for itemized list of funds)
Total funding in HB 645 for the Montana University System (excluding LRBP allocations) is $33.5 million of one-time-only funds (see summary in table below), of which $18.2 million is dedicated for tuition mitigation. In order to calculate the 2011 education and general operating budget for MUS educational units, funds from HB 2 must be combined with tuition mitigation allocations in HB 645. The combined funding places the MUS educational units approximately $8 million (2.6%) above the December 15th Executive Budget and approximately $7 million below the Legislative Fiscal Division’s estimated need for capping tuition (see attachment).
HB 645 Summary (in millions)
Tuition Mitigation $18.2 Community Colleges 4.7 Research Agencies 2.8 6 Mill Levy Backfill 2.5 Distance Learning 2.0 Virtual Academy 2.0 Tribal College Assistance .9 PBS Satellite Delivery .4 Total $33.5
In addition to the line item funding listed above, federal stimulus monies provide for $27 million in LRBP projects and replace $63 million of general fund in the MUS budget. The replacement of general fund freed up money to be used for state-wide projects, including funding for educational purposes.
HB 645 also provides funding for two distance education related projects. Below is a legislative narrative describing each project.
Distance Learning & Integrated Enrollment – HB 645 includes $2.0 million for a new initiative addressing access and affordability of two year colleges, the Distance Learning & Integrated Enrollment project. The funding will be used to centralize distance offerings into a single, unified, web-based student enrollment system for admissions and financial assistance and to coordinate with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to create at least five early college degree programs in a Montana Big Sky Career Pathway for high school students to have access to college courses to achieve a high school diploma and associate’s degree in five years.
Virtual Academy – HB 645 includes $2.0 million for the implementation of the virtual academy authorized by HB 459. Language in HB 459 provides for a virtual high school to be developed on a campus of the Montana University System and establishes the governance structure for the academy.
