1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; creating a joint legislative committee to study the merging 
1.3 	of the Office of Higher Education into the Department of Education; providing 
1.4 	appointments.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
 1.7 	A joint legislative committee is created to assess the feasibility of merging the Office 
1.8 	of Higher Education into the Department of Education. The committee shall consist of 
1.9 	14 members, seven from the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the 
1.10 	house and seven from the senate appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the 
1.11 	Committee on Rules and Administration. The appointments must be made by July 15, 
1.12 	2007, and must provide minority representation approximately proportionate to that which 
1.13 	exists in each respective body. The committee must include at least one member from 
1.14 	each body serving on the Education Committee and one member from each body serving 
1.15 	on the Higher Education Finance Committee or Division. The committee must report its 
1.16 	findings to the legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over education and higher 
1.17 	education by February 15, 2008. The committee expires June 1, 2008.