1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; requiring that technical colleges be separately 
1.3 	administered and funded and made independent from the MnSCU system.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. FINDINGS.
 1.6 	The legislature finds that the merger of the technical colleges, community colleges, 
1.7 	and state universities into the MnSCU system has resulted in technical colleges and 
1.8 	technical education being underfunded and falling behind the needs of the state for 
1.9 	technical education and training. The legislature further finds that providing for an 
1.10 	independent technical college system is in the best interests of the state and the state's need 
1.11 	for a thriving and well-funded postsecondary system of technical education.

1.12 	Sec. 2. INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM; PLAN.
 1.13 	The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must 
1.14 	submit a plan by January 15, 2017, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
1.15 	legislative committee on higher education finance to establish an independent system of 
1.16 	technical colleges including all of the current technical colleges. The plan must include an 
1.17 	independent leader for the technical colleges and a separate budget for the colleges. The 
1.18 	plan may include components that involve the sharing of facilities and certain programs 
1.19 	with community colleges. The report must include proposed legislation to implement 
1.20 	the plan.

1.21 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.1 	Sec. 3. TECHNICAL EDUCATION BUDGET PROPOSAL.
 2.2 	The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must as 
2.3 	part of its budget proposal to the legislature for the 2018-2019 biennium have a separate 
2.4 	itemized budget proposal for technical colleges and technical education.