State Legislative Agenda Election Law Reforms

Expanded Election Day Registration a) Allow use of government-issued ID from other states to prove identity b) Expand college housing lists to allow off-campus housing lists to be provided to election officials c) Allow use of satellite tv bills to prove address d) Allow rent statements with itemized utility expenses to prove address e) Allow use of leases to prove address

Allow non-partisan election judges Currently, law requires a certain number of Republican and Democratic election judges. MSUSA is interested in this shift to more non-partisan election judges because young people are less likely to affiliate with a political party. More broadly, the average age of election judges in Minnesota is over 70, and many areas (particularly rural) are facing a shortage of judges.

Allow absentee balloting for any or no reason Currently, Minnesota voters must give one of the following reasons to receive an absentee ballot: * away from home; * ill or disabled; * an election judge serving in a precinct other than your own; * unable to go to the polling place due to a religious observance or belief. – This change removes the need to offer a reason to vote absentee.

Military and Overseas Voting bill Currently ballots must be mailed overseas, completed, mailed back, and received by election day. Depending on the area of the world, this turnaround becomes very tight. This change would allow a PDF of a ballot to be ed to a voter, printed out, completed, and mailed back, cutting mail time in half.

Allowing for automatic registration 1. Allowing for addresses in the statewide voter registration system to be automatically updated based on permanent forwarding orders filed with the US Postal Service. A notice would then be sent to the voter’s new address telling them their new polling place and asking them to call if they don’t want to be registered at the new address 2. Allowing for automatic registration of all Minnesotans who get a driver’s license or state ID card, unless they opt out or aren’t eligible to vote

State Legislative Agenda Financial Aid

Financial Aid Impacts You! Financial Aid helps keep higher education affordable and accessible Over half of all students in the MnSCU system receive some sort of financial aid Everyone knows at least one person who’s benefited from financial aid

Purpose of the Financial Aid Campaign Review current Financial Aid practices and identify areas that could benefit students even more – Financial Aid Profiles – Meetings with Financial Aid Directors – Financial Aid Advisory Committee/OHE – Other Sources

Financial Aid and the 2008 Legislative Session Advocate for changes to the financial aid system Educate legislators on what sectors of higher education benefit most from financial aid – Fact Sheets – Personal stories gathered from the Financial Aid Profiles – Individual Meetings

Possible Options for Financial Aid Changes

Revisions to State Grant Formula Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Student Share Part-time student eligibility Cap on Recognized Tuition and Fees

Revisions to State Grant Formula Return to actual tuition/fees Pell Pass Through 5 th Year

Revisions to State Grant Formula Revise Living and Miscellaneous Expenses (LME) – Increase; more accurately reflect cost of living – Allow for adjustments to LME based on household circumstances

Supplemental Programs ACHIEVE Program – Is this the best use of higher education money? Review Eligibility for – MN Work Study – MN Child Care Grant – MN GI Bill

Recommendations

State Grant Program Add 5 th year eligibility Increase the LME Return to actual tuition/fees Oppose increase the cap on recognized tuition and fees Begin advocating for complete review of the state grant program in the 2009 legislative session

Supplemental Programs ACHIEVE Program – Advocate for reallocation of these funds to another area of higher education Review/Expand Eligibility – MN Work Study – MN Child Care Grant – MN GI Bill

State Legislative Agenda HEAPR & Bonding

Recommendation Support the finalized version of MnSCU’s approved HEAPR projects Support the finalized list of MnSCU Bonding projects