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Higher Education Subcommittee

Monday, March 2, 2026·21m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Higher Education Subcommittee advanced three Senate bills, conforming two to previously passed Rouse cognates and referring a student food insecurity bill to Appropriations. Vote margins ranged from near-unanimous (8-1) to more divided (6-4), though no member stated opposition on the record.

Key Actions

·SB 299 – Higher Education Institutions; New College InstitutePassed

+ 2 more actions

Notable Quotes

“SB 97 renames the hunger Free Campus Food Pantry Grant program as the Hunger Free Campus Grant Program and expands eligibility requirements to colleges to receive qualify as a hunger free campus and receive funding.”

Senator Rouse — Senator Rouse, as patron, opened the presentation of SB 97 by describing the bill's core change to the existing grant program name and eligibility structure.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

SB 299 — conform to HB 430 (voice vote)No Vote
SB 299 — report with substitutePassed
SB 97 — report and refer to AppropriationsPassed
SB 494 — conform to HB 1385 (voice vote)No Vote
SB 494 — report with substitutePassed
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TranscriptPreview
For attendance. The clerk will close the roll as a quorum is present. We are going to hop right into today's agenda. I am going to start with the two bills that have cognates. First up, we have Senate Bill 299, patron by senator Shrinivason. This piece of legislation is similar to that of House Bill 430. Given that there is a cognate to this bill, we will not be hearing any in person or virtual testimony. With that being said, the subcommittee operates by motion. Move to report second. Is there an alternate motion? Sorry to conform. Madam Chair. We're going to. I'd like to move that we conform SB299 to my HB430. So therefore you're happy to make a substitute to the language of Senate Bill 299? That is correct. Do we have a second? Second. All those in favor? Aye. And now that the substitute is before us. Delegate Laviere Bowling. Yes. Madam Chair. I'd like to report with substitute. A motion has been made. Do we have a second? A motion has been made. Improperly seconded to report. Senate Bill 299 was substitute conforming it to the language of House Bill 430. The clerk will open…
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