Budget Amendment ID: FY2025-S4-813

OTH 813

Public Higher Education Working Group

Mr. Kennedy moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following section:-

"SECTION XX. (a) There is hereby established a working group to develop and identify the future needs of the public higher education system to provide affordable, equitable and competitive higher education in the commonwealth.

(b) The working group shall include, but shall not be limited to: the secretary of administration and finance or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of education or a designee; the Massachusetts climate chief or a designee; the commissioner of higher education or a designee; the commissioner of the division of capital asset management and maintenance or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts clean energy center or a designee; the chairs of the joint committee on higher education; the chairs of the joint committee on bonding; a representative from the University of Massachusetts, appointed by the president of the University of Massachusetts; a representative from the state universities, appointed by the State Universities Council of Presidents; a representative of the Massachusetts association of community colleges; a representative of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority; and a representative of the Massachusetts State College Building Authority.

(c) The working group shall study and report on: (i) the feasibility and impacts of establishing a permanent financing structure using income surtax revenues for the issuance of debt for the benefit of public higher education capital needs; (ii) support for the University of Massachusetts Building Authority and the Massachusetts State College Building Authority to identify and finance investments in public higher education infrastructure; (iii) the capital funding necessary for public higher education campuses, broken down by campus; (iv) potential federal sources of reimbursement or grant funding for public higher education capital projects; (v) a prioritization process for public higher education capital needs; (vi) the total bonding capacity available for a public higher education capital projects bond legislation, including recommendations for the use of any general or special obligation bonds; (vii) a recommendation for a funding amount for future bond legislation for public higher education capital needs; (viii) potential processes for application, approval, design and delivery of capital projects for public higher education campuses; and (ix) possible investments for future bond legislation for public higher education capital needs, including, but not limited to, decarbonization, deferred maintenance and facilities improvement for the public higher education system of the commonwealth.

(d) Not later than March 1, 2025, the working group shall submit its report, including any proposed legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations, to the governor, the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education and the joint committee on bonding."