HB 42 – Higher ed spending increase.

HB 42 would double the annual allocation to the Higher Education Fund, committing an additional $393.75 million in general revenue every year with no clear fiscal offset. This massive spending increase—totaling nearly $2 billion over five years—expands the size and scope of government without addressing performance metrics or efficiency benchmarks in higher education. Rather than providing targeted relief to taxpayers or reducing tuition burdens, the bill pours more money into a system already struggling with accountability and bloated administrative costs. The bill makes no serious effort to reduce waste or reform how capital funds are used by institutions. At a time when the state should be prioritizing property tax relief or limiting government growth, this bill moves in the opposite direction.