ST. PAUL — A Minnesota Senate committee has passed a comprehensive higher education bill that provides opportunities for students with disabilities and lessens requirements for remedial coursework.

The Senate Higher Education committee on Thursday passed its annual omnibus bill, which is a package of related legislative proposals.

The bill includes a proposal to create a pilot program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Under the proposal, the MnSCU Board of Trustees would have to select four sites that could accept up to 10 students each year.

The bill also includes a proposal that would prohibit schools in the MnSCU system from requiring student to take remedial courses if they receive sufficient scores in the same subject area on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment exam.