[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6427795,"mediaKeyId","5862555-87e0850356c7f0f4af212d5d6d6d9fd2","parentId",5862555,"title","Legislature debates bill to let Guam Department of Education lease underused school property","audioSeconds",800,"startMs",214000,"endMs",1014000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5862555-87e0850356c7f0f4af212d5d6d6d9fd2&start=214&end=1014","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5862555-87e0850356c7f0f4af212d5d6d6d9fd2/thumbnail_214000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6427795/Legislature-debates-bill-to-let-Guam-Department-of-Education-lease-underused-school-property","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427795-c5ca03d765085b9365db3ce80e46bea4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770495826&Signature=HZz4Sn2K1V0n8kmATKo-vCzLEpTYBTZ4gSQpK3pRHaHGMuvi1s0MmtZnuN77HbkTj1liaqLB7FN0lgiml10GZSzvZKAILzdzeDyga4JfJp8PP6OW7yGcFdcJTYdxSiAzdwNJP0Cjm3T5iSm6H0TQjp3PCFbXBgLl5ephSTnDqhJ59wUJEFCAOJjVABAr5f1rUtS1fDr-d7shTIWJjuLTsySxaN368Q4zqabaAJXK5LTUkJgY5BVn5WuKz6vrX1NeLuZOQveSWUUOXI9JIPX0NXpJdtQw06o~8Ijn7tuK-~ypz1BCY5fIanBT6vk7B74r4S5GxmmRGdE5b8bseAOOQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Guam Legislature","date","2025-10-01T09:18:21Z","article","Senator Joseph Augustine moved to place Bill 70-38 COR in the third-reading file and discussed a measure that would add a new section to Title 17, Art. 1, Ch. 3 of the Guam Code to authorize the Guam Department of Education (GDE) to lease property within its jurisdiction.

The bill’s author said the measure would let GDE convert underused or vacant school properties to long-term leases and use proceeds to fund repairs and capital improvements. \"This legislation is straightforward in its intent, but far reaching in its potential to help strengthen our education system and serve our community for years to come,\" Augustine said on the floor.

The measure, as described on the floor, would: allow leasing of subject property when a school cannot be repurposed to alleviate double sessions; set a floor so leases to charter schools or government entities be no less than 60% of appraised property value; allow lease payments to come from legislative appropriations or existing funds; create a procurement team consisting of the GDE superintendent, the chief financial officer and three Board of Education members; and add the DOE chief procurement officer as an ex officio member to provide technical procurement assistance. The bill would also direct revenue from leases into a fund separate and apart from the general fund and require Board of Education approval to expend that money for school reinvestment.

Supporters on the floor said the leasing authority could generate recurring revenue to address maintenance backlogs. The Ranking Member from Pago Bay said leasing surplus space \"could literally generate revenue and ... reinvest into maintaining or improving existing facilities and educational programs,\" and emphasized that those funds should be kept in a dedicated DOE account rather than being commingled with the general fund.

Other senators raised implementation questions. A senator from the Bergdahl delegation said the bill goes beyond existing Public Law 23-67 (which authorizes short-term facility rental fees) by permitting longer-term leases and questioned how the measure treats public versus private lessees and who owns the underlying land in some cases. That senator pressed for regulations requiring licensed appraisals, limits so lessees do not impair instructional capacity for at least three school years, and clearer procurement expertise on the approval team; she offered an amendment requiring GDE to establish fees and regulations pursuant to the Administrative Adjudication Act.

No final floor vote on the bill was recorded during the session. The author asked the body to set the measure aside until after the next bill; the presiding officer reported no objection and the bill was set aside to be taken up later in the day.

Clarifying details discussed on the record include the 60% floor for lease pricing, the proposed procurement-team membership (GDE superintendent, chief financial officer, three Board of Education members, plus DOE chief procurement officer as ex officio), and the requirement that lease revenue be deposited into a fund separate from the general fund and expended only with Board approval. The bill’s text as read on the floor referenced adding \"new section 3135 to Article 1, Chapter 3, Title 17, Guam Code.\" The bill’s public-law context includes Public Law 23-67, which the author cited as prior, narrower authority for short-term facility rentals.

Ending: The bill remained set aside at the close of the session’s discussion; sponsors said they will return with the amended language and any floor amendments after related business is completed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","38th Guam Legislature Regular Session - October 1, 2025 PM PT.1","oneSentenceSummary","Senator Joseph Augustine moved to place Bill 70-38 COR in the third-reading file and discussed a measure that would add a new section to Title 17, Art. 1, Ch. 3 of the Guam Code to authorize the Guam Department of Education (GDE) to lease property within its jurisdiction.","taxTitle","General Government Operations and Appropriations\t, Legislative, Guam","taxId",18139,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6427790,"Legislature advances transfer of Barrigada Heights lot to Guam Police for public-safety communications center; adds 10‑year reversion requirement",6144,5391000,11535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5862555-87e0850356c7f0f4af212d5d6d6d9fd2&start=5391&end=11535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5862555-87e0850356c7f0f4af212d5d6d6d9fd2/thumbnail_5391000.jpg","/articles/6427790/Legislature-advances-transfer-of-Barrigada-Heights-lot-to-Guam-Police-for-public-safety-communications-center-adds-10year-reversion-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427790-9eeadfb0cf23f3349e0d2073e9486d96/orig.mp4?Expires=1770495826&Signature=Du-guPUc~DRfefbXFNFh71eFlsNSJh74Ftx-L~berFgGAG9dPA9siiU40YaOCc1UfFW3PmHbBKUIi3ZXHNssq-cHI5KsF4cT4R9dZmhxy4jcanxgoh4mTEoBUrwUcBU9ugiLu-fzBy3zjs7xHZM~dkZ58dZIwHzwMPs3zrCTeCcDjy4L61jKiqH2i0wWm9Ys42U6cyVhKy6~ZiJPnxlbGuXwdwGjPPvjtnqvQ-bc-EkdDdl7oNld8AXqZL44lgUgDqfGd2KygUD4~udjR3~OVAQ0JzzP3sYlyujJwks57GAOOht0r2EnOtYZCbAH~-YuhELBFTMtFHZCEbkXV8olyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Shonika Vitato moved to place Bill 73-38 COR in the third-reading file and described the measure as an authorization to transfer ownership and administrative jurisdiction of Lot 15, Block F, Tract 9 in Barragada Heights from the Chamorro Land Trust Commission (CLTC) to the Guam Police Department (GPD) for development of a public-safety emergency communications center.

Vitato said the proposal responds to interoperability problems among local first responders and with federal and regional partners. Vitato quoted the Guam Police Department chief’s May 22 public hearing testimony: \"There is a critical need to construct this purpose built facility in a location that is centralized and in an isolated area, which is a strategic combination to ensure security, resilience, and effectiveness in emergency response operations,\" attributed to Guam Police Chief Stephen Ignacio.

Vitato and other proponents said a centralized, purpose-built facility would allow GPD and the Guam Fire Department to co-locate dispatch and next-generation 9-1-1 capabilities and support updated land-mobile radio systems. Vitato said Barragada was chosen after consultations and a site visit with Barragada Mayor June Blas and that the Barragada Municipal Planning Council passed a resolution supporting the project.

Opponents and several senators urged caution and raised procedural and fiduciary issues tied to the CLTC. Senators citing CLTC hearing minutes said the trust told the Legislature it had issued more leases in Barragada Heights than there is land available, and suggested the acting CLTC director identify alternate parcels suitable for GPD’s needs. One senator said Chamorro Land Trust representatives made a motion at their meeting to notify the bill’s author and the oversight chair that the trust would identify alternate lots for the agency.

Multiple senators warned about the CLTC’s fiduciary duty to beneficiaries and the risk of litigation if assets are permanently removed from the trust without recompense. One legislator cited a prior court ruling about ancestral land removal that found permanent removal of trust assets could constitute a compensable taking under U.S. and Guam law; that senator urged the body to avoid steps that might prompt more lawsuits.

Legislators also debated practical project issues: site control is commonly needed before agencies can complete design and seek federal or other grants; some witnesses in committee testimony said HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) funds were not appropriate at this time; proponents said securing the lot is necessary to pursue specific grants and to finalize site plans.

A motion — a notwithstanding motion to send the bill back to committee so CLTC could identify alternate lots — failed on a show-of-hands vote. The Legislature accepted an amendment that added a reversion clause requiring the property to revert to the Chamorro Land Trust Commission if the Guam Police Department \"fail[s] to construct the public safety emergency communication center after 10 years from the date of enactment.\" The amendment passed without recorded objection, and the author said the bill would be advanced with that amendment. The final motion to move the bill to third reading passed by show of hands.

Clarifying details discussed on the record include the lot identification as Lot 15, Block F, Tract 9 in Barragada Heights as stated in the bill title; the mayor of Barragada's role in proposing the site; testimony that CLTC may have over-issued leases in Barragada Heights and offered to identify alternate available parcels; and that available funding sources being explored include local appropriations, federal grants, E-911 funds and potential cost-sharing with military partners, though no funding agreement was reported on the floor.

Ending: With the 10-year reversion clause added and the motion to advance passed, Bill 73-38 COR was placed on the third-reading file for a future vote; sponsors said they will pursue funding and design work once site control is secured.","Sen. Shonika Vitato moved Bill 73-38 COR to third reading to transfer Lot 15, Block F, Tract 9 in Barragada Heights from the Chamorro Land Trust Commission to the Guam Police Department for a public-safety emergency communications center. The legislature debated CLTC ownership and beneficiaries; it rejected a motion to send the bill back to the \n\n","actionData","errors"]

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Legislature debates bill to let Guam Department of Education lease underused school property

Legislature advances transfer of Barrigada Heights lot to Guam Police for public-safety communications center; adds 10‑year reversion requirement