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Panel pulls prison funding bill after debate over set-aside, cost estimates and use of DFA appropriation
Summary
Senate Bill 633, a proposed one-time transfer to a correctional facilities set-aside, was pulled from consideration after committee members pressed for cost estimates and clarity on whether existing DFA appropriations would be used to fund construction.
The committee removed Senate Bill 633 from consideration after extended questions about how the state would pay for a proposed prison and whether existing appropriations to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) would be used.
A committee summary in the meeting packet identified $330,000,000 already held in a restricted set-aside for correctional facilities and described SB 633 as transferring an additional $250,000,000 into that same set-aside. A staff member explained: “This bill transfers an additional $250,000,000 to that same set aside.” The staff member also noted the set-aside already held $330,000,000.
Senator Hickey and other members pressed for a plan to resolve cost uncertainty before moving substantial additional funds. Senator Hickey said he had “no problem moving money into this account,” but asked that the DFA use an existing miscellaneous appropriation to produce more detailed cost estimates before additional funds were committed. Multiple members noted DFA already had a $75,000,000 preparatory appropriation in place and a broader $350,000,000 miscellaneous appropriation that could be used for agency needs.
Members debated statutory vote thresholds for restricted funds: the packet described the bill as a majority vote bill while reiterating that releasing money from the set-aside requires a three-fifths threshold. One member summarized the practical effect: the bill would place the additional $250,000,000 into the set-aside, but the usual three-fifths restriction to withdraw those funds would remain in place.
Committee members repeatedly stressed the need for better cost data. One member said the $75,000,000 already appropriated to DFA should be used first to refine cost estimates: “Our goal will be to spend the 75,000,000 down first,” the member said. At least one legislator expressed concern that the fiscal session could be used to shift funds to the prison project without completed estimates; the committee ultimately agreed to pull SB 633 for further consideration.
No roll-call vote on SB 633 is recorded in the provided transcript; the disposition recorded by committee staff was that the bill would be pulled down (held for later consideration).
