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Committee splits on amendment to raise Native American tourism grants; original bill sent to appropriations
Summary
The committee failed to advance an amendment that would have restored $500,000 in funding with a 10% tribal match for a Native American tourism grant program. After the amendment failed on a draw, the committee approved the bill in its original house form and referred it to Appropriations by a 4-2 vote.
Senators in the Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee debated funding levels and match requirements for a bill to provide grants to Native American tourism programs before splitting on an amendment that would have increased the proposed funding.
Senator Marsalais, the senator who introduced the amendment, said she met with the bill sponsor and the director of the Native American Tourism Alliance; the amendment restored funding to $500,000 and added a 10% tribal match. "They asked if we could put the funding back to $500,000 because a hundred thousand wouldn't do that much for their program," Marsalais said.
Senator Meridahl said she planned to vote no because of budget concerns; she described the state's projected budget position as weak and said she could not support the larger appropriation. Senator Weston said she would support the amendment but preferred a larger match; Senator Weber expressed guarded support for the bill with the Farmers Union amendment earlier discussed in committee.
The committee took a roll on amendment 2004 and the vote resulted in a draw; under committee rules a draw means the amendment failed. After the amendment failed, Senator Marsalais moved the original House version of House Bill 15-81 (version 2000), which would provide $100,000 total with dollar-for-dollar matching as described on the record. The committee voted to give the original House bill a due pass and referred it to Appropriations on a 4-2 roll call (yes: Senator Marsalais, Senator Weston, Senator Weber, Chairman Lewick; no: Vice Chair Meridahl, Senator Lehi). Senator Marsalais was named the floor carrier for the measure.
Committee members repeatedly noted uncertainty about final funding decisions, saying that appropriations will determine the dollar amount if the bill survives to that stage. Several senators said passing something to appropriations gives the measure its best chance for funding despite uncertainty about the final amount.
