Senate institutions committee reviews JFO v.3 capital bill, delays vote over recovery-grant language and cash-fund report

The Senate Committee on Institutions on April 23 reviewed Joint Fiscal Office (JFO) draft version 3 of the proposed capital bill and declined to vote, saying committee members lacked final bill language on a proposed recovery-residence grant and on statutory reporting about the state’s capital cash fund.

Committee members and staff spent the meeting comparing a spreadsheet of appropriations and amendments to the House version, identifying line-item timing and funding-source changes. Committee members repeatedly emphasized they would not take a final vote until the bill text and a set of drafting changes—chiefly language making a recovery-residence grant competitive and clarifying the cash-fund report—were finalized.

The review covered multiple project adjustments. The JFO spreadsheet reflected a reduction in a statewide three-acre parcel stormwater compliance item for FY2027 to $850,000 (from a larger House figure), deletion of a $200,000 FY2027 item for the Pittsburgh Academy firing range, and a reduction in FY2027 funding for the 32 Cherry Street parking garage repairs to…