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Rep. Mortensen urges $5 million for Capitol restoration; finance office cautions on scope and capacity
Summary
Representative Will Mortensen proposed House Bill 11‑31 to allocate $5 million for restoration, maintenance and repair of public-facing areas of the State Capitol. The Bureau of Finance and Management raised questions about project prioritization, existing backlog and oversight capacity; the committee deferred action.
Representative Will Mortensen introduced House Bill 11‑31, requesting a $5 million general‑fund appropriation for restoration, maintenance and repair of the public‑facing portions of the South Dakota State Capitol, including hallways, the rotunda, the supreme court chamber, legislative chambers and the governor's public reception area.
Mortensen said the Capitol has not seen a major renovation since a multi‑year effort ending in 1989 and asked the committee to prioritize public areas that draw visitors. "This building has not seen a major renovation in almost 50 years," Mortensen said, urging the committee to "supply some money for its ongoing maintenance and repair." He described the request as focused on preservation of spaces visited by the public rather than office renovations.
Brandy Meisner of the Bureau of Finance and Management testified in opposition, saying it was unclear whether $5 million would be enough and noting the Bureau of Human Resources and Administration already has an inventory of roughly $7 million for more than 40 necessary interior projects, including elevator and HVAC work. Meisner also flagged limited administrative capacity to manage multiple concurrent projects and potential contractor availability issues.
Mortensen and other members discussed oversight. Mortensen said projects proposed under the bill would be reviewed by the Capital Complex Restoration and Beautification Commission, which includes lay citizens and legislative appointees; the commission would need to approve plans before work proceeds. Committee members questioned whether the items Mortensen had identified were already on existing maintenance lists; Meisner said the capital complex has an approximate $20 million annual maintenance and repair (M&R) general fund budget and an inventory of prioritized projects.
Following questions and discussion about priorities and the sufficiency of $5 million, the committee deferred action on HB 11‑31.
