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Senate panel trims Cultural Endowment allocation to $190,000, approves amendment to allow endowment funds for construction or maintenance
Summary
The appropriations subcommittee adopted amendments to a Cultural Endowment Fund provision that would allow up to $190,000 to be used for either maintenance or construction of Arts Across the Prairie projects and forwarded the amended bill to the full committee.
The Senate Appropriations Human Resources Division on voice and roll-call votes adopted amendments that change how a Cultural Endowment Fund amount may be used and reduced the amount available for Arts Across the Prairie projects.
Senator Mark Mather (mover) presented amendments to amendment 25.0177.01001 that removed earlier wording and reduced a proposed authorization from $380,000 to $190,000. The amended language removes the word "designated" and allows the funds to be used "for maintenance or for construction" of Arts Across the Prairie projects (page and line references were discussed in committee testimony). Legislative fiscal staff confirmed the Cultural Endowment Fund contains monies designated for maintenance but the amendment permits using up to the authorized amount for construction as well.
Why it matters: members said the change clarifies permitted uses and preserves an endowment funding source while permitting the agency to proceed with projects that have been described as shovel-ready by witnesses. Senator Cleary urged caution about drawing principal from an endowment; supporters said the language makes the reallocation explicit and kept the authorized amount well below the agency’s original request.
Formal action: the committee adopted the amendment as modified (motion by Senator Mather with a second by Senator Cleary) and later approved a motion to give Senate Bill 2010 (the Council on the Arts budget bill) a do-pass recommendation to the full committee as amended.
Vote record (as recorded on the roll call at the hearing): the transcript records several named senators voting as follows during the do-pass call: Senator Clary — Aye; Senator Davidson — Aye; Senator Deaver — Aye; Senator Magrum — No; Senator Matherne — Aye. The clerk announced the motion carried and that the bill would go to the full committee with the approved amendments.
Quotations (from hearing): "Use up to $190,000 in the Cultural Endowment Fund for maintenance or construction," Senator Davison moved when proposing the change in wording. "I do have some concern that down the road we're gonna be asked to fund maintenance," Senator Cleary said, urging the committee to watch endowment principal.
Ending: The committee’s action reduced the original proposed authorization and made the permitted uses explicit; the amended bill was recommended to the full committee for further consideration.
