House amends supplemental K‑12 facilities bill to add partial funding for Campbell County projects

Representatives adopted a second‑reading amendment to House Bill 259 on Jan. 27 that would provide partial supplemental funding for K‑12 school facilities projects in Campbell County, and the bill was ordered for a third reading.

The amendment, offered by Representative Claussen, would provide roughly half of the funds needed to start the Campbell County High School project and the district’s bus garage, she said. “It’s a huge issue in our community, and it really represents how we feel about our students and our education system and our commitment to our young people and our teachers,” Representative Claussen said on the House floor.

House Bill 259 is a supplemental appropriation measure for K‑12 school facilities. Supporters said the amendment would prevent at least a one‑year delay in required repairs and allow construction planning to continue. Representative Knapp, who said he toured the site with the facilities commission, warned that sewage backups and ceiling leaks had already caused operational disruptions. “If it gets to the point where they need to get out of the building, we’re looking at emergency modulars,” he said.

Opponents urged caution because the state’s broader fiscal picture — including unresolved property‑tax relief questions — could affect available general funds. Representative Pendergraft cautioned that while the school “needs some help,” he urged the body to wait until revenue impacts from property‑tax relief are clearer. Representative Claussen and backers noted the project has been identified repeatedly in Mercer studies dating back to 2018 and that local officials had exhausted other avenues.

The House adopted second‑reading amendment number 2 by voice vote; the Clerk recorded the amendment’s adoption and the chamber ordered the bill read a third time. The debate on the amendment occupied the floor for an extended period and drew comments from more than two dozen members representing a mix of support and concern. The House did not record final passage of House Bill 259 in the provided transcript excerpt; the bill proceeded to the chamber’s third‑reading calendar.

Practical details mentioned during debate included a $4,000,000 prior planning appropriation to keep planning moving and repeated references to Mercer studies used to prioritize facility projects. Several members described immediate problems at Campbell County High School, including periodic sewage backups and closed bathrooms; proponents said partial funding would let the district “get the project started” rather than wait another year.

The House’s action on the amendment leaves the underlying bill intact pending third‑reading consideration. If the bill advances, members signaled there could be further floor amendments or additional appropriations at third reading.