Appropriations committee trims infrastructure request, advances education and transportation funding items; vets veterans funding mechanics

The House Appropriations Committee took votes on a set of funding bills and discussed several education and veterans‑service measures during the session following the HB13-32 hearing.

Representative Steeman moved to reconsider House Bill 15-77, and the motion to reconsider carried on a roll call (17 yes, 5 no, 1 absent). Following floor discussion, members amended HB15-77 to reduce the proposed appropriation in line 8 from $50,000,000 to $25,000,000; Representative Kempnick moved that amendment and Representative Meyer seconded. The amendment passed (roll recorded: 21 yes, 1 no, 1 absent). The committee later approved a do-pass recommendation on HB15-77 as amended; committee members said they would add study language in the second-half assignment to identify a longer-term funding source and coordinate with agencies that handle industrial and public finance.

Committee members discussed specifics of the amended HB15-77. The amendment preserves separate $12,500,000 caps for certain city or project allocations noted in the bill text; lawmakers said the reduced appropriation would still leave additional policy work on funding sources and how the program coordinates with industrial commission financing and water infrastructure programs.

Education bills: Chairman Heinert briefly introduced a package of education measures from his committee. Representative Richter summarized House Bill 11-30, a change that would give school districts an alternate option for calculating the share of in‑lieu property tax revenue they can treat as local capital funding toward sinking and interest obligations. The Department of Public Instruction’s school finance officer, Adam Tesher, said the fiscal note projects $12,500,000 in increased state cost for the next biennium and that 28 districts would benefit, largely in areas with high in‑lieu (oil, gas, telecom and large central‑assessed property) revenue.

The committee also advanced House Bill 12-14, which moves school transportation (busing) funding from a biennial grant pot into the school funding formula. Sponsors said the change provides recurring formula revenue and more predictable funding for districts; the fiscal note for the move was reported at about $10,000,000 (subject to change if other education bills alter pupil weighting).

Veterans funding: The committee spent time on House Bill 15-04, which originated from veterans’ organizations seeking to direct excess gaming proceeds toward a post‑war trust to address veteran homelessness. Staff explained that gaming proceeds currently flow to the general fund under existing mechanics and that the bill’s language had been revised; lawmakers asked staff to research how “excess gaming” would be identified and whether the requested $2,360,000 general‑fund appropriation replaces or supplements previously redirected gaming revenue. Committee members asked legislative staff and agency partners to return with clarifying language and flow charts before final action.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in committee) - HB15-77: Motion to reconsider carried (17 yes, 5 no, 1 absent). Amendment to reduce line 8 from $50,000,000 to $25,000,000 carried (21 yes, 1 no, 1 absent). Do-pass as amended — committee approved and will place study language for longer-term funding in the second-half; final roll call for the do-pass recommendation was recorded in committee minutes (tally not specified in transcript excerpt). - HB12-14 (school transportation into formula): Committee gave a do-pass recommendation; fiscal note reported roughly $10,000,000 (may change based on other education bills). - HB11-30 (in‑lieu of / sinking & interest option): Discussed in detail; fiscal note estimated $12,500,000 and 28 districts likely to benefit; committee did not take final action in the transcript excerpt. - HB15-04 (veterans post‑war trust / gaming proceeds): Discussion and requests for additional agency and fiscal research; no final committee vote recorded in the excerpt.

Committee leaders assigned follow-up work to legislative staff and agency fiscal experts to clarify funding flows and to draft technical language for bills moving to the second half of session.