Legislature debates bill to let Guam Department of Education lease underused school property

Senator Joseph Augustine moved to place Bill 70-38 COR in the third-reading file and discussed a measure that would add a new section to Title 17, Art. 1, Ch. 3 of the Guam Code to authorize the Guam Department of Education (GDE) to lease property within its jurisdiction.

The bill’s author said the measure would let GDE convert underused or vacant school properties to long-term leases and use proceeds to fund repairs and capital improvements. "This legislation is straightforward in its intent, but far reaching in its potential to help strengthen our education system and serve our community for years to come," Augustine said on the floor.

The measure, as described on the floor, would: allow leasing of subject property when a school cannot be repurposed to alleviate double sessions; set a floor so leases to charter schools or government entities be no less than 60% of appraised property…