Guam Legislature debates multiple FY-26 budget amendments; GMH pharma fund amendment passes, BPT threshold and Simon Sanchez funding fail

The Guam Legislature considered several amendments to the Fiscal Year 2026 general fund appropriation during a session focused on Business Privilege Tax (BPT) treatment, the rainy‑day fund, withholding projections and specific appropriations for Guam Memorial Hospital and Simon Sanchez High School.

Senators approved an amendment to require that 6.19% of Business Privilege Tax receipts in excess of the budget’s adopted BPT projection be appropriated to Guam Memorial Hospital’s pharmaceutical fund for FY‑26 operations. The amendment was read into the record by the sponsor and, after floor discussion, the presiding officer declared the amendment passed without objection.

The body rejected a separate, detailed proposal to extend the 3% BPT treatment to businesses with gross receipts up to $2,000,000 (instead of the bill’s 500,000 threshold). The sponsor and several supporters said the change would provide targeted relief to smaller businesses and free up revenue that could fund priorities including school construction. Opponents said the amendment would unbalance the bill and leave no funding source for agency operations, citizens’ tax refunds and other priorities. A roll call on that amendment resulted in 5 yeas, 9 nays and 1 excused; the amendment failed.

The sponsor had bifurcated the tax‑threshold amendment so that a second piece would direct $16,377,125 for a leaseback or appropriation for Simon Sanchez High School. That second piece was considered separately but, because the tax amendment failed, the Simon Sanchez proposal lacked its identified funding source and also failed on a roll call of 5 yeas, 9 nays and 1 excused.

Other revenue and…