House panel hears House Bill 5 long-range building plan with cuts, new priorities and questions on funding sources

HELENA — The Montana House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday heard House Bill 5, the long-range state capital, facility building and maintenance program, receiving detailed questions from legislators about project costs, funding sources and how the Department of Administration will prioritize work on the Montana State Hospital and Department of Corrections projects.

Representative John Fitzpatrick, the bill sponsor, told the committee House Bill 5 packages three components: major repair projects, capital development projects and operating-and-maintenance (O&M) funding tied to new or substantially renovated facilities. Fitzpatrick said the major repair section lists 56 projects totaling about $43.3 million; the bill overall aggregates projects funded from state capital development dollars, state special revenue accounts and federal special revenue, and the entire long-range package represents a multihundred-million-dollar ask compared with prior sessions.

The bill sponsor and witnesses described committee edits that trimmed some costs and directed the Architecture and Engineering (A&E) Division to standardize designs and bundle similar projects to reduce design and construction costs. Russell (Russ) Catherman of the A&E Division testified he supports House Bill 5 and said staff are available to answer project-specific questions.

Committee members pressed agency witnesses on funding sources and project details. Lena…