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Committee advances bill clarifying grant program rules; proponents cite $469.9 million in leveraged projects
Summary
House Bill 605, which clarifies which grants qualify for a state program and allows cities or counties to apply on behalf of unaffiliated water districts, passed the committee with favorable expression; advocates reported $103 million in matched funding and roughly $469.9 million in total project value to date.
The Appropriations and Revenue Committee advanced House Bill 605 by favorable expression after testimony from program supporters that the measure clarifies eligible grants and application authority.
Representative Josh Bray, who presented the bill, said it "deals with the grant program" and makes technical fixes to clarify eligible grants and the entities that may apply. He explained the bill allows a city or county to apply on behalf of a water district or another entity that is not a city or county.
Rebecca Hartsoe Babbage, cofounder of Grant Ready Kentucky, provided the committee with program performance numbers. "As of March, just this month, what we have done is, so far of the $200,000,000 allocation, we have matched according to CED, a hundred and $3,000,000 and change, and that has yielded right now a total project value of 469,908,000," she said. She summarized the program's return as roughly $4.67 in total investment for every $1 of state investment.
The committee heard no protracted opposition. After a roll-call vote the measure passed with seven votes in favor and no votes against. The committee's roll call recorded 7 ayes and 0 nays; the bill now moves forward to the Senate floor.
The bill makes technical changes intended to address prior application and cabinet routing issues; it does not specify new funding amounts in committee testimony. Committee members asked for additional details about leveraged funding during the hearing; Grant Ready Kentucky noted the monthly figures are updated as program activity continues.
