Senate rejects amendment to restore full design and construction funding for Campbell County High School

Senators debated a contentious amendment to House Bill 259, the supplemental K-12 school facilities appropriations bill, that would have restored design and construction funding for Campbell County High School. Sponsor Senator Dan Barlow moved Second Reading Amendment Number 1 to House Bill 259; after lengthy floor debate the amendment failed on a roll call, 15 yeas to 16 nays.

Senator Barlow urged the Senate to restore design and construction funding, saying Campbell County High School is a "broken school" and that the local district had followed required steps, including multiple Mercer facility studies. Barlow said the timeline in the district called for RFPs and contractor selection in the near term and argued the legislature has funds available to proceed.

Opponents and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee said the state's school facilities funding process is strained and cautioned that pre-appropriating large construction sums before final design and pricing can be fiscally irresponsible. Senator Nethercott and other senators argued the system is "broken" in ways that encourage rushed or gamed timing and recommended continued planning and use of the committee's phased approach.

Senator Garou, speaking for the Appropriations Committee, outlined the committee's allocations for the Campbell County projects: $4,380,000 in additional design costs for a total of $11,985,000 in design funding; $14,473,000 to fund a transportation facility for the district; and $2,900,000 in contingency funds.

Senator Barlow said the amendment would have produced an appropriation package "containing about $176 million" and urged the body to take action now to avoid further delay. After the roll call on the amendment the chief clerk announced the vote: 15 ayes, 16 no; the amendment failed. The bill remained on the floor for further action and was ordered to proceed through the normal reading process.