House approves cut to capital-improvement formula to free ongoing funds

The Utah House passed HB 2,003 on Wednesday during a special session, approving changes to the capital-improvement funding formula and referring the bill to the Senate by a recorded vote of 70-0.

Representative Kevin Garn, the bill sponsor, described the fund as formula-driven and said it is created by taking 1.1 percent of the replacement value of state buildings. "What we're doing with this bill is we're reducing the $1,100,000 to $90,000 and that creates about $15,000,000 in ongoing money," Garn said in floor remarks. In later exchange he clarified the measure reduces the 1.1% level and said restoring the prior level would require affirmative legislative action in the future. "This is not temporary. It is a permanent reduction until the legislature acts again," Garn said.

Representative King asked whether the reduction was temporary or permanent; the sponsor confirmed it is a permanent change until the Legislature restores the previous formula. King said he supported the bill under current fiscal circumstances but noted the fund had previously played an important role in building maintenance.

The House opened voting on HB 2,003; the clerk announced the bill received 70 yes votes and 0 no votes. The measure will be referred to the Senate for further consideration.

Note on transcript wording: the sponsor's floor description included figures and a percentage that appear in the record as both a percent (1.1%) and as numeric amounts ("$1,100,000 to $90,000"); those statements were reported here as the sponsor presented them on the floor rather than adjusted by outside fiscal analysis.