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Senate approves amendments to House substitute of SB170 to restrict state grants for backup generators to nonprofits without federal assistance
Summary
Senators agreed to amendments to SB170 limiting a rural hospital backup-generator grant program to nonprofit hospitals that have not already received federal assistance for the same purpose; amendment package passed unanimously on the floor.
The Senate voted to agree as amended to a House substitute for Senate Bill 170, a measure repurposed during the process to create a grant program for rural hospitals to acquire or install backup generators. The chamber adopted amendments that limit awards to nonprofit hospitals without prior federal assistance for that particular purpose.
Floor discussion noted that the original Senate bill focused on homelessness and was substantially changed in the House. Senators explained they added language to ensure state grants would not duplicate federal funds from a large federal rural-health program and to restrict eligibility to hospitals that lacked an existing generator as of the effective date.
A senator said the measure applies to hospitals in counties of 50,000 or fewer residents and facilities with fewer than 100 beds; the amendment also required applicants not to have received federal assistance for acquiring or installing backup generators. The Senate adopted amendment 1A and amendment 1 and agreed to the motion as amended; the motion to agree as amended passed by recorded vote (ayes 50, nays 0).
The legislation will move forward with the amendments that prioritize federal fund usage first and limit state grants so eligible rural hospitals do not receive duplicative assistance.
