Senate approves housing and transit reinvestment amendments after county concerns

The Senate debated and passed second substitute Senate Bill 84, a package of changes to Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) law. Sponsor Sen. Harper described additions: clarified definitions of what constitutes a station, provisions covering track and commuter-rail extensions, and a mechanism allowing counties that are out of compliance with their moderate-income housing plan to get into compliance.

Sen. Winterton, representing Summit County, said stakeholders there remain worried the substitute the House put forward could jeopardize federal and state funding for a bus-rapid-transit project (he cited approximately $30,500,000 in federal funding the county had applied for). Sen. Harper said the bill provides a pathway for compliance that, if followed, should enable counties to obtain funding; he described the bill as enabling rather than mandatory.

Sen. Cullimore urged concurrence and emphasized the need to address housing affordability as part of transit investments. Sen. Bramble asked for clarification on fiscal notes; the president confirmed the Senate rules do not require fiscal notes on substitutes in all cases and that past practice had been to rely on the underlying bill's fiscal note when appropriate.

After discussion the Senate concurred with the substitute and passed the bill by roll call: 24 yeas, 2 nays, 3 absent. The bill will be returned to the House for the Speaker's signature.