Funding-factor cap amendment fails in Senate education committee

The Senate Education Committee voted down House Bill 12-54 after extended debate on a proposed amendment that would set the partnership funding cap using the statewide average of funding factors.

Representative Julie Mayberry presented an amendment the Department of Education suggested that would make the cap the average of statewide funding factors — a biennial figure derived from construction-cost indices (she and Tim Cain referenced RSMeans data). Committee discussion focused on mechanics: whether using an average could allow districts to inflate the statewide average ("build the Taj Mahal") and whether a percent cap should limit increases between two-year re-averaging cycles.

Tim Cain, Director of Facilities and Transportation, explained the funding-factor methodology and said the change would raise the rural cap from $200 to roughly $289.71 for the 2023–25 cycle, and the cap would be updated every two years. Several senators warned that letting the average float without more guardrails could reduce the number of projects funded and let local actions influence the statewide cap.

After motion and second, the committee recorded a roll call. The clerk announced the vote and then stated, "I'm sorry, but the bill has failed." Multiple members voted "No" on the record; the transcript shows varied aye/no tallies before the clerk declared the bill failed in committee.

What happens next: The committee also later voted to expunge an earlier amendment vote; the bill remains eligible to be brought back in future committee business but failed on the recorded motion on this day.