Panel approves public-project revolving fund appropriations including cultural affairs and drinking-water allocations

Representative Garrett presented House Bill 64, an annual appropriations bill drawing from the Public Project Revolving Fund. The bill would appropriate $13,300,000, including $6,250,000 to the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund, $2,000,000 to the Local Government Planning Fund and $5,000,000 to the Cultural Affairs Facilities Infrastructure Fund.

Michelle Gallagher Roberts, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Cultural Affairs, asked the committee for a due pass for HB64, saying the fund provides stable, consistent funding for maintenance and preservation of the department’s more than 250 structures and clarified that DCA is not part of GSD. Committee members noted this bill as an example of a straight appropriations bill that may be tabled when funding is included in HB2; Representative Herrera moved a due-pass recommendation and Representative Sotanana seconded. With no opposition, the committee adopted the due-pass recommendation.