House committee moves repeal of Strategic Investments & Projects account amid fiscal debate

Cheyenne — The Committee of the Whole recommended passage of Senate File 119, a bill described by proponents as a cleanup to simplify budgeting by moving money from the Strategic Investments and Projects account into the general fund and Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account (LSRA).

Representative Baer, who spoke for the appropriations committee, said the change would make capital and special project funding more visible "so everybody can see what we're doing" and noted that a portion of the account had been intended to save for penitentiary construction. He said he expected a third‑reading amendment addressing the chief executive's prior veto points.

Representative Harshman strongly opposed the bill on fiscal grounds, saying the proposal "only guarantees 2 and a half percent of our 5% spending policy" versus the prior 5% floor, calling it "about a $250,000,000 cut off of the profile and about 45% of that will be schools." He warned the change could produce a long‑term drain on school construction and maintenance funding. Other members debated transparency versus fiscal conservancy.

Chairman Baer pointed to language on page 2 of the bill ensuring that 45% of amounts credited to the LSRA would be appropriated to the public school foundation program account and urged members to support the bill as a transparency measure. The Committee of the Whole recommended passage; the motion carried by voice vote per the transcript.

Notes and unresolved details: members cited the bill's fiscal note and discussed possible amendments to address the chief executive's prior veto; numeric vote tallies were not provided in the transcript.