Staff brief committee on Senate Bill 88 to move Veterans Park trust oversight to History Colorado

Legislative Council staff and committee members briefed the Capital Building Advisory Committee about a pending bill (Senate Bill 88) that would alter oversight of a trust funding maintenance for Veterans Park and the Capitol Grounds.

Jeanette Chapman summarized that the proposal would move oversight of the existing fund to History Colorado and change allowable uses so the principal could be tapped periodically (approximately every 20 years) for larger conservation projects while ongoing maintenance would be covered from interest. Committee member Prince said assessments put the cost to bring monuments and memorials on the Capitol Grounds up to basic conservation standard at about $75,000.

The bill would also require that any future monument proposals include an additional maintenance amount (suggested 5%) to be added to their budgets for deferred maintenance. Chapman said the bill was scheduled to be heard in the State Affairs committee on March 10 and that the statutory change would formalize oversight and funding expectations to avoid past lapses in monument maintenance.

No committee vote was requested; the briefing was informational and committee members were encouraged to monitor the bill in State Affairs.