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House Panel Rejects $33M Infrastructure Bill by Republicans

Governor cautioned that passing it could mean the state would fail to pass an infrastructure bonding bill again

By Matt Volz, Associated Press

HELENA — A House panel on Monday rejected an infrastructure bill that would have used bonds to pay for $33 million worth of public works projects across Montana, but exclude expensive building projects and a nursing home for veterans.

The building projects’ removal had angered Democrats, though the bill’s sponsor warned that many lawmakers in the Republican majority did not have the appetite to put the state into debt to pay for them.

Rather, the bill would have used bonds to pay only for water, sewer, road and bridge projects, and $15 million cash to pay for school improvements.

The governor’s office opposed the bill and cautioned its passage could mean the state would fail to pass an infrastructure bonding bill again this session, after failing to do so in 2015.

The House Appropriations Committee rejected two attempts by Democratic lawmakers to add more projects to the bill. The committee then voted down the entire bill on a 13-9 vote without debate.

Seven Republicans and six Democrats voted against the bill, while three Democrats joined six Republicans who voted for it to pass.

That leaves a $98 million bonding bill by Sen. Eric Moore, R-Miles City, still alive this session. Moore’s bill is closer to the $150 million bonding proposal by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock at the start of the legislative session, and it is supported by the governor’s office.

The Senate bill includes $25 million to renovate Montana State University’s Romney Hall, $10 million for a new veterans’ home in Butte, $5 million for a Great Falls College dental hygiene building addition, and $5.4 million for a Montana State University-Billings science and technology addition.

It also includes $30 million in bonds for school improvements, compared with the $15 million in cash in the House proposal.

House Minority Leader Jenny Eck, D-Helena, agreed to pull a $27 million Montana Historical Society museum project from all bonding proposals and instead seek to fund it through an increase in the state’s lodging tax. A hearing on that measure is before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

A bonding bill requires approval of two-thirds of the Legislature, which is 67 votes in the House and 34 in the Senate. That means Republicans will need the support of the Democratic minority to pass a bill.