Capital outlay funding; issuance of bonds by VPBA & VCBA for certain projects & programs. (SB731)

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

FOCUSED TO ONE SPECIFIC THING TO YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE. THIS BILL EXPANDS IT TO JUST ABOUT ANY PLACE YOU COULD RENT WHERE SOMEONE TO LAY THEIR HEAD. THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO RECOMMIT THE BILL TO FINANCE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED NO. THE AYES HAVE IT, THE BILL IS RECOMMITTED TO FINANCE. GOING TO PAGE 1 OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL CALENDAR. SENATE BILL 731. WE AGREED TO YOUR SUBSTITUTE, SENATOR, THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE AND WE STOPPED WITH THE ENGROSSMENT AND ADVANCEMENT, SO YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD MOVE WE ENGROSS AND ADVANCE THE BILL TO ITS THIRD READ. JED: THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL SENATE BILL 731 BE ENGROSSED AND ADVANCED TO THE THIRD READING. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE, OPPOSED NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE SENATOR FROM AUGUSTA. I MOVE WE WAIVE THE THIRD CONSTITUTIONAL READING. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE, OPPOSED NO. ARE ALL THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE. DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTES, THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THEIR ROLL. I MOVE THE BILL PASS AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT. SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE CAPITAL BOND BILL THAT WE LET GO BYE SO MEMBERS WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT. THIS BILL, MR. PRESIDENT, REPRESENTS OUR EFFORT AT ADDRESSING THE MOST CRITICAL OR PRIORITY NEEDS FOR FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE COMMONWEALTH. AS MANY ARE WELL AWARE THE GOVERNOR IN HIS INTRODUCED BUDGET INCLUDED A PACKAGE BUT WE HAVE SELECTED OUT OUR PRIORITIES AND IN SO DOING WE FOCUSED JUST THE BASICS I WILL GIVE YOU, WE'RE LATE INTO THE DAY. THIS INCLUDES $1.3 BILLION FOR THE PRIORITY NEEDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM AND FOR STATE PARKS UNDER DCR. I WOULD SHARE, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED A BOND PACKAGE OF $140 MILLION. WE HAVE PEARED THAT BACK, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED PARING IT BACK TO $145, THE TOTAL PACKAGE IS SMALLER THAN THAT THAT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNOR IN THE INTRODUCED BUDGET. IN ADDITION TO THAT $1.3 BILLION THERE'S 39 MILLION INCLUDED IN SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS, SOME FOR THE VETERANS CARE CENTER WHERE THERE WAS ADDITIONAL NEED FOR APPROPRIATION, VETERANS WAR ME MORE IAL AND A COUPLE OTHER SMALL PROJECTS, THERE IS 13 MILLION INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEARING COMPLETION THAT NEED TO BE THERE ARE 16 MILLION FOR EQUIPPED. PLANNING PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED TO BE THE PRIORITY THAT WERE PUT INTO PIPELINE. I WOULD SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT WE HAVE PARED THAT BACK, IF WE WENT FORWARD WITH THE BUILDING PROGRAM WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ADDITIONAL PROJECT IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE PLANNING GOES STALE AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE EXPECTATION IF YOU PUT IT IN THE PLANNING YOU WILL BUILD THE PROJECT. 16 MILLION THERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS 59 MILLION AUTHORIZED FOR WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS FOR UPGRADE. THAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY BACK TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR OUR SHARE MEETING OUR RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADES. MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS THE BASICS OF THE BILL AND I MOVE IT PASSES. THANK YOU, SENATOR. SENIOR SENATOR FROM BATH, SENATOR DEEDS.

Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville): WILL THE SENATOR YIELD FOR A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

[Unknown]: WILL YOU YIELD?

Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville): I WILL.

[Unknown]: HE YIELDS. LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION, THERE WAS HANGS AGO IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET OR GOVERNOR'S BILL IN THE FIRST PLACE TO ACQUIRE NEW PARK LAND YET THERE IS NO MONEY FOR ACQUISITION OF PARK LAND IN THIS BOND, IS THAT CORRECT. AND IF THAT IS CORRECT I WOULD ASK TO EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE NOT ACQUIRING NEW PARK LAND OR NATURAL AREA LAND? I WOULD SAY TO THE ?ROAR BATH, IN THE PROCESS HERE WE ARE ALL WELL AWARE YOU HAVE TO FORM A CONSENSUS AND MAJORITY RULES AND AS THE SENATOR FROM BATH KNOWS, HE AND I HAVE BEEN FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE PROPONENTS FOR OUR PARK SYSTEM FOR YEARS. HAD IT BEEN MY DECISION ALONE I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED MONEY TO PURCHASE SOME LAND AND IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA BUT THE CONSENSUS IN THE COMMITTEE THAT MADE THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE STATUS OF MY BILL IS WE HAVE INCLUDED NO MONEY FOR ADDITIONAL LAND ACQUISITIONS AT THIS TIME. SENATOR FROM BATH. WOULD THE GENTLEMAN YIELD FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTION? WOULD THE GENTLEMAN YIELD? HE YIELDS. IN LOOKING AT PROJECTS AND COMPARING IT TO THE LIST OF PROJECTS THE GOVERNOR HAD RECOMMENDED, I NOTICED A COUPLE PROJECTS IN PARKS OR PROPOSED PARKS FOR THE 25th DISTRICT INCLUDING MONEY FOR A COUPLE PROJECTS IN BATH COUNTY HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE SENATE BUDGET BUT I ALSO NOTICE A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP WHITE WATER STATE PARK, CONSTRUCT MAINTENANCE IN BARN AND STORAGE AREA TO REPLACE MAINTENANCE COMPLEX, TO CONSTRUCT A MAINTENANCE AREA, SOME SOIL EROSION PROJECTS AT VARIOUS PLACES, TO RENOVATE A POOL BATH HOUSE AND THE STATE PARK AND RENOVATE A POOL BATH HOUSE AT WESTMORELAND PARK ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BILL AND I WONDERED IN DRAWING THE PRIORITIES, HOW WAS IT THESE WERE NOT INCLUDED. SENATOR FROM AUGUSTA. I WOULD RESPOND TO THE SENATOR FROM BATH ON A COUPLE POINTS. FIRST IT WAS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IN THE SUB COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION WOULD BE ELIMINATED, AT LEAST MAJOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE TALKING BISCUIT RUN AND WIDE WATER SPECIFICALLY WHICH WOULD BE $80 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION TO BUILD OUT THOSE PROJECTS. AS THE SENATOR KNOWS WELL WE HISTORICALLY HAVE NOT COMPLETELY BUILT OUT A PROJECT, ALL THE PHASES AT ONE TIME BUT THAT WAS A FAIRLY EXPENSIVE PROPOSAL FOR THOSE TWO, BISCUIT RUN AND WIDE WATER. THE ADDITIONAL OMISSIONS YOU POINTED OUT WERE MOSTLY NEW CONSTRUCTION WHETHER A MAINTENANCE FACILITY HERE AND THERE, MOST WERE NEW. A COUPLE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WERE ELIMINATED WERE THINGS THAT WERE BEING ADDRESSED WHERE THERE

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OF COMMITTEE ON FINANCE SENATORS NORMENT AND HANGER ARE SENATORS McDOUGLE, VOGEL AND LUCAS. SENATE BILL 731, THE HOUSE IN SITS ON ITS SUBSTITUTE AND REQUESTS A COMMITTEE CONFERENCE. I MOVE THAT THE SENATOR ACCEDE TO THE HOUSE REQUEST. THE QUESTION IS HALL THE SENATE ACCEDE TO THE HOUSE REQUEST FOR A COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL. HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL. AYES 40, NOS 0. AYES 40, NOS 0. THE MOTION IS AGREED TO.

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HOUSE, EARLIER A MEMBER SAID THAT NORTHERN VIRGINIA, THEY WOULD SAY THIS WOULD BE THE COGNATE OF AN EARLIER BILL. WHERE I COME FROM, THIS WOULD BE THE SAME AS 1344 OF THE BOND BILL. I ASK WE WOULD APPROVE THE CONFERENCE REPORT. SHALL THE CONFERENCE REPORT

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SENATE BILL 731. THE SENATOR FROM AUGUSTA, SENATOR HANGER.

Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Mount Solon): THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Mount Solon): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE SENATE. I CALL YOUR AIT EXPENSE TO THE BILL, THE CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDING BILL. AND NEED TO DISCUSS THIS FOR JUST A FEW MOMENTS HERE TO ARTICULATE WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THIS ARE PROPOSED 29 AMENDMENTS TO THIS BOND BILL. BUT THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF AREAS OF SUBSTANCE AND THAT IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO. MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE IT HAD BEEN WIDELY REPORTED THAT WE HAD AN AGREEMENT ON THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW JOURNAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING. THAT WAS ALMOST ACCURATE. IN REPRESENTING THE SENATE POSITION THERE WERE RESERVATIONS THAT YOUR COCHAIRS AND MEMBERS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE HAD WITH THE AGREEMENT AND WE CONTINUED TO NEGOTIATION THOSE CONCERNS YESTERDAY AND EARLY THIS MORNING AND I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE RESOLVED THOSE ISSUES AND WE -- AND THAT IS WHY I COME TO YOU NOW ABLE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS. SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD DONE HE HAD ADDED TWO MAJOR PROJECTS, A PROPOSE THE NEW FACILITY FOR THE SEXUAL VIOLENT PREDATOR PROGRAM. AND ADVANCING PROPOSED JUVENILE JUSTICE FACILITY IN CHESAPEAKE TO FULL CONSTRUCTION HEAD OF PLANNING. ALSO A SMALLER PROJECT AT LONGWOOD WHICH WE ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH FOR A NEW ADMISSIONS OFFICE THERE AND A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS THAT ACTUALLY ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION. SEASON THE SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR PROGRAM IT HAD BEEN THE DETERMINATION OF THE SENATE WE REALLY NEEDED TO LOOK AT THAT PROGRAM AND LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE OF COURSES. THE CURRENT FACILITY IS AT ROUGHLY 375. IT HAS A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 450. AND IT WAS FELT BY THE SENATE THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO LOOK DEEPER AT THAT PROGRAM TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE WISE TO INVEST THE ADDITIONAL $110 MILLION WHEN WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BELIEVED THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR REHABILITATING THESE INDIVIDUALS IN A LESS COSTLY MANNER AND THAT WE COULD MAKE DUE WITH THE EXISTING FACILITY. THAT WAS ONE ISSUE. TO RESOLVE THAT, THE ADMINISTRATION BY LETTER THAT I JUST RECEIVED ON MY DESK HERE FROM THE GOVERNOR HAS AGREED THAT WE WILL CONDUCT A STUDY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO US BY THE BEGINNING OF THE 2017 SESSION SO WE INTEND UNDER THESE AMENDMENTS TO AUTHORIZE THIS PROJECT WHETHER OR NOT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT WILL DEPEND ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT STUDY IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO ACCOMMODATE THIS POPULATION. SO THAT IS ONE ISSUE. THE INCLUSION OF THE FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR PROGRAM IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT IT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. THE SECOND HAS TO DO WITH THE TIMING OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE FACILITY CHANGES AND THE CHESAPEAKE PROGRAM. WE HAD INSERTED IN THE BUDGET LANGUAGE WHICH CREATED A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW THE PROPOSALS FROM DIRECTOR BLOCK AND THE ADMINISTRATION AS FAR AS HOW THEY WERE GOING TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM AND CLOSE CERTAIN FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCT THE TWO SMALLER FACILITIES. IT HAD BEEN THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT THE CHESAPEAKE FACILITY WOULD ONLY GO TO PLANNING AND NOT TO FULL CONSTRUCTION AND THAT THE DECISION ON THE SECOND FACILITY WOULD BE DELAYED. UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S AMENDMENTS HERE, FUNDING WOULD BE AUTHORIZED FOR FULL CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE FACILITY BUT AGAIN THERE ARE AMENDMENTS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED AND THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE TIMELINE THAT WE WILL INFORM OUR DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CHESAPEAKE FACILITY BY THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK FORCE PUT IN PLACE TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED FACILITY. ALSO, THERE IS LANGUAGE WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE PLANNING FOR THE SECOND FACILITY WITH A LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED LATER DEPENDING ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS TASK FORCE THAT I REFERRED TO. THE OTHER BIG ISSUE AND YOU WILL NOTICE IN ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS HERE AND I JUST RECEIVED AND MADAM CLERK YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED OFF, SENATOR NORMENT AND I DID THAT HE SIGNED OFF ON IN THIS PAST HOUR WHERE HIS SIGNATURE IS HERE ON THE AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THE JOURNAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING WITH ALL DUE SPEED AND HASTE TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING. IT WAS SIGNED A FEW MOMENT A'S GO WITH AND WITH THOSE UNDERSTANDINGS, MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS BE AGREED TO. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CH ANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

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