The Latest: House adds $45M to its infrastructure bill

HELENA, Mont. – The Latest on legislative voting on infrastructure bonding bills (all times local):

2:25 p.m.

The Montana House has endorsed its own infrastructure bonding bill after adding more than $45 million worth of building projects to the measure.

The House measure now more closely resembles a parallel infrastructure bill that was endorsed by the Senate earlier Wednesday.

Representatives voted to add funding for a veterans home in Butte and building projects at Montana State University, Great Falls College and Montana State University-Billings.

However, the House bill will need more support than it received in the initial vote to pass. Wednesday’s vote was 56-44. At least 67 of 100 lawmakers will need to vote for it to pass a final vote because it is a bond measure.

Some Republicans oppose putting the state into debt to pay for building projects.

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1:55 p.m.

The Montana Senate has endorsed a $98 million infrastructure bill that would pay for public works and building projects with bonds.

The House is scheduled to vote on a parallel bill Wednesday that would authorize only $33 million in state debt, and not include any building projects.

Senate bill sponsor Eric Moore, a Republican from Mile City, says the $98 million proposal is a reasonable and disciplined use of debt to fix state buildings and water and sewer systems that need repair.

Some Republicans are reluctant to place the state into debt to pay for infrastructure. Others oppose using bonds to pay for large building projects contained in the Senate measure, such as Montana State University’s $25 million Romney Hall renovation.

The Senate bill must pass a final vote before it goes to the House.