Committee approves amended bill to provide line‑of‑credit for veterans welcome center project

Representative Bosch explained an amendment to Senate Bill 2265 that replaced wording ("chapel" to "welcome center"), changed a phrase to "appropriation," and added a reporting requirement directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to forward a report listing grant recipients to the Legislature.

Committee members discussed the project's financing. Representative Pyle said the total project was presented to the committee as $5 million, with the nonprofit raising about $1.5 million and requesting roughly a $3 million loan; committee members noted the state's line of credit would eventually be repaid via a deficiency appropriation if the loan were called. Representative Brandenburg and others clarified that the line of credit would be a state obligation to be repaid through the appropriation process in a later session if necessary.

Representative Bosch moved the amendment (version ending in 3001) and Representative O'Brien seconded; the amendment passed on a roll call ("Motion carries 21–0 and 2"). Bosch then moved a due‑pass recommendation on the amended bill and Representative Steeman seconded; the committee approved the amended bill on a roll call ("Motion carries 21–0 and 2"). Representative Pyle agreed to carry the bill.

Ending: The committee advanced the amended bill with unanimous recorded support in this session (21 in favor; 0 opposed; 2 absent). The amendment requires reporting on recipients and clarifies funding language; members noted eventual deficiency appropriation processes would review payback if the state covered the loan.