Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 117, GENERAL PROVISIONS, page 588, after line 17, by adding an appropriately numbered new proviso to read:
/117.__ (GP: Capital Bond Study Committee) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, (A) from the funds appropriated to the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Governor's Office, there is established a Capital Bond Study Committee. The committee shall be composed of:
(1) three members of the Senate, one member appointed by the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, one member appointed by the Majority Leader and one member appointed by the Minority Leader;
(2) three members of the House of Representatives, one member appointed by the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, one member appointed by the Majority Leader and one member appointed by the Minority Leader; and
(3) three members appointed by the Governor.
All appointments shall be made not later than July 15, 2015. The committee must be staffed by the staff of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Governor's Office. Members of the committee shall receive mileage, subsistence and per diem at the rate provided by law. The committee may elect a chairperson and other appropriate officers from its membership. The committee shall begin meeting as soon as possible to accomplish the goals set forth in this paragraph.
(B) The committee shall study the capital needs of the state's higher education institutions, including the technical college system. The study shall include, but is not limited to:
(1) capital improvement plans of higher education institutions;
(2) long term capital bond needs;
(3) bond capacity and debt service;
(4) other related subjects that may serve to inform the General Assembly and the Governor as determined by the committee; and
(5) the merits, necessity and projected costs of each of the capital improvement plans and projects it studies and prepare recommendations addressing the priority of the projects for future funding.
(C) The committee may solicit information from any person or entity it deems relevant to its study. The committee must make a report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Joint Bond Review Committee by December 31, 2015, at which time the study committee shall be dissolved. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend sections, totals and title to conform.