Bill > H3841

This bill, House Bill No. 3667, proposes to establish a public art commission and mandates that at least 0.5% of the budgeted capital cost for the construction or significant renovation of Commonwealth-owned, managed, and occupied buildings costing over $4 million must be allocated for public art, to be placed "in or on the site." However, the Governor is returning this bill unsigned due to objections, citing concerns that the proposed administrative structure is overly complex and could cause project delays. Furthermore, the bill lacks an annual spending cap, and the Governor's administration estimates it would lead to over $7 million in increased capital spending between fiscal years 2016 and 2020 for eligible construction projects. While acknowledging the admirable goals of promoting public art, the Governor believes the costs and administrative framework are unreasonable given the Commonwealth's capital investment priorities and constraints.