House and Senate policy committees continue to push forward through the hundreds of bills referred to their committees earlier this week.

Evergreen spent the day engaging legislators in discussions and testimony focused on economic development.

In the morning, the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5041. SB 5041 establishes a statewide program to increase state procurement contracts with veteran-owned businesses. State agencies, including higher education, are encouraged to award 3 percent of all procurement contracts under $35,000 in value to certified veteran-owned businesses. Evergreen provided written testimony to the committee in support of the bill.  No further action beyond the hearing has been scheduled for the bill.

In the afternoon, Evergreen joined representatives from a variety of other organizations and groups (i.e. labor, environmental, K-12) to talk with legislators about House Bill 2561. HB 2561, referred to in the media as the Jobs Creation Bill, authorizes the State to  issue $861 million in general obligation bonds for the purpose of creating jobs by constructing capital improvements that lead to energy-related cost savings in public schools, state colleges and universities, and other public facilities.

Evergreen has supported HB 2561 since the beginning of session. The bill, if passed, could potentially provide the College with financial resources to implement energy-related projects and perhaps funding to construct Evergreen’s Biomass Gasification Project.