House making quick work of billion-dollar IT bond

A formal House session called to consider a more than $1 billion information technology bond (H 4708) began at 11 a.m. Wednesday but it quickly became clear that members have been busy prior to session discussing which of their amendments would make the cut.

Shortly after gavelling the House to order, Rep. Paul Donato announced that a consolidated amendment was ready for members to review. The amendment, in one form or another, dispenses with every amendment except two (103 and 116) that were withdrawn. Representatives had filed 189 amendments prior to a deadline on Friday.

The mega-amendment runs seven pages and includes about $101 million in additional capital spending authorizations. One section that appears likely to be added to the bill authorizes about $23.5 million in spending on scores of local IT projects and online services, which have become essential in the COVID-19 era.

The speedy resolution on amendments means the House may be able to finish work on the bill without the kind of lengthy sessions that often are required to move bills that attract many amendments. The House is due back in session at 1 p.m.

Under pre-pandemic dynamics, consideration of a bond bill would have likely required hours of deliberations in a lounge adjacent to the House chamber in order to dispense with amendments, with members either involved in those talks or hanging out and talking in the chamber.

The temporary emergency rules the House is now operating under allow representatives to participate without attending in person, but they must stay in contact by phone with floor monitors inside the chamber. -