One day after the bill was introduced, the Assembly Ways and Means Committee approved spending $15.98 million for electronic system enhancements and maintenance projects including a new roof on the Legislature.
Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Brenda Erdoes told the committee the existing roof is 19 years old and is leaking in numerous places, including over the sofa in the Assembly leadership offices. She said they are using tarps and buckets.
That project will cost $1.99 million.
She said the stucco exterior of the building is also damaged in numerous places, allowing water to get into the building. Fixing that will cost $220,000. She said cracked concrete outside and in the parking garage must be fixed.
“There’s a lot of water coming into people’s offices, even on the first floor,” she said.
Erdoes said the Legislature building has been neglected for years.
They need to get ready for asbestos removal in the old west half of the building which was originally built in 1969.
Fortunately, she said, her building maintenance staff has been trained and certified so they can do the asbestos removal in-house. But the budget still includes $83,000 for the asbestos survey mandated by federal law.
Another major cost is security upgrades to the back door to enable proper installation of the metal detector and other equipment. That project will cost $3.13 million. Also at the back of the building, the ADA ramps are not compliant with federal law and must be rebuilt. On top of that, $1.75 million will upgrade door locks, card readers and security cameras throughout the building.
Inside, she said 30-year-old voting system has to be replaced in both the Senate and Assembly chambers and a long list of electronic and computer system upgrades is needed along with replacement and upgrades to the HVAC system.
Finally, AB489 includes $875,500 for dues and registration costs for a half-dozen national organizations including the National Conference of State Legislators.
The committee unanimously recommended the bill be passed.
