A bill authorizing bonding projectsfor most of Kentucky's public universities appears to have ample support to be approved this week in the state House.
House Bill 7 authorizes more than $300 million in projects, including $22 million for bonds to fund a new international center and Honors College at WKU.
The bill unanimously passed the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday, without a single lawmaker even questioning the bill.
Committee Chair Rick Rand, a Democrat from Bedford, said he expects the bill to easily pass the House very soon.
"You know I think we're gonna go ahead and move it on to the Senate, get this thing moving so the universities can, it has an emergency clause in it so as soon as the governor signs it they can move forward," Rand said.
Several of the university presidents were in attendance during the committee, did not speak.
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto was the only president to address the committee; he said he's hopeful the bill will pass both chambers promptly.
"We're very optimistic given the expressions of support that I've heard from both sides of the aisle in the Senate and the House respectively," said Capilouto.
