State academies, hospitals eyed for 2022 bonding bill

January, 2022
By Access Press Staff

Several accessibility improvement projects at state facilities, including academies and hospitals, seek support from the Minnesota Legislature. The proposals, which are part of the 2022 bonding requests totaling a record $5.5 billion, involve upgrades, renovations, and replacements of facilities, some of which are almost a century old.

Governor Tim Walz is set to make recommendations on January 17, initiating deliberations by the House and Senate. With a three-fifths majority required for bonding bill passage, disagreements over capital projects can impact support for various initiatives.

The bonding bill, last passed in 2020, totaled $1.9 billion, about one-third of the requested amount. Some notable requests include $6.5 million for dormitory renovations at state academies, $17.8 million for the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, and $20 million for improving accessibility at state-managed lands and facilities, focusing on William O'Brien State Park.

The Department of Administration is seeking $2 million for a centralized funding source to address physical barriers in state-owned and state-leased buildings. Additionally, Fairview proposes tearing down Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul and replacing it with a 144-bed psychiatric and substance-abuse hospital, involving a plus-$50 million investment in partnership with Acadia Healthcare.

The project requires legislative approval due to state law restrictions on new hospital construction.

State academies, hospitals eyed for 2022 bonding bill | Access Press