State Architect Authority Execute Certain Leases

Capital Development Committee. House Bill 14-1387, enacted in 2014, inadvertently removed, through the use of the definition of "real property", the authority of the department of personnel (department) to negotiate and execute leases for state use of privately owned property, including land, office space, buildings, and special use interests. This eliminated a decades-old policy for the department to serve as the central authority to assist state agencies and state institutions of higher education to lease needed office space and other property interests. The department has been operating under custom and practice to keep negotiating and executing such leases since House Bill 14-1387 was enacted.

The bill officially reinstates this authority to the office of the state architect in the department, which houses the real estate program. The real estate program is the program responsible for centralized leasing.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)