Statement from Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on passage of plan on American Indian Cultural Center and Museum

Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman on Thursday issued the following statement regarding the passage of House Bill 2237, which would authorize a $25 million bond to complete the museum facility, end the state’s ongoing appropriations for operations, and divest the state of the property.

“Despite the challenge this facility has posed to previous legislatures, it still has great potential to be a major destination for tourism, a center of learning, and an engine for economic development. This is a thoughtful and responsible plan that gives us a chance to end state appropriations for ongoing costs, finish the facility, and remove it from our books. In addition, the proposed agreement eliminating the state’s fiscal responsibilities to the project would require museum revenues to fund the operations and maintenance of the museum. This proposal gives us a chance to achieve all this while ensuring that the work will be of high quality, and that we will have a world-class museum.” –Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa