Sen. Chris Barnett is calling on legislative leadership to convene an emergency session to advance Bill 284-38 (COR), aimed at giving the Guam Department of Education greater flexibility to use lapsed funds for urgent school needs.
In a March 23 letter to Speaker Frank Blas Jr., Barnett said current law under Public Law 38-60 restricts how GDOE can spend unused funds, limiting its ability to prepare key campuses for the upcoming school year.
According to the senator, GDOE Superintendent Judith Won Pat has requested legislative assistance to allow the department to use lapsed funds for instructional equipment needed to open the new F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School and the temporary Simon Sanchez High School campus.
The proposed legislation would also allow GDOE to direct those funds toward capital improvement projects.
Barnett emphasized the urgency, pointing to ongoing double-session schedules at both campuses, which he said have disrupted student learning due to construction delays and policy changes.
“I implore you to recognize the emergency conditions that exist for our students,” Barnett wrote, urging swift legislative action.
Under legislative rules, the Speaker can call an emergency session with at least two hours’ notice if an urgent condition is certified. Barnett argues the situation meets that threshold, citing the need to ensure schools are properly equipped ahead of the 2026–2027 school year.
The senator added that the bill carries no additional fiscal impact, as it focuses solely on reallocating already available lapsed funds.