Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) says its time the State Historical Society of Missouri had a better building, and he wants to make sure it gets done this year rather than hope the legislature will pass a capital improvements bill.

So, he’s added $33-million for a new building to the Senate budget proposal.

“I think it’s time to build that facility,” says Schaefer, ” and to make sure that the priceless collections that we’ve got right now that are in the basement of the University [of Missouri] Library don’t succumb to water damage or anything else and that they’re available for the public to enjoy.”

Schaefer says the new building would go on the University of Missouri campus.  He says if that money stays in the budget, it would come out of dollars being held back for a capital improvements bill.

The Senate Budget Committee continues work on the fiscal year 2015 spending plan on Tuesday.