The bill now goes to the full House. Pastor serves on the Appropriations Committee. The current building hasn t kept up with the outpatient demand at the medical center. The existing outpatient facility, built more than 20 years ago, serves more than twice the number of patients for which it was intended.
Officials expect that number to triple soon.
The result would be a significantly improved and much more functional facility that would provide critical elements of high-level primary outpatient care, Pastor said.