(March 7, 2025) – Today, the Senate Ways and Means Committee continued working on its budget. The committee reviewed the following agencies' budgets based on the House budget bill contained in House Bill 2007:
- Kansas Department of Corrections
- Kansas Sentencing Commission
The committee worked the following budgets:
- Adjutant General
- Board of Barbering
- Board of Cosmetology
- Kansas State Treasurer
- Office of the Governor
- Kansas Bureau of Investigation
- Office of Veteran Services
- State Fire Marshall
- Kansas Highway Patrol
- Higher Education
The following adjustments were approved by the committee:
- $1.6 million added back in for disaster funds to draw down federal funds
- Restoration of $400,000 in funding for Kansas Emergency Management operations in fiscal year 25 and $500,000 in FY 26
- Removal of language related to the Housing Link Deposit Loan Program
- $6 million for the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program
- $50 million from Build Kansas Matching Grant Funds for use for a revolving loan fund for aviation jobs
- ARPA interest payments would be calculated monthly and transferred to the State General Fund beginning on May 1
- Removal of language renaming the Docking State Office Building the Dole Office Building
- $7 million for KHP Hangar, pending approval by the State Finance Council
- Use of ARPA interest funds for a down payment and 30-year bonding authority for a new KBI facility with a cap of up to $100 million
- $500,000 for a genetic genealogy crime analysis to help solve cold cases
- Language to allow Kansas Highway Patrol to authorize lease of build to suit facility at Jabara and payment of $250,000 from the State Highway Fund
- $55.5 million from the State Highway Fund for the relocation of Troop C Kansas Highway Patrol headquarters, dispatch and training academy
- Added $21 million for the regional Higher Education Stabilization Fund
- Reallocation of funds for community and technical colleges to mirror what is in the House Budget minus one dollar on each item
- Transfer of remaining APEX funds and $19.5 million of ARPA interest to state university's capital renewal fund
- Reauthorization of Wildfire Fund $1.04 million
- Language allowing bonding authority for Wichita State University to complete second phase of stadium project
- Restoration of $500,000 for aviation research
- $750,000 for a feasibility study for the dental school between Wichita State and Fort Hays
- $3.25 million in bonding authority for K-State
- Removing $26 million student financial base aid
- KU refinancing of bonds for central district and housing
The committee will continue working on the budget recommendations next week.