(March 27, 2025) – The State Budget contained in CCR on Senate Bill 125, was brought up for a vote in the House and Senate chambers today. The budget contains the following:

• $5 million for behavioral health patient observation and transportation reimbursement
• $10 million add-on for adult behavioral health beds
• Rural Opportunity Zones was funded at $1 million State General Funds with language allowing funds only for those counties of 15,000 population or less
• Nurse Accelerator Grant Program $1 million
• Nurse Educator Grant $1 million
• $1 million for health care upskilling and training grants
• Added $1.2 million to direct the agency to increase Medicaid rates for substance use treatment for adolescents from $206 to $375 per day for fiscal year 2026
• Added language that would no longer allow continuous eligibility in Medicaid for a parent and caregiver but would require monthly eligibility review
• Added language to create an interim study to examine KanCare 3.0 including, but not limited to, the requirements, action and rules of the agencies administering the program, the execution of the program, and any actuarial and financial concerns and practices
• Added funds for a Childcare Accelerator Frant for a 24-hour facility in Dodge City
• Added language to adopt spring human services caseload estimates upon certification of the State Finance Council for FY 2025
• Agency across-the-board cuts of 1.5 percent in FY 2026 and 1.5 percent in FY 2027 – exceptions include judicial, legislative agencies, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, corrections, Sentencing Commission, veterans homes, agriculture, Kansas Department of Transportation, universities and state hospitals

If the CCR for Senate Bill 125 passes the House and Senate, the legislation will then go to Governor Laura Kelly for review and will allow for any additional line-item vetoes.