Chairperson Waymaster continued the discussion on HB2434, the budget bill.
Representative Goetz moved, Representative Turk seconded, a Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 proviso to delete language requiring transfer of $70,000 from the Kansas Board of Regents to the Kansas Department of Education. Motion carried. (Attachment 1)
Representative Goetz moved, Representative Turk seconded, a KSDE proviso to require the agency to update the 2025-2026 school district financial accountability reports to include special education funding report on or before June 30th; such education funding reports shall include special education state aid supplemental general fund transfers to special education fund, other supplemental general fund transfers to special education fund, not including the transfers required in an amount equal to 8 percent of excess cost as determined pursuant to K.S.A. 72-3422, the cash carryover balance for the special education fund for each applicable FY, the total sum of 1 through 5, and for the state totals financial accountability report, a line that specifies the total amount appropriated to the Kansas State School for the Blind and Kansas State School for the Deaf. Motion carried. (Attachment 2)
Representative Goetz moved, Representative Turk seconded, a KSDE proviso for innovative assessments, assessment contracts, and cut scores. Motion carried. (Attachment 3)
Representative Ballard moved, Representative Alcala seconded, a Governor's recommendation to add $2.5 million American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), if available, or State General Fund (SGF) to fund reduced lunch co-payments for School Year 2026-2027. Motion failed. Division was called. There were 7 'yeas' and 14 'nays'.
Representative Ballard moved, Representative Hoye seconded, that whenever the acronyms DEI or CRT are mentioned in the budget or any other place, use the words Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or Critical Race Theory, so people know what the acronyms stand for. Motion failed. Division was called. There were 7 'yeas' and 14 'nays'.
Representative Ousley moved, Representative Goetz seconded, a Kansas State School for the Deaf proviso to fund in FY 2027 the $1.8 million State Institutions Building Fund (SIBF) needed to destroy the powerhouse no longer in use, contingent upon the passage of that in the Joint Committee on State Building Construction meeting in the afternoon of February 13th. Motion carried.
Representative Wasinger moved, Representative Hoffman seconded, to remove the Kansas Department of Health and Environment--Heath budget proviso language added on February 10th regarding not providing abortions in any KanCare facility. Motion carried.
Representative Rahjes moved, Representative Francis seconded, a Judicial Branch proviso to fund a Rural Justice Initiative in the amount of $886,795 SGF for fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. Motion carried. (Attachment 4)
Representative Tarwater moved, Representative Turk seconded, a Department of Commerce proposed amendment to appropriate $12.5 million American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) for moderate income housing grant fund to provide grants in the amount not less than 50 percent for grants to rural communities and accepted an amendment to restrict the funds to home ownership. Motion carried. (Attachment 5)
Representative Tarwater moved, Representative Estes seconded, a Kansas Board of Regents proposed amendment to delete the language limiting funding from tuition for technical education account and the tuition for accelerating opportunities Kansas and General Education Development (GED) accelerator account to courses eligible for the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act. Motion carried. Chairperson Waymaster requested a show of hands. There were 14 'yeas' and 6 'nays'. (Attachment 6)
Representative Williams moved, Representative Tarwater seconded, a global proviso to lapse 1.5 percent of operating expenditures for agencies, excluding aid to locals, capital improvements, debt service, other assistance, and the State Highway Fund, and accepted an amendment that this section shall not apply to any monies appropriated or re-appropriated from the SGF for a state agency that are identified as operating expenditures for contractual services that are authorized expenditures or monies appropriated or re-appropriated by this act for FY 2026 or FY 2027 for a specific project or purpose for an identified program entity. Motion carried. (Attachment 7)
Representative Williams moved, Representative Sutton seconded, to withhold $10 million from the Department for Children and Families budget and hold with the State Finance Council; once the SNAP Waiver application is approved, $5 million will be released, and once the statewide demonstration project is implemented, the remaining $5 million will be released. Motion carried. Chairperson Waymaster requested a show of hands. There were 9 'yeas' and 7 'nays'. (Attachment 8)
Representative Williams moved, Representative Moser seconded, a proposed language amendment related to individuals receiving Medicaid for the elderly that Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) shall provide notice of options to someone that is seeking Medicaid assistance. Motion carried. (Attachment 9)
Chairperson Waymaster moved, Vice Chairperson Williams seconded, the Appropriations Committee discuss a State pay plan that brings positions under market to market. Motion carried.
Chairperson Waymaster moved, Representative Hoffman seconded, that if there are unutilized American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funds, the Appropriations Committee will look at possible one-time spending items in 2026 or 2027. Motion carried.
Representative Goetz moved, Representative Ballard seconded, to delete $45.4 million Children's Initiatives Fund (CIF), including $36,000 SGF and $34.7 million CIF, and 8 full-time positions from FY 2027 within KSDE's budget that is moving to the Office of Early Childhood. Motion carried.
Representative Tarwater moved, Representative Francis seconded, a proposed amendment to the Department of Commerce budget to appropriate $3 million SGF for the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. Motion carried. (Attachment 10)
Representative Buehler moved, Representative Carpenter seconded, to appropriate $600,000 SGF for the KDADS budget for home-based services, independent living skills training, white cane training, mental health support, and assisted technology for all ages by Envision, Inc. Motion carried.
Vice Chairperson Williams moved, Representative Turk seconded, to pass out House Substitute for HB2434 of Committee favorably, as amended, including all needed technicals that need to be made by staff. Motion carried.
Chairperson Waymaster thanked the Committee for the last week of discussion on the budget.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:33 a.m.
The next meeting is scheduled on February 24, 2026.