House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for SB428 - Committee on Government Efficiency
Short Title
Requiring the secretary for children and families and the secretary of health and environment to execute a memorandum of understanding, data use agreement or other written data-sharing instrument upon written request of the United States department of agriculture or the United States department of health and human services and comply with data requests from such federal agencies.
Minutes Content for Tue, Feb 3, 2026
Chair Erickson opened the hearing on SB 428.
Staff provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Proponents:
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach testified in support of the bill. (Attachment 2) The bill makes it explicit that the Secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) must comply with written requests for records from federal agencies that oversee state benefit programs. With this simple change, there will be no question what DCF is required to do - which is to do what the Legislature always intended - to keep Kansas compliant with these federally funded benefit programs so the neediest families in Kansas don't lose their benefits.
Travis Couture-Lovelady supported the bill on behalf of the Foundation for Government Accountability. (Attachment 3) This bill is needed to save Kansas taxpayers millions of dollars and help reduce food stamp errors so that resources are preserved for the truly needy. This bill would require secretaries of welfare agencies in Kansas to work alongside the federal government to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in welfare programs.
Written only neutral testimony:
Marc Alternbernt, General Counsel, Department for Children and Families (Attachment 4)
Christine Osterlund, Deputy Secretary of Agency Integration and Medicaid Director, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Attachment 5)
Written only testimony in opposition to the bill:
Haley Kottler, Senior Campaign Director, Kansas Appleseed center for Law and Justice (Attachment 6)
Melinda Lewis, Self (Prairie Village) (Attachment 7)
Elizabeth Keever, Chief Resource Officer, Harvesters (Attachment 8)
Chair Erickson closed the hearing on SB 428.
