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Minutes for SB267 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Appropriations for FY 2022, FY 2023 and FY 2024 for various state agencies.
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 11, 2021
Chairperson Billinger continued final action on SB 267 and SB 268.
J.G. Scott, Executive Director, Kansas Legislative Research Department, reviewed the State General Fund profile for FY 2018 through FY 2022 based on Senate Ways and Means action as of March 10, 2021 including SB 267, SB 268 and SB 22. (Attachment 1)
Staff distributed the most recent list of changes made by the Committee. (Attachment 2)
Senator McGinn distributed a proposed amendment regarding COVID-19 testing at the Wichita State University (WSU) Lab. She asked to update the amendment to, on line seven of paragraph one, strike "entities" and insert "certified testing labs for testing" and, after the word "community", insert the words "specifically to COVID-19." Discussion ensued. (Attachment 3)
Senator McGinn moved, Senator Claeys seconded, adoption of the amendment, as further amended. Motion carried.
Chairperson Billinger moved, Senator Claeys seconded, to include SB 155 in FY 2021 as well as FY 2022. Motion carried.
Senator Kerschen distributed a proposed amendment regarding Wichita State University and discussed the proposed changes. (Attachment 4)
Senator Kerschen moved, Senator Claeys seconded, adoption of the proposed amendment. Motion carried.
Senator Claeys moved, Senator Fagg seconded, to add language to allow USD 499 Galena to calculate their local option budget state aid using the current year valuation for FY 2022 and FY 2023. Discussion ensued. There was agreement to amend the language to review this further at Omnibus. Motion carried.
Senator Erickson distributed an amendment to remove high density at risk funding language for FY 2022 and FY 2023 and remove state foundational and local options budget state aid for FY 2022 and FY 2023 for review at Omnibus. (Attachment 5)
Senator Erickson moved, Senator Claeys seconded, adoption of the amendment. Motion carried.
Senator Claeys moved, Senator Suellentrop seconded, to make the final payment on the PMIB loan but to review this further at Omnibus to see if coronavirus relief funds can be used. Motion carried.
Chairperson Billinger moved, Senator Claeys seconded, to review at Omnibus the use of coronavirus relief funds to offset the loss of docket fees for the Judicial Branch. Motion carried.
Senator Claeys moved, Senator Suellentrop seconded, language to continue Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) oversight of any federal funds for any relief act that has been or will be passed. Discussion ensued.
Senator Hawk requested an amendment to the motion that would continue the SPARK Committee process used before instead of the LCC. The majority of the members did not agree to this proposed change.
Back on the original motion by Senator Claeys, motion carried. Senator Hawk is recorded as voting no.
Senator McGinn indicated there was an oversight during the budget review process concerning the Senior Care Act and she would like to see this issue addressed. In response to questions from Committee members, Matthew Moore from the Legislative Research Department indicated that the House added $3 million for the Senior Care Act to replace what was allotted. There was agreement among the members to review this item further at Omnibus.
Senator McGinn addressed the issue of the budgets for the Department for Children and Families and the Department for Aging and Disability Services being combined in the Governor's Budget. This makes it more difficult to work through the budget as those agencies have not been combined. Amy Deckard indicated staff needs direction on the bill that will be drafted as the current bill has those agencies together.
Senator McGinn moved, Senator Claeys seconded, to separate the budgets for the Department of Children and Families and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Motion carried.
Senator Hawk indicated there is a Children's Mental Health Initiative within the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and there is interest in having a report on it before Omnibus to understand how that money is spent. Senator McGinn suggested that the Human Services Subcommittee meet to further discuss this issue and that it be reviewed further at Omnibus. There was agreement to proceed with that suggestion.
Senator Hawk moved, Senator McGinn seconded, to authorize the State Treasurer to hire additional legal counsel in FY 2021 and to review at Omnibus a half-time position for FY 2022. Motion carried.
Senator McGinn distributed an amendment and discussed the proposed changes. (Attachment 6)
Matt Casey, Director of Government Relations, Board of Regents, indicated the Board is in support of this amendment and responded to questions from Committee members. Discussion ensued.
Senator McGinn moved, Senator Claeys seconded, to adopt the proposed amendment and to request a report on deferred maintenance be provided at Omnibus. Motion carried.
Senator McGinn moved, Senator Kerschen seconded, to restore 5 percent of the cut to Higher Education. Discussion ensued.
Blake Flanders, Board of Regents, responded to questions from Committee members.
Senator McGinn amended her motion to restore 3 percent versus 5 percent and to review this again at Omnibus. Motion carried.
Senator Kerschen moved, Senator Claeys seconded, to continue support of the Kansas Geologic Survey Earthquake Monitoring Program and to review this again at Omnibus. Motion carried.
Senator Claeys moved, Senator McGinn seconded, to recommend SB 267, as a substitute bill, that all adopted Committee amendments be included in the substitute bill, and that staff be authorized to make any technical amendments and that Substitute for SB 267 be passed. Motion carried by roll call vote.
