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K-State Today

January 21, 2015

Legislative update for first full week of 2015 session

Submitted by Sue Peterson

Several activities took place during the Kansas Legislature's first full week of the 2015 legislative session.

Kansas State University College of Agriculture Dean and Director of K-State Research and Extension John Floros testified to a joint meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday, Jan. 13. In addition to Dean Floros, Mark Gardiner, Gardiner Angus Ranch and Larry Justice, retired and representing Johnson County Extension, presented testimony to the committees on the research and services they access through K-State Research and Extension. The dean is required by Kansas law to submit an annual report to the Kansas Legislature.

Gov. Sam Brownback presented his State of the State Address to a joint session of the Kansas House of Representatives and Kansas Senate on Thursday, Jan. 15. A brief update for Kansas State University:

  • No budget cuts for Fiscal Years 2015, 2016 and 2017
  • No targeted enhancements for universities for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017
  • Continued funding in Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017

— $5 million base funding for College of Veterinary Medicine
— $5 million for Global Food Systems initiatives
— $5 million for research initiatives related to NBAF
— $3.5 million for University Engineering Initiative Act

On Friday, Jan. 16, a joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committee received testimony from Shawn Sullivan, Kansas budget director on the governor's recommendations for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017. Please read Director Sullivan's testimony.

This week in the Kansas Legislature, the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee will review the governor's allotment proposal in hearings on House Bill 2038 and Senate Bill 35. Additionally, the House Pensions and Benefits Committee will review the governor's plan for the KPERS pension system.

Also appearing before the Legislative Education Committees this week is Larry Isaak, president of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.