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K-State Today

March 28, 2017

Legislative Update

Submitted by Sue Peterson

The Kansas Legislature enters the final two weeks of the regular 2017 legislative session. The first adjournment is scheduled for April 7. The next two weeks will see the Legislature focus on spending, revenue measures and rewriting the K-12 school finance formula.

The House and Senate Conference Committee continues to resolve the differences between the two versions of House Bill 2052, which is the appropriations bill to balance fiscal year 2017. The committee will meet again this week. There is no FY17 reduction and there are no provisos impacting higher education and Kansas State University.

Last week the Senate Ways and Means Committee and the House Appropriations Committee both added dollars back to K-State, K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, and Washburn University's budgets. The amendment offered and now in the appropriations bill in both houses will be used to bring those schools who received more than a 3 percent in FY18 cut back down to 4 percent and not adjust any institutions that received less than a 3 percent cut. No institutions are getting a cut and those universities that received a disproportionally larger cut in FY18 and FY19 will be brought down to help equalize the allotments.

Restore funding in FY 2018 University of Kansas and Kansas State University to a 4 percent reduction:

KU $1,557,657
K-State $1,121,539
Total $2,679,196

Restore funding in FY 2019 for all universities — except Emporia State University, Pittsburg State University, and KSU-ESARP* — to a 3 percent reduction:

KU $2,920,558
KUMC $354,393
K-State $2,146,060
K-State Veterinary Health Center $56,205
WSU $609,863
FHSU $43,218
Washburn $119,000
Total $6,249,297
*KSU-ESARP's allotment made in FY17 was 2.8 percent.

Also last week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee recommended a 2 percent statewide salary increase for all state employees. The House has not considered this amendment. Both appropriations bills should go to floors of their respective chambers this week for debate.

Please see the weekly updates every Tuesday in K-State Today through the Final Adjournment of the 2017 Kansas Legislature. In addition, the Office of Governmental Relations will host Kansas Legislative Review Sessions from noon to 1 p.m. March 31 in Hale Library's Hemisphere Room; and April 14 and April 28 in 21 Bluemont Hall. These sessions are open to the public and feel free to bring a brownbag lunch.