February 22, 2022
Legislative Update
This week, the Kansas legislative committees only met on Monday, Feb. 21. The deadline for moving bills out of the original chamber is Feb. 24.
In hearings last week, President Richard Linton appeared on behalf of Kansas State University in both the House Higher Education Budget Committee hearing and the Senate Ways and Means Higher Education Budget Subcommittee. Links to Linton's testimony can be found on the Government Relations website.
You can also watch the hearings for both the House Higher Education Budget Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Higher Education Budget Committee.
In addition, all state university presidents and chancellor, and the Washburn University president were invited to present updates to the House Appropriations Committee. Linton's testimony can be found here. You can also view the House Appropriations Committee presentations.
Also last week, Dean Bonnie Rush and students from the Kansas State University Veterinary Medicine College testified before the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on House Bill 2605. The bill expands scholarships for veterinary students who pledge to return to a rural area. Links to Rush's testimony can be found here, or you can watch her presentation to the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee.
Finally, last week Senate Bill 441 was heard in the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee regarding laboratory reporting transparency. David Rosowsky, vice president for research, and Cheryl Doerr, associate vice president for research compliance, submitted written testimony. Despite several concerns raised by K-State and other laboratories, the bill passed out of the Senate Committee and was sent to the Senate floor.
The Kansas Legislature will provide virtual access to committee meetings and floor action throughout the 2022 legislative session. Links to access the meetings can be found at kslegislature.org/li.
The Office of Government Relations will provide virtual weekly Legislative Updates through the remainder of the Legislative session, which is scheduled to adjourn in early May. The updates will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays by Zoom. The next virtual Legislative Review Session will be at noon Friday, Feb. 25.
Zoom details are below. You will be required to sign in with your K-State eID and password to access the meeting.
Join Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 996 6618 4318
Passcode: 829804
Throughout the Kansas legislative session, the Office of Government Relations maintains a list of legislation pertaining to higher education, K-State and state agency operations. To subscribe to the listserv, email kstategr@k-state.edu.
If you have any questions regarding the Kansas Legislature, please contact Sue Peterson or Kristin Holt in the Office of Government Relations at 785-532-6227.