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K-State Today

February 25, 2020

Legislative Update

Submitted by Sue Peterson

This week begins the seventh week of the Kansas Legislative Session. Activity last week included many bills being introduced in both chambers and plentiful committee hearings. This week is the halfway point of the 2020 Legislative Session. This halfway point is known as Turnaround Day, Feb. 27, when all House bills need to be sent to the Senate and all Senate bills need to be sent to the House. The Legislature will not meet again until March 4, working toward the first adjournment on April 3.

Last week President Richard Myers testified to the House Higher Education Budget Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee on the governor's budget recommendations for higher education, Kansas State University and Polytechnic, Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine, and K-State Research and Extension.

The House Higher Education Budget Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee deliberated and made the recommendations the Senate Higher Education Subcommittee. The House Higher Education Budget Committee reported its recommendation to the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 24. The Senate Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee will report its recommendations to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on March 4.

The House Higher Education Budget Committee recommendations:

  • Consider adding $10 million to the block grant to Kansas Board of Regents at Omnibus bill decisions in the Veto Session.
  • Add $250,000 to the Midwest Stem Cell Institute at Kansas State.
  • Add $5 million to the Comprehensive Grant Program for student need-based aid.

The Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee recommendations:

  • Consider adding $12.3 million to the block grant to Kansas Board of Regents at Omnibus bill decisions in the Veto Session.
  • Consider adding $5 million for the Global Institute for Food, Health and Biosecurity at Omnibus bill decisions in the Veto Session.
  • Add $2.5 million to the Comprehensive Grant Program for student need-based aid.
  • Add $2.5 million for the Kansas Access Partnership Grant program for need-based aid at the Kansas Board of Regents.

Kansas Legislative Session Review Sessions will be from noon to 1 p.m. in the K-State Student Union on the dates below. These are brown bag lunch sessions open to all campus faculty, staff and students.

  • Feb. 28, Union Room 209.
  • March 20, Union Cottonwood Room.
  • March 27, Union Cottonwood Room.
  • April 3, Union Cottonwood Room.
  • April 10, Union Cottonwood Room.

For information and questions regarding the 2020 Legislative Session, contact the Office of Government Relations at kstategr@k-state.edu or 785-532-6227.