Budget panel approves Department of Commerce adjustments, restores arts funding and trims Love Kansas

A legislative budget subcommittee voted on multiple changes to the Department of Commerce budgets for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, approving a $3,000,000 reappropriation for FY2025 and accepting a set of department-proposed adjustments for FY2026 after a series of additions and deletions.

The committee said the changes balance priorities identified by Commerce with the committee’s bottom line. The adopted package restored the Kansas Arts Commission (CAIC) to $1,500,000, reduced the Sunflower Summer program to $1,000,000 per the agency’s proposal, deleted the Love Kansas marketing EDIF line ($1,500,000), and approved a number of new allocations including a $2,500,000 SGF increase for Level Up Kansas and targeted grants and contingent appropriations.

Why it matters: These votes adjust how Commerce will distribute economic development and tourism dollars in the coming fiscal year, restore a long-sought state arts appropriation that state lawmakers said helps draw federal funds, and move several targeted investments forward — some only if outside grants are awarded.

Key actions and amounts

- Reappropriation for FY2025: The committee voted to reappropriate $3,000,000 EDIF to the Department of Commerce for expenditures tied to FY2025 reappropriations that the agency said were already spent or committed in the current year. The motion was moved by the chair and seconded by Representative Roth; the motion carried.

- Kansas Arts Commission: Representative Curtis moved and the committee approved restoring CAIC funding to $1,500,000. Curtis said increasing CAIC to $1.5 million allows the state to draw down related federal dollars and supports local grant projects.

- Sunflower Summer program: Commerce indicated it could accept a reduction to $1,000,000 for the Sunflower Summer program; the committee removed $2,500,000 from that line so the program remains at $1,000,000 in the adopted package.

- Love Kansas marketing campaign (EDIF): The committee voted to delete the $1,500,000 EDIF line for the Love Kansas marketing campaign for FY2026.

- Public broadcasting: The committee approved adding $200,000 EDIF to public broadcasting’s FY2026 allocation.

- Health care upskilling: The committee approved adding $1,000,000 EDIF to fund a health care upskilling program for FY2026 to support workforce training.

- Level Up Kansas: The committee approved $2,500,000 SGF for Level Up Kansas for FY2026.

- Junior Achievement (Greater Kansas City): Members considered a $950,000 request; a substitute motion carried to fund the program at $380,000 EDIF for FY2026.

- BioNexus KC: The committee approved a $1,000,000 SGF appropriation for BioNexus KC to serve as a state match for a federal tech-hubs grant, with language requiring the state funds be released only if the federal grant is awarded (clawback/contingency language included).

- Bombardier defense project: The committee approved adding $5,800,000 SGF for a Bombardier-related project in FY2025 (moved to FY2025 during the meeting and carried).

- K‑State Salina / NIAR UAS program: The committee approved a $1,000,000 SGF appropriation (split $500,000 / $500,000) for K‑State Salina and the National Institute for Aviation Research to develop a UAS certification program; funds are contingent on receiving a specified federal FAA grant and would revert to the state if the grant is not awarded.

- Micro internships and Kansas Sports Hall of Fame: The committee voted to delete $500,000 SGF for micro internship funding and $200,000 SGF for the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame for FY2026.

- Semi‑quincentennial staffing: The committee approved $73,000 SGF to continue an existing FTE and related costs for the state semi‑quincentennial office through July 4, 2026.

How the process unfolded

The committee began with Commerce staff outlining the agency’s requests and the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) adjustments. Members then proposed additions and deletions. The chair said the committee would accept the department’s proposed bottom line as the framework and make adjustments during discussion; members repeatedly noted that further reductions were possible later in the appropriations process. Several motions required roll-call or hand counts; some proposals failed, while the packaged, amended Commerce budget carried at the end of the session.

Quotes from the record

- “The agency’s request is … primarily attributable to federal funds that were one‑time projects,” Commerce staff Shardae said in an overview of the FY2026 request.

- Representative Curtis, arguing for the arts increase: “That allows us to draw down all of our federal funds … I think it shows a really good return on investment.”

Votes at a glance (selected final outcomes)

- Add $3,000,000 EDIF reappropriation (FY2025): Approved (moved by chair; seconded by Representative Roth). - CAIC to $1,500,000 EDIF: Approved (moved by Representative Curtis). - Kansas Wesleyan regenerative farming $200,000: Failed. - Public broadcasting +$200,000 EDIF: Approved. - Health care upskilling +$1,000,000 EDIF: Approved. - Level Up Kansas +$2,500,000 SGF: Approved. - Junior Achievement: Approved at $380,000 EDIF (substitute motion carried). - BioNexus KC +$1,000,000 SGF (contingent on federal grant): Approved (clawback language included). - Sunflower Summer program reduced to $1,000,000: Approved (Commerce-supported reduction). - Delete Love Kansas marketing EDIF $1,500,000: Approved. - Bombardier project +$5,800,000 SGF (FY2025): Approved (moved to FY2025 and carried). - K‑State Salina/NIAR UAS program $1,000,000 SGF (contingent on FAA grant): Approved. - Micro internships -$500,000 SGF and Sports Hall of Fame -$200,000 SGF (FY2026): Approved. - Semi‑quincentennial continuation $73,000 SGF: Approved.

What the committee left unresolved

Committee members acknowledged the package is within roughly half a million dollars of the committee’s target and that additional adjustments might occur in full appropriations. Members repeatedly said some votes reflected interim priorities and that final appropriations could change as the Legislature’s overall budget process continues.

Ending note

The committee voted to pass the Department of Commerce budgets for FY2025 and FY2026 as amended and will include the adopted changes in the budget committee report sent forward to appropriations. Members noted that several additions carried contingency language and that final cuts or restorations could still occur during the remainder of the budget process.