Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Continuing Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee hears bill to allow continuing state budget until amended; proponents say it would smooth spending
Summary
The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 14, which would create a continuing budget when a new appropriation act is not enacted. Office of Revisor staff outlined mechanics, and proponents including Americans for Prosperity urged the change to reduce volatility and political leverage tied to end‑of‑session budget fights.
David Wiese of the Office of Revisor of Statutes summarized Senate Bill 14 to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 24, describing a proposal to allow existing appropriations to continue into subsequent fiscal years “unless and until amended, lapsed or eliminated by the legislature.”
Wiese said the bill would make continuing appropriations automatic if the legislature and the governor do not enact a new budget bill by July 1 and would eliminate the need in many cases for state finance council action to keep existing appropriations in place. “Under the bill, no action is needed by the state finance council to continue those existing appropriations,” Wiese said, while noting a few exceptions where council approval would still be required.
Wiese outlined limits in the bill on temporary reallocations intended to prevent unrestricted transfers. The Secretary of Administration would be required to use the budget stabilization fund before reallocating other funds, and temporary reallocations to cover fund shortfalls would be capped: reallocations to the state general fund would be limited to an amount equal to 9% of the total amount authorized to be expended or transferred from the state general fund (as calculated by the secretary for that fiscal year), and there would be a $400 million cap on reallocations from funds other than the SGF.
Elizabeth Patton, state director for Americans for Prosperity–Kansas, testified in favor of the bill, calling it a tool to reduce annual volatility and “make sure that we are long term, fiscally responsible.” Patton argued continuing budgets can smooth spending and cited other states with similar provisions; she said keeping current spending as a default would reduce the incentive to “weaponize” the budget late in session.
Committee members pressed for clarifications. Senator Patty asked whether Kansas currently has an automatic continuation process; Wiese replied that it does not and that without a new appropriation there would be no authorized spending beginning July 1. Senators raised questions about when reallocations could be made, the involvement of the director of budget and legislative research in consultations, and whether the proposal would limit judicial actions on funding obligations (Senator Peck asked whether a prior Kansas Supreme Court decision on school funding would be affected; Wiese said it would not alter the court’s authority). Senator Owens said the bill’s premise — that the worst outcome is to do nothing so spending stays flat — is intended to keep a conservative starting point and to require the legislature to adopt any increases.
The committee received a written‑only opponent submission from Mike Burgess of Disabilities Rights Center (listed as written in the packet) and no neutral witnesses. With no additional oral testimony, the committee closed the hearing on Senate Bill 14 and adjourned the day's business.
No committee action or vote on SB14 was recorded at the hearing.
