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Appropriations committee accepts governor's deletions to Kansas Lottery budgets, approves amended recommendations
Summary
The Committee on Appropriations approved amended budget recommendations for the Kansas Lottery for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, including accepting the governor's proposed deletions to shrinkage amounts and adopting the committee's recommended funding as amended.
The Committee on Appropriations on an aye voice vote accepted the governor's differences to the Kansas Lottery budget that delete $651,000 in fiscal year 2025 and $658,000 in fiscal year 2026 and then approved the committee's amended recommendations for the Kansas Lottery for FY2025 and FY2026.
The Lottery's revised estimate for FY2025 was roughly $495 million from special revenue funds with 91 full‑time equivalent positions, about $14.8 million (3.1 percent) above the legislature's 2024‑approved amount and a net decrease of four FTEs compared with the earlier year. Chairperson Crystal Walsinger said the increase reflects expansion of the player loyalty program and changes to revenue retained by casino managers; the Legislative Budget Committee recommended several adjustments, including deleting roughly $165,000 from the lottery operating fund to avoid increasing certain salaries tied to expanded duties.
Members questioned salary and benefits changes after the committee packet showed roughly a $2 million increase in salaries and wages while the FTE count fell by four. Representative Williams pressed staff on whether that rise was explained by a 5 percent pay increase; Walsinger and LBC staff cited a mix of salary and benefit changes and additional duties tied to the Play On player loyalty program. Committee staff (KLRD) said they would follow up to clarify a 28 percent increase item members flagged in the materials.
Members also discussed a governor's proposal to apply a 7.5 percent shrinkage rate and the LBC deletion of the related amounts; because the Lottery fund is fee based, Walsinger said the committee needed to consider whether the full cut was appropriate and that she planned to make the motion to accept the governor's deletion for FY25 and FY26. That motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee later approved the committee recommendations for the Kansas Lottery budgets, as amended.
The committee recorded its approvals by voice vote; members did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript.
