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Committee adds notations, approves Kansas State Historical Society budgets; debate over museum interior-wall funding
Summary
The committee added notations asking Appropriations to consider funding for the Kansas Museum of History interior wall project and staffing for reopening, adopted the notation 5–3, approved the Historical Society FY2025 LBC recommendation 7–1, and approved FY2026 LBC recommendation 5–2–1 (five in favor, two opposed, one abstention).
The Committee on Higher Education Budget considered the Kansas State Historical Society’s budget requests, including a one-time request for interior museum wall work and funding for staff to reopen the museum.
Representative Howe, participating remotely, said he favored reserving detailed comments until after a motion but explained that the museum project includes multiple items: interior wall infrastructure, staffing for reopening (curator, elevator attendants), IT restructuring and additional FTEs. Howe framed two proposed notations for the committee to send to Appropriations: one calling attention to the museum interior wall as an agency priority and asking appropriations to consider funding the project, and the second noting the museum’s anticipated reopening timeline and recommending consideration by Appropriations rather than adding FY2025 funding in committee.
Jill (committee staff) explained that a notation is information the budget committee provides to the House Appropriations Committee concerning a budgetary matter. Representative Sweely moved to include the two notations; Representative Wagner seconded. The committee debated whether to fund the interior-wall work now or to have Appropriations consider it in the full budget package. Representative comments included concerns that repeatedly bailing out agency mistakes set a precedent, the economic impact for Topeka and Shawnee County, and the timeline risk if funding were delayed. Representative Amecks (Amicks in some transcript lines) urged appropriation of $905,000 to finish the wall so the museum can open; other members urged broader Appropriations review in the context of statewide budget priorities.
The committee adopted the notation amendment 5 to 3. Representative Sweely asked that votes be recorded; members made several requests to have their votes recorded in the minutes.
After the notation vote, the committee voted to approve the Historical Society’s FY2025 LBC recommendation; that motion passed 7 to 1. The committee then voted to approve the FY2026 LBC recommendation; a staff note recorded the FY2026 action as approved with the previously adopted notations applying; the transcript records the FY2026 vote as 5 in favor, 2 opposed and 1 abstention.
Members said the notations would ensure Appropriations has the museum’s priorities and would allow the full appropriations process to weigh the museum funding alongside other statewide priorities.
