Appropriations conference committee presents offer merging HB 2007 into SB 125; key funding differences remain

At a Committee on Appropriations conference meeting, committee staff presented an initial offer that merges the contents of House Bill 2,007 into Senate Bill 125 and lists dozens of funding changes and unresolved differences between the House and Senate, staff said.

"What this does is it takes the contents of House Bill 2,007 and merges it into SB 125," committee staff member Dylan said, summarizing the committee's starting point for negotiations. Dylan said the claims portion of SB 125 will not appear on the conference list because those items already passed both chambers, but other items were added or dropped as a result of the merge.

The proposal lists specific funding differences the two chambers must reconcile. Major disagreements and new additions noted by staff included:

- Talent grant fund: House position — $1,500,000 from the Economic Development Initiative Fund (EDIF); Senate position — $3,000,000 from ARPA funds. (House modified language to clarify funding.)

- Tuberculosis control and prevention: Senate position — $96,000; House position (from SB 125) — $1,500,000.

- Adult virtual school credits: language directing $354,000 from existing funds to Central Plains USD 112 to purchase 500 adult virtual school credits for fiscal 2026; House proposed adding the language, Senate did not.

- Fort Hays State University professional workforce development: House deleted $750,000 SGF that would…