Kansas committee hears bill to create State Conservation Fund, boost water-plan transfers

The Senate Committee on Agriculture on Monday heard testimony on House Bill 2,113, which would create a State Conservation Fund, require a recurring $2.5 million transfer from the State General Fund beginning July 1, 2025, and raise several planned transfers into the State Water Plan Fund and its subaccounts.

Revisor Lawrence told the committee that "House Bill 2,113, as amended by House Committee, relates to funding for conservation and certain water programs" and described the bill's main provisions, including a provision that would increase the scheduled State General Fund transfer to the State Water Plan Fund from $35 million to $55 million and extend that transfer into July 2027.

The bill would direct $2,500,000 annually into a newly created State Conservation Fund and authorize the Department of Agriculture's Division of Conservation to issue rules for how those funds are spent. Money in the conservation fund would be used for a 2-to-1 match of state to nonstate or private monies and to…