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KDOC tells Senate committee maintenance backlog, rising population push prison capacity and capital priorities
Summary
KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda told the Senate Ways and Means Committee that the department faces rising adult populations, lingering maintenance needs and planned capital work including a Topeka women''s medical/behavioral health support building and a proposed nursery; maintenance funds historically have been limited and the department projects capacity shortfalls in coming years.
Madam Chair and members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee heard a budget and operations briefing today from Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda, who outlined staffing gains, rising inmate numbers, deferred facility maintenance, and capital projects that the agency says are needed to meet future demand.
Zmuda told the committee KDOC has just over 3,500 authorized positions, about 60 percent of which are uniform or security roles, and that staffing has improved since 2022 after state investments in compensation reduced vacancies. "In January 2022, we had about 460 uniform vacancies; since July of 2025 we've had between it's fluctuated between a 165 and a 185 uniform vacancies," he said.
The secretary said the adult incarcerated population has climbed back toward pre'pandemic levels and that facility capacity will be strained in the mid' to late'2028 period unless steps are taken. He described a multi'year capital plan and singled out a support…
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