Budget committee offers $400,000 toward Kansas State Fair livestock barn; release tied to private match, ARPA funds eyed for lighting

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee on the record advanced the Kansas State Fair budget after adopting an amendment that commits $400,000 in state general funds to livestock barn upgrades on the condition the fair secures a $400,000 private match.

The amendment, offered by Representative Rogers and seconded by Representative Roth, reduces but does not eliminate the agency's original $750,000 enhancement request. Legislative Research analyst Luke Drury clarified the committee's understanding: "This would be to appropriate $400,000 from the general fund for the livestock barn upgrades for fiscal year 2027. However, the monies would not be able to be released until the state fair could show that they've also received $400,000 in matching funds, and they would need to show that by 06/01/2027." Drury's reading of the motion framed the appropriation and the match condition.

Brian Schultz, representing the Kansas State Fair, told the committee the fair has the staffing and contractor arrangements to complete long-standing work on the grounds. "We will get to work right away, to try getting that done, madam chair," Schultz said when members pressed on whether the private match could be raised in time.

Committee members also debated repurposing federal ARPA dollars. Drury and members reported that roughly $243,000 in ARPA funding was previously appropriated for an emergency command center that the fair now declines to pursue. Vice Chair Long moved and Rankin Carlin seconded a recommendation that the committee seek release of those ARPA funds to apply them to the lighting project. Drury warned that repurposing ARPA money "would require a, affirmative action by the legislature" and that staff would verify permissibility and draft language if allowed.

The committee took voice votes on both the Rogers amendment and the ARPA reallocation language; both motions carried on voice votes without recorded roll call. No numeric tallies were provided in the hearing.

The committee also declined to restore a $20,507 shuttle-and-tent reimbursement that the special committee on state budget had deleted; that item remains out of the budget unless the committee later moves to reinstate it.

What happens next: staff and the State Fair will pursue private-match fundraising for the livestock barn, and Legislative Research will review statutory and appropriation constraints governing ARPA reallocation and, if possible, draft language so the committee's recommendation can be included in subsequent budget reports.

The committee then advanced the State Fair budget as amended to the next stage of consideration.