Legislative analysts review Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks budget; committee questions fee funds and park fees
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Summary
A Legislative Research fiscal analyst presented the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks proposed budget (about $128.7 million approved for FY2026) and outlined capital increases, federal pass‑throughs and fee funds; committee members questioned wildlife fee fund interest, declining ending balances, possible park fee increases and FTE accounting.
The Kansas Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard a presentation on the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) budget from Luke Drury, senior fiscal analyst with Legislative Research.
Drury said the FY2026 approved budget totals roughly $128,700,000 and noted FY2025 included one‑time general‑fund money for dam repairs, a state match on the Flint Hills Trail and a shower‑house replacement at El Dorado State Park. He described a requested increase of $7,200,000 in capital improvements (for a projected $34,000,000 program level), and identified a roughly $600,000 allocation drawn from American Rescue Plan Act funds that must be expended by September of the next year.
Funding streams discussed included the wildlife fee fund (receipts from hunting and fishing licenses), the parks fee fund, and reappropriations from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF). Drury said recent changes moving law enforcement officers from traditional KPERS retirement to KPNF have increased employer contributions and contributed to salary and wage spending increases.
Drury described program‑level shifts: an increase in ecological services driven by federal pass‑throughs for nongame research and a decrease in the public lands program tied mainly to deferred purchases of agricultural equipment. He also noted a requested transfer of about $843,000 from the state highway fund at KDOT to KDWP’s access roads fund and that some federal grants are being carried forward into FY2026 because of timing.
Committee members asked whether KDWP retains interest earned on the wildlife fee fund; Drury said those earnings are pooled under statute and do not remain with the department but are managed by the pooled money investment board, with interest reflected as state general fund earnings. Senators also raised concern about projected declines in the wildlife fee fund ending balance and asked about a pending bill and agency plans to increase park fees; Drury said a fee bill has been introduced and the department is pursuing fee adjustments but he could not provide a revenue estimate without follow up.
The committee ran out of time and will continue KDWP questions in a subsequent session; the department was invited to appear for additional answers.