Social Services budget committee approves multiple agency budgets, restores several governor recommendations

The Committee on Social Services Budget met to review and advance a series of agency budgets and governor-recommended adjustments. Chair opened the meeting and directed staff to follow the published order; analysts and agency representatives were on hand to answer questions.

Edgar Klein, fiscal analyst, reported no changes between SBC and governor recommendations for the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts; Representative Orpiza moved approval and Representative Ballard seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.

On the Health Care Stabilization Fund, Klein identified a $44,540 difference in FY2027 salaries and wages between the SBC recommendation and the governor's recommendation. After staff explained the yellow-sheet format that highlights governor adjustments, Representative Rivas moved to include the governor's recommendation; the committee approved the inclusion and later approved the board’s FY26–FY27 budget as amended.

Members discussed the Kansas Board of Pharmacy and the Gateway integration with KTrax (an electronic prescription monitoring workflow tool). Staff clarified that KTrax itself will continue and Gateway is an efficiency layer that integrates KTrax with prescriber and pharmacist systems. Representative Orpiza proposed conditional funding to preserve Gateway funding for FY27 if grant funding failed; after staff questioned the funding source (fee fund vs. state general fund) and members debated options, the committee moved to pass the pharmacy budget as presented.

Shardae Kane (Legislative Research) summarized the Board of Nursing request: no FY26 change and a $43,000 FY27 increase attributable to the 2025 pay plan. Representative Rees moved approval and the committee carried the motion by voice vote.

The Office of the Child Advocate requested reappropriation of $117,852 for FY26 (largely to cover a case management contract payment of about $44,000) and an FY27 enhancement reduced by the governor from $99,701 to $75,000 to cover rent, communications and additional office needs tied to a planned move to the Landon Building. Carrie Leonard (Office of the Child Advocate) told the committee she has six of seven positions filled and that the office currently occupies roughly 486 square feet; the committee voted to add the reappropriation and the FY27 enhancement back into the committee recommendation.

Connor Hughes summarized the Kansas Guardianship Program increases for FY26 and FY27, and Representative Ballard moved to approve that budget.

Molly Pratt (Legislative Research) briefed the committee on the Kansas Office of Veterans Affairs, noting the FY26 request near $60.4 million and approximately $20 million in reappropriations, including roughly $13.7 million tied to the proposed Topeka veterans home. General Turner said the total project cost is about $49 million, that the state previously appropriated about $17.2 million (the 35% match used to pursue federal VA funds) and that approximately $3 million has been expended for design and engineering. Members asked about accounting and whether the reappropriated funds are ring‑fenced (SIBF); General Turner confirmed they are set aside for the project. The committee approved the Veterans Affairs budget, including the reappropriations and the FY27 lease enhancement.

Chair closed the meeting and adjourned. The committee’s motions were primarily carried by voice vote; staff will circulate a budget committee report listing changes and recommendations for members to review.

Notes: All quotes and attributions come from committee transcript remarks and staff testimony recorded in the meeting record.