Appropriations Committee advances House substitute for HB 24-34 with targeted provisos; several contested amendments draw lengthy debate
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Summary
The Committee on Appropriations voted to pass House Substitute for HB 24-34 as amended after adopting a package of provisos affecting K‑12 reporting, assessments, housing, rural justice, and workforce programs. Notable actions included rejecting a $2.5 million move to eliminate reduced‑price lunch copays and approving ARPA‑linked housing and cyber workforce provisions.
The Committee on Appropriations advanced a substitute version of House Bill 24-34 — the state’s fiscal year budget bill — on Feb. 14, approving a slate of provisos that alter funding and reporting requirements across education, housing, justice and health programs.
Representative Getz, who carried several education-related amendments, secured a proviso requiring the Kansas State Department of Education to add a special‑education funding line to school district financial accountability reports and made a proposed $10 million FY2027 increase contingent on those reports being produced on schedule. "So tying the new $10,000,000 to just the accountability of produce these reports and the money follows," Representative Getz said, framing the change as a transparency measure.
The committee also approved a proviso to shift part of the $6,000,000 state assessment contract toward KSDE’s pilot of "innovative assessments," a move supporters said would give teachers more real‑time feedback while preserving longitudinal cut scores. Representative Turk and others questioned how cut scores would be defined and compared; proponents said the pilot includes districts such as Dodge City, Olathe and Kansas City USD and that early feedback has been positive.
On housing, Representative Tarwater secured funding to revive the Moderate Income Housing (MIH) grant program, with committee discussion focusing on source of funds and program design. Tarwater said ARPA funds would be the first source but that state general fund money could serve as a fallback; members pressed staff and administration contacts about the ARPA balance and whether the funds are already committed. Tarwater argued the program helps "build neighborhoods" and produce owner‑occupied homes, while critics urged more emphasis on rehabilitating existing housing stock and asked for legislative audit data.
The committee approved a multi‑component approach to a SNAP waiver tied to restricting soda and candy purchases: $10,000,000 will be held by the State Finance Council and released in two $5,000,000 tranches — one on federal waiver approval and the second upon statewide implementation (required by Jan. 1, 2027). Vice Chair Williams described the holdback as a way to protect the state from spending on a program that lacks federal approval.
Other enacted provisos included a $1.8 million SIBF allocation to demolish a decommissioned powerhouse at the Kansas School for the Deaf (contingent on the State Building Construction Committee), a $900,000 rural justice initiative tied to attorney loan repayments/stipends, a continuation of Enterprise KC cybersecurity workforce funding, and a $600,000 one‑time allocation to Envision Inc. for services to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Not every amendment prevailed. Representative Ballard’s proposal to eliminate the 70¢ daily copay for reduced‑price school lunches — a $2.5 million appropriation he said would remove stigma and feed an estimated 34,000 additional students — drew lengthy debate about program fraud, eligibility, and implementation. After division and a roll‑call count, the amendment failed 7–14.
The committee also voted to restore certain technical higher‑education certificate funding language after industry and education leaders warned the original edits would inadvertently cut programs they said are critical to workforce development.
As a fiscal control measure, the committee reinstated a one‑and‑a‑half percent lapse on agency operating SGF expenditures (excluding certain categories such as aid to locals and capital projects) and added language directing the Appropriations Committee to consider a targeted pay plan and any unspent ARPA one‑time funds in conference or a trailer bill.
The committee closed by voting to report House Substitute for HB 24-34 favorably as amended and asked staff to make technical edits. The substitute will move forward to the House calendar and, potentially, conference committee work.
Votes at a glance - Delete $70,000 transfer (Board of Regents → KSDE): passed (voice) - Special‑education funding reporting proviso / $10M contingency: passed (voice) - KSDE innovative assessments proviso: passed (voice) - Eliminate reduced‑price lunch copay ($2.5M): failed, 7–14 (division) - Spell out "diversity, equity, and inclusion" language: failed, 7–14 (division) - SIBF $1.8M demolition (School for the Deaf): passed (voice, contingent) - Remove KDHE abortion‑service language: passed (voice) - Rural Justice Initiative funding (loan repayment/stipend): passed (voice) - MIH moderate income housing funding (ARPA/SGF fallback): passed (voice/recorded) - Board of Regents/CTE technical funding cleanup: passed, reported 14–6 - 1.5% operating lapse (SGF): passed (voice) - SNAP waiver holdback to State Finance Council ($10M): passed, 9–7 (division reported) - KDADS Medicaid notice for elderly options (no appropriation): passed (voice) - Enterprise KC cyber workforce funding (continuation): passed (voice) - Envision Inc. one‑time $600,000: passed (voice)
What’s next The House substitute will proceed to the House calendar and may be amended further in conference. Members flagged multiple items for additional technical cleanup or a trailer bill (particularly ARPA one‑time spending rules, immunization language, and the pay plan), which the Appropriations Committee intends to address prior to final enactment.
