Senate Ways and Means advances a string of budget provisos, debates nursing‑home and SNAP funding
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Summary
The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved multiple one‑time and ongoing provisos across health, aging, children and families and higher education budgets, while rejecting some provider funding motions and debating SNAP policy and ARPA‑contingent projects.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee met to consider a broad set of budget provisos and one‑time appropriations for fiscal 2027, approving several targeted additions while rejecting others after debate.
The committee accepted introductions for two bills at the start of the session, including RS 3520, a measure described by Senator Peck as “an act concerning the Department of Wildlife and Parks requiring legislative approval for any major changes in the structure or organization of wildlife and parks.” After procedural approval of prior minutes, committee members moved into substantive budget conversations.
Larned State Hospital and contract nursing: Senator Peck moved to remove a $10,000,000 add in FY27 intended for contract staff at Larned State Hospital, saying the proviso “gives to me the appearance that we don't have the confidence that they can fill this position.” Senator Owens and others countered that the subcommittee deliberately reduced a larger agency request to encourage other solutions; Peck’s motion to delete the $10,000,000 failed on a voice vote.
Mental‑health facilities and start‑up costs: A motion by Senator Penny to add $30,900,000 to fully fund opening costs for the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital in Wichita drew debate over assumptions that the facility would be fully staffed at opening. The committee did not approve the full amount by voice vote.
KDADS and elder‑care provisions: The committee approved a proviso from Senator Owens requiring improved reporting on involuntary discharges from nursing facilities, directing reports to the long‑term care ombudsman and stakeholder groups. “This is a growing concern for many in our elder community,” Owens said, arguing for greater accountability.
Behavioral health and provider funding: The committee approved multiple KDADS provisos, including a $600,000 fee‑fund transfer for Envision (services for people who are blind and visually impaired), a $1,800,000 workforce development add intended to help substance‑use treatment providers retain staff, and a $5,000,000 increase to the SUD block grant for non‑Medicaid clients.
Lottery proceeds and problem gambling safeguard: The committee raised the statutory cap for lottery vending machine proceeds from $8,000,000 to $16,000,000 to expand clubhouse and crisis‑center funding for mental‑health services and added substitute language to keep a 2% problem‑gambling set‑aside from being swept into other mental‑health spending; members approved the proviso as amended.
Targeted grants and ARPA contingency requests: The committee approved $250,000 for aftercare from Amber’s Hope and requested up to $3,500,000 in ARPA funds for Belong KC housing contingent on ARPA availability. The committee also approved a $4,000,000 one‑time repeat appropriation for community mental health centers serving uninsured clients (the motion passed 5–4).
Nursing home supports and federal match: The committee approved language to extend a $175‑per‑day behavioral health add‑on for qualifying Medicaid nursing‑home residents for FY27–FY28 to secure federal matching funds.
SNAP policy and funding: Senator Erickson secured committee approval for a proviso tying Summer EBT implementation to USDA approval of a SNAP waiver to exempt certain candy definitions. A separate $1,600,000 request to buy technology intended to lower SNAP error rates was considered but failed a roll/voice count. The committee later approved a $12,100,000 SGF add to cover a federal administrative cost shift for SNAP, following heated debate about data sharing and federal reporting requirements.
Higher education items: The committee added $11,000,000 SGF in FY27 to cover debt service tied to previously authorized bonding for Kansas State University's veterinary diagnostic laboratory. The committee also approved a $5,000,000 non‑SGF transfer to support Alzheimer’s research and required reporting by the end of FY27.
Votes at a glance - Delete $10,000,000 for contract labor at Larned State Hospital (motion by Sen. Peck): failed (voice vote). - Add $30,900,000 for South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital (motion by Sen. Penny): failed (voice vote). - Involuntary discharge reporting proviso (Sen. Owens): carried (voice vote). - Envision fee‑fund support $600,000 (Sen. Owens): carried. - MIR workforce $1,800,000 (Sen. Owens): carried. - SUD block grant +$5,000,000 (Sen. Owens): carried. - Increase lottery cap to $16,000,000 and protect 2% problem‑gambling set‑aside (Sen. Klusz / substitute by Sen. Alley): carried as amended. - Amber’s Hope aftercare $250,000 (Sen. Klusz): carried. - Belong KC ARPA request up to $3,500,000 (Sen. Klamp): carried (contingent on ARPA availability). - Community mental health centers $4,000,000 one‑time: carried (5–4). - $175/day behavioral health add‑on for qualifying Medicaid nursing facility residents (Sen. Klempe): carried. - SNAP candy waiver/summer EBT proviso (Sen. Erickson): carried. - SNAP tech $1,600,000 (Sen. Petty): failed (voice/hand count). - SNAP administrative cost shift $12,100,000: carried (committee action). - K‑State veterinary lab debt service $11,000,000 (Sen. Owens): carried. - Alzheimer’s research $5,000,000 (non‑SGF transfer): carried.
What’s next: Committee members said they will reconvene the next day for paperwork clean‑up and to finalize proviso language that was not printed for today’s session. The chair adjourned the meeting after late‑day work.
