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Ways and Means advances budget recommendations for blind and deaf schools, KPERS and higher education
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Summary
The Senate Ways and Means Committee on its scheduled budget day accepted subcommittee recommendations for the Kansas State School for the Blind and the School for the Deaf, concurred with KPERS39 budget requests tied to a pension IT modernization, and approved higher education subcommittee adjustments; the committee also opened a hearing on the new Office of Early Childhood.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to accept subcommittee budget recommendations for several state agencies and programs during a session that also opened a hearing on the proposed Office of Early Childhood.
Senator Erickson moved that the committee accept the Senate Education Committee recommendation for the Kansas State School for the Blind, noting the FY2026 revised estimate of $14,200,000 "including $8,300,000 SGF and 89.5 FTE" and a committee addition of $227,145 SGF to raise pay and add six instructional days to align the school39s salary schedule with Olathe Public Schools. The motion was seconded by Senator Peterson and the chair called the question; the motion carried.
The committee next approved the recommendation for the Kansas State School for the Deaf. Senator Erickson presented an FY2026 revised estimate of $18.4 million and an FY2027 request of $21.1 million, and described committee adjustments that added pay and additional instructional days while deleting duplicative or one‑time funding. The committee voted to accept the subcommittee report.
On pensions, Senator Fagg asked the panel to concur with the financial institutions subcommittee39s KPERS budget for FY2026 and FY2027. KPERS officials described a five‑year, $74.9 million pension administration system modernization project; the committee concurred with the subcommittee recommendation.
The committee also accepted the higher education subcommittee39s report on the Kansas Board of Regents, which restored some reappropriations, added funding for two‑year college apprenticeships and outlined distributions for student success and tiered course shares. The chair moved acceptance of the report and the motion carried.
Votes at a glance - Kansas State School for the Blind: committee accepted the Senate Education Committee recommendation (motion moved by Senator Erickson; second Senator Peterson; outcome: approved). - Kansas State School for the Deaf: committee accepted the Senate Education Committee recommendation (motion moved by Senator Erickson; second Senator Klusz; outcome: approved). - KPERS: committee concurred with the financial institutions subcommittee recommendation for FY2026 and FY2027 (motion moved by Senator Fagg; second Senator Klus; outcome: approved). - Kansas Board of Regents: committee accepted the higher education subcommittee report (motion moved by chair; second Senator Alley; outcome: approved).
What the committee did not finalize were enactment deadlines or the full Senate budget bill; the chair said the panel will reconvene Monday to begin work on Senate Bill 315 and asked members to submit written provisos and changes by the following Wednesday. The Ways and Means hearing adjourned after the Office of Early Childhood presentation opened and members requested additional follow‑up information.
(Reported from committee proceedings.)
