SESSION OF 2023
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE
BILL NO. 2414
As Recommended by House Committee on
Commerce, Labor and Economic Development

Brief*
Sub. for HB 2414 would create a matching grant
program within the Department of Commerce to provide
grants to eligible institutions of higher education based on the
number of engineering program graduates of the institution.
The program would expire on July 1, 2033.

Matching Grants
The bill would provide for grants to be made by the
Secretary of Commerce to state educational institutions and
members of the Kansas Independent College Association as
of July 1, 2023, if the institution has its primary locations in
Kansas and has an engineering program accredited by the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Grants would require a dollar-for-dollar match with funds
from non-state sources and would be at least $20,000 per
graduate from an accredited engineering program, including
computer engineering or computer science, from the
immediately preceding academic year to the extent the
number of engineering graduates exceeds the institution’s
threshold amount. Graduate thresholds would be:
● Kansas State University – 586 graduates;
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 ● University of Kansas – 419 graduates;
● Wichita State University – 360 graduates; and
● Private, independent colleges and other state
educational institutions with accredited engineering
programs – 1 or more graduates.
Grant amounts would be prorated if the total amount of
funds is insufficient for each grant to be $20,000.

Uses of Grant Proceeds
The Secretary of Commerce would be required to
consult and coordinate with eligible institutions of higher
education, the Kansas State Board of Regents, and private
industry in planning and developing uses for matching grant
funding and would be required, on or before January 10,
2024, and annually thereafter, to report to the House
Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
and the Senate Committee on Commerce, or any successor
committees, on the uses of grant funding and the progress
made toward the goals of the bill.
The bill would authorize grant proceeds to be used for:
● Awarding scholarships to undergraduate
engineering students;
● Recruiting undergraduate students for engineering
programs;
● Expanding the number of potential engineering
students through engineering-related activities in
secondary schools in Kansas;
● Funding internships for undergraduate engineering
students;

2- 2414
 ● Making necessary facility improvements or
equipment purchases to expand engineering
program course offerings; and
● Hiring additional faculty or enhancing faculty
salaries in the institution’s engineering program.
The bill would prohibit using grant funds to acquire or
construct any facilities.

Engineering Graduate Incentive Fund
The bill would create the Engineering Graduate
Incentive Fund (Fund) within the state treasury. The
Secretary of Commerce would administer the Fund.
Expenditures from the Fund would provide matching grants.
The bill would provide, subject to appropriation acts, for
a transfer of $1.5 million to be made from the State General
Fund to the Fund in FY 2024 and a transfer of twice the
amount of funds expended in grants in the prior fiscal year,
not to exceed $5.0 million, from the State General Fund to the
Fund in all years thereafter. The balance of the Fund
following such transfers would be limited to $5.0 million, and
any transfers to the Fund would be reduced accordingly.
Expenditures from the Fund would be made in
accordance with appropriations acts upon warrants of the
Director of Accounts and Reports pursuant to vouchers
approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

Definitions
The bill would define the terms “eligible institution of
higher education,” “engineering program” or “accredited
engineering program,” “qualified eligible institution of higher
education,” and “Secretary.”

3- 2414
Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Appropriations at the request of Representative Rahjes.

House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic
Development
In the House Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by representatives of the Kansas Independent
College Association, Benedictine College, and Friends
University. The proponents generally stated the bill would
extend a program designed to increase the number of
engineering graduates in Kansas to additional undergraduate
engineering programs.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a
representative of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce.
Opponent testimony was provided by representatives of
the Kansas Board of Regents and Kansas Society of
Professional Engineers. The opponents generally stated the
bill would expand access to the engineering program without
providing additional funding, thereby diluting the effect of the
program.
Written-only opponent testimony was provided by a
representative of the American Council of Engineering
Companies of Kansas.
The House Committee amended the bill to replace the
contents of the bill as introduced, which would have extended
the Kan-Grow University Engineering Initiative to certain
private postsecondary institutions, with the above-described
contents and recommended a substitute bill be created.


4- 2414
Fiscal Information
A revised fiscal note on the substitute bill was not
available when the House Committee recommended the
substitute bill.
Education; higher education; engineering; Engineering Graduate Incentive Fund


5- 2414


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 76-7, 79-3601, 79-3701