House Committee on Appropriations [Source] Translate

The meeting began with a welcome to substitute members of the Appropriations Committee. Representative Wassinger introduced a bill regarding the licensure and regulation of neuropathic doctors, but the Chair ruled it out of order due to its lack of relevance to the committee's focus. Rachel Willis, the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Department of Commerce, provided an update on the Star Bonds program, which allows Kansas municipalities to issue bonds for major commercial and entertainment developments. She noted that there are currently 16 active projects, including a significant agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs for a $3 billion stadium and related developments in Wyandotte County and Olathe. Willis highlighted the economic impact of Star Bonds since 1999, including job creation and increased tourism, and mentioned the upcoming Mattel Project in Bonner Springs. Committee members inquired about the status of existing Star Bond districts and their ability to add new projects, to which Willis confirmed that districts can issue new bonds within established timeframes, pending necessary approvals. She clarified that new districts cannot overlap existing ones and noted the Chiefs project as the largest Star Bond district ever created. Kyle Anderson from the Kansas Legislative Research Department discussed updates on capital improvement projects presented to the Joint Committee on State Building and Construction. He highlighted recommendations for new projects from several agencies, including the Adjutant General and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). Specific funding requests included $855,000 from federal funds for the Energy Resilience Project in fiscal year 2026, increasing to $1 million in 2027, and $2 million for restoration in 2027. The KBI requested $300,000 for rehabilitation and repair, while the Highway Patrol's projects included relocating headquarters in Topeka and reconfiguring the Salina campus. The Department of Transportation's funding focused on completing past projects and standard construction for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with new multi-year projects starting in 2027. Requests included $478,555 for wash buildings, $1.2 million for rest area renovations, and annual rehabilitation requests totaling $8.3 million in 2026 and $5.6 million in 2027. Additional requests included $9.2 million for sub-area modernization and various maintenance projects for wildlife and parks totaling millions. The meeting also addressed the need for more detailed project breakdowns and transparency in budget allocations. The final agenda item was House Bill 2427, which establishes the position of fiscal integrity auditor. An amendment to increase the number of auditors from one to two was discussed and passed, and the bill was subsequently passed as amended. The meeting concluded with a birthday celebration for Representative Tarwater.