~~Balanced Budget Fully Funds Schools, Continues Investments in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, and Addresses Water Needs~~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced on Thursday her annual budget, which is balanced and continues to fully fund Kansas’ K-12 public schools. The budget also invests in early childhood services and special education and addresses both short and long-term water needs.

“I’m a fiscal conservative, which is why, once again, I’m proposing a budget that’s balanced, maintains fiscal stability in the future, and ensures Kansans have access to the services their government has promised them,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This budget also delivers on my commitment to continue fully funding schools, investing in our workforce and child care system, and securing water resources both immediately and in the future.”

The budget:

• Continues investments in early childhood care and education: Governor Kelly’s budget provides about $13.4 million to expand child care slots and build child care workforce capacity. This includes $10 million to increase the availability of child care through the Childcare Capacity Accelerator Grant program and $1.3 million for Child Care Health and Safety Grants.
• Provides free school meals to qualifying children: Governor Kelly’s budget eliminates co-payments for students on reduced lunch, providing access to free school meals to over 35,000 Kansas students.

• Fully funds Kansas’ public K-12 schools for the seventh year in a row: Governor Kelly’s budget fully funds K-12 public schools for the seventh consecutive year and includes $72.6 million in Special Education State Aid, fulfilling the second of a five-year plan to fully fund special education.

  This budget also includes $500,000 to cover the costs of certain Advanced Placement (AP) test fees for low-income students.

• Prioritizes water: Governor Kelly’s budget is bold in its growing commitment to water funding, increasing annual spending by $30 million this year. This budget appropriates close to $90 million for water infrastructure projects in small towns, cost-share for farmers near the Ogallala Aquifer to implement water saving technology, clean-up of groundwater contamination
  near cities and parks, and more.

  This budget is practical in its aim to focus on accountability and measurable progress, building the long-term water plan asked for by Kansans to ensure the state can sustain populations and promote economic growth now and into the future.

• Expands Medicaid to 150,000 Kansans: Governor Kelly’s budget brings more than $1 billion in taxpayer dollars back to Kansas annually that is currently sent to other states. Medicaid expansion will provide access to affordable health care for 150,000 more Kansans and cut health care costs for everyone else. Through one-time federal funds and a delayed hospital surcharge, Medicaid expansion is revenue neutral – meaning it comes at no additional cost to Kansas taxpayers.

• Makes investments in higher education: Governor Kelly’s budget invests nearly $50 million in additional funding to support the postsecondary sector and lower higher education costs for Kansas students. This includes $14.4 million in additional state funding to increase need-based aid.

  This budget also invests in cybersecurity infrastructure across the postsecondary system.

• Continues to repair Kansas’ foster care system: Governor Kelly’s budget includes $9 million for the Department of Children and Families
  to supplement the loss of funds that will be incurred due to Executive Order 25-01, which ensures that foster youth eligible for social security benefits receive the federal funding they are entitled to.

  This budget also includes $2.6 million to establish Behavioral Health Intervention Teams statewide for Child Welfare Providers to increase placement stability for youth in care who experience frequent placement disruptions.

• Bolsters health care services and hospitals: Governor Kelly’s budget includes $2 million in funding towards capacity building to ensure hospitals and other health care facilities are safe and compliant for consumers. This budget also includes $1.5 million in bridge funding for education, on the ground supports, and training for minimizing infectious diseases.

  Governor Kelly also recognizes the importance of mental and behavioral health. This budget includes funding for additional psychologists at Osawatomie State Hospital to provide direct patient services including individual and group psychotherapy.

• Provides funding for agriculture and natural resources: Governor Kelly’s budget includes a $1 million investment in the Center for Sorghum Improvement, which will garner a 4-1 match from private donors to sustain a 10-year research collaborative aimed at promoting the growth of water-saving sorghum crops in Kansas.

• Provides support for disability and employment services: Governor Kelly’s budget includes funding for Home and Community Based Services Capacity Building, including $20 million for Home and Community Based Services Provider Grants. This budget also provides funding for Community Support Waiver Funding.

  This budget addresses the demands of a rapidly growing aging population and funds essential services to the most vulnerable Kansans.

• Improves public safety: This budget includes critical investments to Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and funding
  for the Department of Corrections to improve educational and career outcomes and complete projects necessary to make way for the Career Campus at Lansing Correctional Facility.
  
  
• Makes investments in economic development and tourism: Governor Kelly’s budget invests in economic development and Kansas’ ability to recruit international business. The budget also includes $350,000 to continue making improvements to Commerce’s Transparency Database.

Governor Kelly’s full budget proposal can be found ###

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