Senate subcommittee concurs with FY2026–27 budgets; members flag retention bonuses, KU loan proviso and earned‑wage staffing
January 31, 2026 | Ways and Means, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kansas
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The Senate budget subcommittee met remotely and on Friday voted to concur with revised FY2026 and FY2027 budget estimates for a range of state agencies, approving funding recommendations and several provisos and follow‑up items.
Chair opened the session and said the committee would report many budgets out with limited discussion. The subcommittee accepted revised estimates for the Kansas Department of Credit Unions, the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board (CURB), the Kansas Corporation Commission, multiple state universities and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, among others. Motions to concur were routinely seconded and the chair declared the motions carried.
Members pressed a handful of substantive issues during the largely procedural session. Senator Peck expressed opposition to retention bonuses added as provisos in agency budgets, saying he would not set the precedent of routinely adding bonuses; proponents said the authority originates in last year’s budget language (SB125) and is limited, subject to gubernatorial approval and other safeguards. The chair later directed staff to circulate the list of retention bonuses paid under SB125 for members' review.
The Office of the State Bank Commissioner’s request for two additional FTEs to regulate earned‑wage‑access providers drew questions from Senator Peck about whether the new positions were already counted among existing vacancies; staff clarified the two are new positions and vacancies remain under active recruitment.
At the University of Kansas Medical Center, Senator Fagg moved to carry forward $3.4 million that had lapsed into a specialty loan program to expand support for medical students; committee leaders agreed to consider the proviso when they work the bill next week and the subcommittee concurred with the higher‑education subcommittee’s recommendations.
The chair closed the meeting after advising members staff would distribute details on SB125 bonus payments and other proviso language for review ahead of next week’s work session.
Votes at a glance: the subcommittee recorded concurrence votes for the Kansas Department of Credit Unions, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, CURB, the Kansas Corporation Commission, Wichita State University, KU Medical Center (with consideration of a proviso), the University of Kansas, Kansas State University (and related units), Pittsburgh State University, Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University, and the State Fire Marshal budget. Specific roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the hearing transcript; motions were seconded and declared carried by voice vote.
Chair opened the session and said the committee would report many budgets out with limited discussion. The subcommittee accepted revised estimates for the Kansas Department of Credit Unions, the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board (CURB), the Kansas Corporation Commission, multiple state universities and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, among others. Motions to concur were routinely seconded and the chair declared the motions carried.
Members pressed a handful of substantive issues during the largely procedural session. Senator Peck expressed opposition to retention bonuses added as provisos in agency budgets, saying he would not set the precedent of routinely adding bonuses; proponents said the authority originates in last year’s budget language (SB125) and is limited, subject to gubernatorial approval and other safeguards. The chair later directed staff to circulate the list of retention bonuses paid under SB125 for members' review.
The Office of the State Bank Commissioner’s request for two additional FTEs to regulate earned‑wage‑access providers drew questions from Senator Peck about whether the new positions were already counted among existing vacancies; staff clarified the two are new positions and vacancies remain under active recruitment.
At the University of Kansas Medical Center, Senator Fagg moved to carry forward $3.4 million that had lapsed into a specialty loan program to expand support for medical students; committee leaders agreed to consider the proviso when they work the bill next week and the subcommittee concurred with the higher‑education subcommittee’s recommendations.
The chair closed the meeting after advising members staff would distribute details on SB125 bonus payments and other proviso language for review ahead of next week’s work session.
Votes at a glance: the subcommittee recorded concurrence votes for the Kansas Department of Credit Unions, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, CURB, the Kansas Corporation Commission, Wichita State University, KU Medical Center (with consideration of a proviso), the University of Kansas, Kansas State University (and related units), Pittsburgh State University, Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University, and the State Fire Marshal budget. Specific roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the hearing transcript; motions were seconded and declared carried by voice vote.
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