Joint Committee advances 12 Build Kansas grant applications and asks state finance council for $5 million

The Joint Committee reviewed 12 applications for matching grants from the Build Kansas Fund and forwarded them to the next step while voting to request that the state finance council disperse $5,000,000 currently held for the program. Jason, the Build Kansas presenter, told the committee, “We have $19,300,000 in applications of the 12 applications being reviewed today.”

Committee members heard a staff summary showing prior committee awards of about $51.5 million and $37.1 million awaiting federal awards; after today's approvals staff reported roughly $2.1 million would remain uncommitted under the program's $110 million statutory cap. After receiving legal advice that the committee must formally request release of the $5,000,000, Representative Hoffman moved to make the request; the motion was seconded by Senator Petty and the committee approved the motion by voice vote.