Kansas Association of Community College Trustees
700 SW Jackson, Suite 1000 • Topeka, KS 66603-3757 • 785-357-5156 • FAX 785-357-5157
• 19cc@kacct.org
Sheila Frahm, Executive Director
Policy
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700 S. W. Jackson, Ste. 1000, Topeka, Kansas 66603 - (785)-357-5156 |
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It’s All About the
Budget….The House passed their
budget bill today on a vote of 67 to 55 after a four hour debate on
Thursday. In their efforts to
find money to fund the K-12 school finance package, they have tightened the
budget for State agencies by funding a proposed 2.5 percent pay raise for
state employees for only the last quarter of 2006 and deleting the 27th
paycheck which will necessitate a change in the pay plan.
They also will ask the Department of Revenue to more aggressively
seek out those who fail to pay their taxes.
Community colleges fared well with SB 345 funding, $5.4 million, in
tact. The six state universities
will receive 345 money as well as a $4.9 million block grant for
enhancements. In reviewing the
vote tabulation, it is encouraging to see the support of those House members
who are members of the newly created Higher Education Caucus.
The Senate Ways and
Means Committee took final action on their budget bill this morning with no
changes from their Regents’ recommendation:
funding of the Governor‘s recommendation for SB 345 ($5.4 million
for community colleges), $3.2 million to offset lost out-district tuition
revenues for community colleges and Washburn, and
$100,000 additional funding for Adult Basic Education.
The Senate bill now moves on to the Senate floor with debate
anticipated on Wednesday, March 23. KACCT appreciates the
effort of House members to insure funding for community colleges and is
hopeful that Senate members will approve funding our colleges as currently
outlined in their budget bill.
KAN-ED Funding
Renewed….KAN-ED, the statewide
telecommunications network, is breathing, at least temporarily, a sigh of
relief with the promised renewal of its funding through the Kansas Universal
Service Fund, a fee tacked onto to everyone’s monthly telephone bill. A
bill was passed this week in the House that offers funding through 2010 in
spite of attempts from those who believe the network should be financed
through the State General Fund. Some
phone companies complain that additional fees on top of everyone’s phone
bill are not appropriate. The
bill calls for a reduction in KAN-ED funding from the current $10 million to
$5.5 million when the authority for use of telephone fees sunsets in 2010.
Attention on this issue now moves to the Senate. Meningitis Will Wait
Until Next Year…. Noting that
they need more time to work with colleges and universities, the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment has asked the House Health and Human
Services Committee to hold off on any legislation requiring meningococcal
disease vaccinations or a signed waiver on file for students entering a
Kansas higher education institution. The
Center for Disease Control has reversed an earlier opinion that did not
recommend the vaccinations for college students.
While KDHE believes the
CDC recommendation to be important, they are hopeful that by crafting the
legislation in partnership with the colleges and universities,
implementation will not prove difficult .
They hope to work with admissions and health center leaders between
now and the start of the 2006 session to come up with a policy that meets
CDC recommendations and is easily carried out by Kansas’ colleges and
universities. Board of Regents
Hears About Stem Cell Research and TABOR….As
a part of their March meeting, the Kansas Board of Regents heard
presentations on stem cell research and the taxpayer’s bill of rights.
Dr. Bill Neaves, president and CEO of the Stowers Institute for
Medical Research in Kansas City, MO, spoke on “The Promise of Stem Cell
Research.” The Stowers
Institute is one of the world’s leading centers engaged in medical
research that aims to prevent and cure disease through the study of genes
and proteins that control fundamental processes of cellular life.
Carol Hedges of the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute presented
material relating to Colorado’s experience with the Taxpayer’s Bill of
Rights enactment. She is the
primary author of “Ten Years of TABOR:
A Study of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights,” a
comprehensive study of Colorado’s fiscal and budget situation as a result
of the TABOR constitutional amendment. A Possible Legislature-Court Compromise?…Both the House and Senate have addressed funding for the school finance plan with one year programs that call for no new taxes and the promise to consider the following two years at a later date. In a news conference today, Senate President Steve Morris, R- Hugoton, said it is likely that the Legislature will have a one-year plan in place by the Court’s April 12th deadline, but less likely that they will have a three-year plan as requested by the Court decision. Each body has passed their version of a school funding bill and committees stand ready to address each other’s ideas for funding.
Important Resources to gather legislative and budget
information:
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