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KU Legislative Update

February 15, 2008

KU’s agenda moving through Statehouse

KU’s legislative agenda is rapidly winding its way through the Statehouse as the fifth week of the session draws to a close. With hundreds of individual bills being introduced in the House and Senate, there is no shortage of issues for lawmakers to sink their policy-teeth into. Fortunately, amidst all of the legislative “noise and confusion,” lawmakers are giving the university’s agenda a warm initial reception.

Considerable attention is being paid to those areas of the KU agenda that center on workforce training. Everything from law enforcement training to specialized medical care is provided by KU. The budget review process has begun and recently Chancellor Hemenway testified in support of KU’s budget before the House Education Budget Committee.

The Chancellor provided committee members with budget details for KU and advocated for the enhanced dollars recommended in the Governor’s budget recommendations. As a result of the testimony, the committee has recommended the following:

  • Increased operating grant for KU and all Regents institutions of 4.4 percent, with revenue for cost of living increases removed for consideration in the state’s pay plan
  • Bonding authority for the School of Pharmacy expansion
  • $1 million in planning funds for the School of Pharmacy to come out of State General Fund and considered at the Omnibus in late April
  • $1 million in additional funding for the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education, or WGME, to address accreditation concerns at the Wichita School of Medicine
  • Full funding for the KU Cancer Center
  • Postpone funding decisions regarding an additional $15 million to tackle the backlog of deferred maintenance projects until the omnibus session in late April

There are also two bills that have been recently discussed in the Legislature that are of interest to KU.

The first, SB 403, makes key changes in a very important faculty support program by removing a cap that was placed on the program when first enacted. The Kansas Partnership for Faculty of Distinction program generates enhanced support for endowed professorships at Regents institutions. Forty-eight professorships at KU have been established through this program and we’re asking the legislature to raise the cap and let this program continue to grow. The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard compelling testimony about the measure and is now poised to recommend the bill soon.

The second, HB 2750, was introduced and heard in the House Taxation Committee recently. If enacted, the measure would allow important research initiatives at KU and other universities to move forward toward commercialization without jeopardizing the property tax exemption of the institutions. The committee heard testimony from Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon, Rep. Tom Holland and Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies Steve Warren in support of the measure. This bill is a great example of a relatively minor change in the law that can further encourage important research and development. Adding to the attraction of this measure is the fact that it carries no price tag!

Finally, be sure to mark your calendars for KU in the Capitol on March 10. The Statehouse will be filled with Jayhawk pride as we demonstrate the many ways KU works for Kansas! Lunch for legislators and staff will be provided and we’ll have KU displays set up throughout the building.