Budget Bill In Conference
Last week the Senate Ways and Means and the House Appropriations members met in what is referred to as conference committee to discuss the differing details of the budgets that were passed from the Senate and the House. We met numerous times each day, which actually started on Wednesday, March 27, to remedy those differences.

Some of the items that we continued to deliberate about were $100,000 from the state water plan and placing that within the conservation districts. We also discussed adding money for water contamination remediation and for the drinking water protection program.

We also discussed the amount of funding that we would restore to the Board of Regents, which would funnel those funds to all of the Regent schools, adding additional dollars for the K-State Polytechnic Campus in Salina for additional flight instructors, plus negotiating $650,000 for a new fund with K-State that would be named the Fire Suppression/State Forest Service Fund.

We also had discussion regarding the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to implement a new Cyber and Financial Crimes Investigative division. We also addressed the need for the KBI to hire four new positions for the Criminal Justice Application Security and Quality Assurance Program.

We had hoped to come to an agreement between the two chambers before we adjourned for our April break. Unfortunately, we will continue deliberations when we return on May 1, 2019.

Senate Bill 16 – K-12 Education Finance Remedy
Late Wednesday evening, the education finance conference committee between the House and Senate had intense negotiation. This conference committee had met numerous times this past week and could not come to a resolution that could appease both chambers. The Senate held firm to their position of adding additional funding of approximately $90 million each year for four years to satisfy the Supreme Court order that the Legislature must account for inflation increases. This is also the same plan that was provided and supported by Governor Kelly. The House did not technically have a financial position, which made the discussions more difficult, however, we did pass Senate Bill 16, which contained mainly pieces of policy. The conference committee report was finally debated and voted on in the House on Thursday afternoon and passed the chamber with a vote of 76-47. I voted “yes.”

Legislative Schedule
On Friday, April 5, the schedule for the Legislature is to adjourn for the better part of the month of April. During this time, I will be back home in the 109th District conducting numerous town-halls and forums, as well as other public events. I will also be working on our family farm while back home. Here is a list of the events that are planned:

April 16, Forum in Russell, KS at the Dream Theatre, 10 AM;
April 16, Forum in Lucas, KS at the Backstreet Bakery, 1:30 PM;
April 18, Forum in Rush Center at Golden Belt Telephone, 10 AM;
April 13, Forum in Lincoln, KS at Main Street Coffee and Things, 10 AM;

This is a list of the forums that will be conducted until we reconvene on May 1, 2019. I will also be traveling and meeting with the county commissioners of Barton and Ellis counties, attending the Kansas Counties Officials meeting in Colby, and we have meetings to review the applications for the Industrial Hemp Advisory Committee.

I will continue in sending out weekly newsletters when the Legislature reconvenes on May 1, 2019.

Contact Information
As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, visit www.troywaymaster.com or email me at [email protected]. Also, if you happen to visit the statehouse, please let my office know.
It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

Troy Waymaster (R-Bunker Hill) is the 109th Dist. state representative and chairman of the House Appropriations committee. The 109th District includes Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties and portions of  Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.