Drop Dead week was here and gone. And, fortunately, the two bills the Buzz has been watching made it through. HB 2600 (the sale of the Earl Center and other properties) will be in a conference committee next week, probably the budget committee. SB 450 (the bill allowed state agencies who sell their buildings to keep the profits) passed the House cleanly (without amendments) and so will go to the Governor’s desk for signing.

The budget piece on higher ed still must be worked out. At stake: the $45.7 million restoration in the state university operating grant (that might wait until omnibus in late April) and the deferred maintenance issue—the Senate ways and means committee added an additional $10 million to the $25 million in the governor’s budget plus an additional line item of $20 million for building demolition. That, too, might have to wait until omnibus. There are other higher ed issues which KBOR and the community colleges have at stake which don’t pertain to ESU specifically, so we will be watching that next week in conference.

The Buzz this Week

• Not much buzz this week. Lots of controversial bills were passed and some will be in conference. Most had to do with K-12 education, constitutional amendments, and other issues.
• Lots more next week, after which the legislature goes on first adjournment on April 1st, to return April 21 and April 22 for omnibus and then April 25th for the veto session.

As usual, if I may be of assistance, please contact me at gschneid@emporia.edu.

That’s the buzz this week!