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Minutes for SB203 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Enacting the Kansas campus restoration act to address deferred maintenance at state educational institutions, establishing the Kansas campus restoration fund in the state treasury and authorizing certain transfers from the state general fund to such fund.
Minutes Content for Fri, Feb 17, 2023
Chairperson Billinger opened the hearing on SB 203. David Wiese, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 9)
Blake Flanders, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Kansas Board of Regents, testified as a proponent of the bill. This bill would address the long-term needs of the university assets and is focused on mission-critical buildings not auxiliary buildings such as residence halls. In June of 2021, the Board of Regents knew they had to deal with the deferred maintenance issue so they conducted studies to determine how to proceed. The key is to have a partnership with the Legislature to maintain a three legged funding stool of SGF, Education Building Fund (EBF) mil, and institutional matching from the universities. He expressed appreciation for the funding provided last year that incentivized universities to raze some old buildings. (Attachment 10)
Colton Gibson, University Contractors Association of Kansas, spoke in support of the bill. His organization was formed in 2021 following the studies done by the Board of Regents and their mission is to modernize the infrastructure on the university campuses. 50% of the buildings are mission critical and half of the mission critical buildings are over 50 years old. As of last year, the estimated maintenance backlog for mission critical buildings was over $1.2 billion. (Attachment 11)
Written only testimony in support of the bill was submitted by Scott Heidner, American Council of Engineering Companies of Kansas. (Attachment 12)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Billinger closed the hearing on SB 203.
Chairperson Billinger adjourned the meeting at 11:57 am. The next meeting will be February 21, 2023.
