Kansas Senate narrowly passes budget, cell phone bill takes another turn
By Timothy R. Graham
Director of Government Relations
After more than seven hours of debate Tuesday, the Kansas Senate narrowly approved its version of the state budget on a 21–19 vote, advancing Senate Bill 315 following discussion that included several amendments related to public education.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Education also acted on legislation addressing student cell phone use in schools.
Senate passes budget after education amendments
The Senate approved SB 315, the chamber’s version of the state budget for fiscal year 2027, following debate that included several amendments related to public education.
The Senate budget proposal initially included a $5 million enhancement for special education funding. Following floor debate and adopted amendments, the measure ultimately included $6 million in additional funding for special education services. The House version of the budget had included a $10 million increase for special education funding.
The Senate proposal also did not include language adopted by the House that would have allowed unencumbered funds to be used outside the school finance formula to support teacher mentor programs and professional development initiatives.
During debate, senators offered several amendments to the budget bill. The following proposals directly addressed public education. Three education-related amendments were rejected.
Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, offered an amendment that would have extended the current Kansas school finance formula for one additional year, continuing the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement Act through the 2027–2028 school year.
Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, proposed redirecting $2.5 million in state funding to reduce the cost of school meals for students who qualify for reduced-price lunch. The amendment would have used the funds to lower school lunch copays for eligible families. The amendment failed.
Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, introduced an amendment that would have shifted funding within the budget to increase special education aid to school districts. The proposal would have redirected funding from several areas of the budget - including unspent federal pandemic relief funds and other sources - in an effort to help districts cover a greater share of special education costs. The amendment failed.
Two amendments affecting public education were adopted.
Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, offered an amendment that eliminates funding for the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) program in public schools, removing more than $16 million from the program. The amendment redirects $1 million of that funding to special education services.
Sen. Mike Murphy, R-Sylvia, proposed an amendment establishing a state complaint process and financial penalty for school districts that experience organized student walkouts without parental consent. Under the amendment, districts could face a penalty equal to the daily contract salary of the superintendent for each day a walkout occurs.
The Kansas State Board of Education would adjudicate complaints, and days involving walkouts would not count toward required instructional days.
Because the House and Senate typically pass different versions of the budget, the next step in the process is the formation of a conference committee to negotiate a final agreement.
In the Kansas Legislature, conference committees generally include three members from the House and three members from the Senate, appointed by leadership, with representation from both the majority and minority parties. Those conferees meet to negotiate differences between the chambers and produce a conference committee report that must be approved by both bodies before the budget can be sent to the governor.
Cell phone bill advances from committee
The Senate Committee on Education also acted Wednesday on legislation addressing student cell phone use in schools.
The committee amended HB 2299 through a substitute bill that replaced the contents of the underlying measure before advancing it out of committee - a legislative process commonly referred to as a gut-and-go. The substitute bill now carries provisions originally introduced in SB 302, which addressed student use of personal electronic communication devices during the school day.
Earlier versions of SB 302 had drawn several concerns from stakeholders. The contents of that bill were ultimately inserted into Senate Sub for HB 2299 through the committee substitute process.
The revised proposal would require school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies governing the use of personal electronic communication devices during the school day. The bill also includes provisions addressing communication between school employees and students through social media platforms and changes statutory language related to the definition of accredited nonpublic schools.
The version advanced by the committee did not include a reporting provision that had appeared in earlier versions of the legislation. The bill was also amended to include liability protections for school districts and educators for damage to personal electronic devices that may occur while these devices are stored by the school or confiscated during the enforcement of school policies.
Following committee action, HB 2299 now moves to the full Senate for debate. Because the measure originated in the House, if the House agrees to the Senate’s changes the chamber could vote to concur with the Senate version and send the bill directly to Gov. Laura Kelly for consideration without the need for a conference committee.
Timothy R. Graham can be reached by email at timothy.graham@knea.org.