(March 17, 2023) – Yesterday, the Kansas Senate debated Substitute for Senate Bill 155, a scaled-back version of the Mega Budget. The debate saw the following amendments adopted by the Senate:

• $75/hour reimbursement rate for targeted case managers paid for by moving corrections capital improvement projects
• E-verification for state contractors
• Moved up the implementation timeline for certified community behavioral health centers
• 3.25 percent across-the-board cut
• Performance-based budgeting

Sen. Jeff Pittman (D-Leavenworth) made a motion to expand Medicaid. The motion failed on a vote of 11-22. The chamber pushed many items for review off until the conference and omnibus session, where they will discuss items such as $5 million for a mental health patient observation program for those patients awaiting involuntary admissions at a state hospital, as well as the rebasing and adding funding for long-term care.