(March 23, 2026) – The House and Senate Budget negotiators spent last week and today working through items of difference in their versions of the budget. The agreements so far include:

• Adding $3.7 million State General Fund to partially restore appropriations
• Kansas State Board of Nursing transfer of $1 million to the Nurse Fair Treatment and Recovery Fund
• Adding $44,540 for the Board of Governors of the Health Care Stabilization Fund Board of Governors
• Adding $218,619 SGF for 6.0 full-time employee positions for the Office of Inspector General to increase audits and investigations
• Deleted $1.0 million from the fund to reimburse counties and hospitals for patient observation and transportation funds
• Added language to require reporting to the Office of the Ombudsman on involuntary discharges
• Adding $1 million for mobile sedation dentistry
• Adding $56.5 million for the Children's Health Insurance Program
• Adding $3 million for Community Care Network of Kansas
• Adding for contract staffing at state hospitals: $10 million for Larned, $2 million for Osawatomie
• $22 million for the new South Central Mental Health Hospital

The conference committee will continue to meet throughout the week.