Sebelius budget keeps promise to Kansas children
K-12 schools, early childhood education, higher education will all benefit

Kansas students from preschool to college and beyond will benefit from the budget signed today by Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

The budget keeps the promise to K-12 schools made in last year’s historic school funding bill.  It also expands opportunities for children to enter Early Head Start before going to kindergarten and to get further education beyond high school.

“Every public servant has a responsibility to make the future a brighter place, and one of the best ways to do that is by providing educational opportunities to our children.  This budget keeps the commitment we made to our children last year, and builds on it,” Sebelius said.

“More children will have a chance to start school ready to learn, and more high school graduates will have an opportunity to get additional education so they can succeed in the workforce,” she continued.   

A major highlight of the budget bill, which echoes a call made during Sebelius’ 2007 State of the State Address, keeps the state’s commitment to public schools by fully funding the second year of the three-year school plan.  It also provides $1.6 million to expand opportunities for early learning and $36 million for post-secondary schools, including $1.5 million for additional financial aid.

Other highlights in the approved budget include:

• $11.5 million over two years for the promotion of biofuels research and production in Kansas;
• $1 million to begin planning for transmission lines to bring electricity from wind farms to consumers; and
• The creation of an Office of Rural Opportunity that will help communities attract families and businesses.

Sebelius said legislators still had several key issues to address upon their return later this week.

“We still have an opportunity to begin moving forward on health care, starting us down the path to a future in which every Kansan has access to quality care.  We also have responsibilities to meet when it comes to maintenance on state buildings and in the area of workforce development,” Sebelius said.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee has included Sebelius’ proposal for birth-to-five health insurance for children in its budget.  This initiative is endorsed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, but has yet to pass the Legislature in either of the years it has been proposed.

The Legislature has also yet to take action on proposals to maintain state buildings at campuses and around the Capitol, as well as the Governor’s workforce development initiative: On-TRACK.

The budget bill, HB 2368, will take effect after its publication in the Kansas Register.   Sebelius vetoed one proviso dealing with a proposed affiliation between the University of Kansas Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital.

Message from the Governor

Pursuant to Article 2, Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Kansas, I hereby return House Bill 2368 with my signature approving the bill, except for the item enumerated below.

University of Kansas Medical Center

Section 136(i) has been line item vetoed in its entirety.

One of the missions of state government as set out by the Kansas Constitution is to promote “intellectual, educational, vocational and scientific improvement” through the establishment of educational institutions, including universities.  There is no question this is a critical mission for the future success of our state.

Much of that future will be shaped by advances in the area of health care and biosciences, and Kansas is blessed to have a first-class academic medical center at the University of Kansas.  The KU Medical Center and KU Hospital together provide access to leading edge treatments and cures, conduct world-class life sciences research and train the next generation of health care professionals. 

The KU Hospital, however, until 1998 suffered from a number of problems caused by the manner in which it was being managed from Topeka, which is why KU proposed creating a separate body to govern the hospital.  The Legislature agreed and created the hospital authority, specifically charging the hospital to “facilitate and support the education, research and public service activities of the University of Kansas Medical Center.”

This relationship has worked well and there is no reason it cannot continue even if the KU Medical Center should affiliate with St. Luke’s Hospital.  The proposed affiliation is narrow in scope, focused solely on research and education.  It is also a key part of the bid for a nationally-designated cancer center.  These reasons are likely why the KU Hospital Authority has already unanimously approved the set of principles that would guide such an affiliation.

The proposed affiliation also will not harm KU’s relationship with health providers elsewhere in Kansas.  KU’s School of Medicine is already affiliated with the two major teaching hospitals in Wichita and this valuable relationship will continue, ensuring people throughout our state will have access to skilled health professionals.

While I understand the concerns of the proponents of the restrictions contained in this proviso, there is already a more than sufficient level of oversight provided by current law.  Any affiliation would have to be approved by the Board of Regents, for example, and I do not believe we should return to the past pattern of micromanagement that is proposed in this proviso.

In light of the concerns noted above and mindful of the positive, productive and hard-earned progress already achieved in the agreement on principles reached between the KU Medical Center and the KU Hospital Authority, I hereby veto this proviso.

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