Division of the Budget
Landon State Office Building Phone: (785) 296-2436
900 SW Jackson Street, Room 504 adam.c.proffitt@ks.gov
Topeka, KS 66612 http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam C. Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor
Division of the Budget
February 6, 2025
The Honorable Ken Rahjes, Chairperson
House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 112-N
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Representative Rahjes:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for HB 2063 by House Committee on Agriculture and Natural
Resources Budget
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning HB 2063 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
HB 2063 would create the State Conservation Fund, which would be used to supplement
existing appropriations and would not be used to supplant State General Fund or special revenue
fund appropriations for the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Department of Wildlife and
Parks. Monies transferred to and received from the State Conservation Fund would not be used to
finance any fee simple land acquisition by the federal or state government.
The bill would create the following funds: the Working Lands Conservation Fund that
would be administered by the Director of the Division of Conservation of the Kansas Department
of Agriculture; the Wildlife Conservation Fund that would be administered by the Secretary of
Wildlife and Parks; and the Kansas Outdoors Fund that would be administered by the Secretary of
Wildlife and Parks and would be part of the Parks Division. Each agency would adopt rules and
regulations to administer a grant program to expend the moneys from the newly created funds. For
the Working Lands Conservation Fund, the State Conservation Commission would provide
guidance on priority criteria for applications, awardee selection, and the annual budget. For the
Wildlife Conservation Fund, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Commission would
provide guidance on priority criteria for applications, awardee selection, and the annual budget.
For the Kansas Outdoors Fund, the Statewide Local Recreation Advisory Board would provide
guidance on priority criteria for applications, awardee selection, and the annual budget. The
Secretaries would consider both the guidance of the Commission or Advisory Board and the
recommendations of the Divisions to make final awards and administrative budget decisions. The The Honorable Ken Rahjes, Chairperson
Page 2—HB 2063
bill lists who would be eligible to receive funding and the uses of the funds. Applicants that
provide an opportunity to capture federal, private, or other nonstate matching moneys would be
prioritized.
The intent of the Legislature would be that all allocated moneys would be fully obligated
within 12 months of allocation to approved projects. On or before each December 1, the agencies
would submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that would also be published on the
agency websites, and the bill would detail the items to be in included in the reports. The agencies
would be allowed to use a portion of the funds to pay for relevant expenses to administer the grant
programs. On July 1, 2025, and each July 1 thereafter, the Director of Accounts and Reports would
be required to transfer $60.0 million from the SGF to the State Conservation Fund. On July 15,
2025, and each July 15 thereafter, the Director of Accounts and Reports would be required to
transfer from the State Conservation Fund, 50.0 percent to the Working Lands Conservation Fund,
25.0 percent to the Wildlife Conservation Fund, and the remaining balance to the Kansas Outdoors
Fund.
Estimated State Fiscal Effect
FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027
Expenditures
State General Fund -- -- --
Fee Fund(s) -- $60.0 million $60.0 million
Federal Fund -- -- --
Total Expenditures -- $60.0 million $60.0 million
Revenues
State General Fund -- (60.0 million) (60.0 million)
Fee Fund(s) -- $60.0 million $60.0 million
Federal Fund -- -- --
Total Revenues -- -- --
FTE Positions -- -- --
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Wildlife and Parks both state that
the requirements of the bill would increase expenditures beginning in FY 2026. The Department
of Agriculture would require 3.00 positions totaling $259,500 ($86,500 x 3) for salary and wage
expenditures from the Working Lands Conservation Fund. The Department of Wildlife and Parks
estimates that it would require 3.00 FTE positions totaling $259,500 ($86,500 x 3), for salary and
wage expenditures and the funding would be equally divided between the Wildlife Conservation
Fund and the Kansas Outdoors Fund. The positions in each agency would review, amend, approve
and follow up on grant applications, funding agreements, and verify completion of the scope of
each approved project.
The Honorable Ken Rahjes, Chairperson
Page 3—HB 2063
The Kansas Department of Administration indicates that the establishment of the new
funds and transfer funding are part of the standard operating duties of the Office of Accounts and
Reports and, therefore the bill would not affect operating expenditures. Enactment of the bill
would reduce the amount of State General Fund available as a result of the $60.0 million transfer
required by the bill. Any fiscal effect associated with HB 2063 is not reflected in The FY 2026
Governor’s Budget Report.
Sincerely,
Adam C. Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Lita Biggs, Department of Agriculture
Martin DeBoer, Department of Wildlife & Parks
Samir Arif, Department of Administration