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 4, 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 2111 by House Committee on Water
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning HB 2111 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
HB 2111 would increase the number of aggregate total acres enrolled in Kansas in all
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Programs (CREPs) from 40,000 to 60,000 acres, except that
the last eligible offer for enrollment that would exceed the 60,000-acre cap may be approved. The
bill would limit enrollment for any one Kansas county to 25.0 percent of the statewide acreage
cap.
The bill would establish a CREP for the purpose of meeting water quantity goals and, if
approved by the United State Department of Agriculture, it would allow for the establishment of
native grasses, routine grazing, dryland farming or limited irrigation practices for the purpose of
meeting water quantity goals with the following additional criteria: (1) the acreage is an authorized
place of an irrigation water right and irrigated at a rate of not less than one-half acre-foot per year
for three out of the five years immediately preceding the year offered for enrollment, as determined
by the Division of Conservation of the Department of Agriculture, (2) the acreage is not subject to
any sanctions or penalties by the Division of Water Resources of the Department of Agriculture
that are in effect or pending determination at the time offered for enrollment, and (3) the owner of
the water right or water rights is an authorized place of use or the owners have submitted the annual
water use report according to statute for each of the most recent 10 years. The Secretary of
Agriculture, in consultation with the State Conservation Commission and the Kansas Farm Service
Agency, may grant exceptions to the eligibility criteria if: (1) the area is designated as a high-
priority area for water conservation according to statute, (2) is an authorized place of use of a high
flow capacity water well, (3) is an authorized place of use of a water right that was not utilized The Honorable Ken Rahjes, Chairperson
Page 2—HB 2111
within the time frame due to circumstances involving bankruptcy, probate or other legal matters,
excluding those related to sanction or penalties by the water resources in effect at the time of
enrollment in CREP, or (4) is an authorized place of a water right that is or has been enrolled in a
water conservation program according to statute.
The Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Water Office indicate that the enactment of
the bill would not have a fiscal effect on the agencies.
Sincerely,
Adam C. Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Lita Biggs, Department of Agriculture
Debra Jones, Kansas Water Office