The Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Analysis is provided to assist the Legislature in the review of agency budget requests and the Governor’s budget recommendations for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
This report contains the individual analyses of state agency budgets, including the agency budget requests and the Governor’s recommendations. The Legislative Research Department’s analysis pertains to the Governor’s recommendations as originally reported in Volumes 1 and 2 of the Governor’s Budget Report as submitted to the Legislature.
This document groups agencies by the function of government into which each agency is classified. There are six functions of government into which agencies are grouped, with similar agencies grouped that share similar basic purposes.
Volume I of this publication contains the Overview of the FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report and agencies in General Government.
Volume II of this publication contains agencies in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Education, Human Services, Public Safety, and Transportation.
Lindsay Archer Research Analyst Lindsay.Archer@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4440
Meredith Fry Research Analyst Meredith.Fry@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7882
Natalie Nelson Principal Research Analyst Natalie.Nelson@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4418
In Kansas, three entities comprise the community supervision structure: Court Services, Community Corrections, and Parole Services.
Parole Services supervises offenders released from Kansas correctional facilities on parole, post-release supervision, or conditional release. This article will focus on the functions of Court Services and Community Corrections and how they compare to each other.
Court Services
One of the duties delegated to the Office of Judicial Administration (OJA) by the Kansas Supreme Court includes trial court support. Court Services Officers (CSOs), often referred to as probation officers, supervise a large population of lower-risk offenders in Kansas.
The purpose of Court Services is to carry out the orders of the district court in a timely, professional, and ethical manner, consistent with community interests. The roles and duties of Court Services and its personnel are governed by state law, administrative rule, and local court policy. According to the Kansas Association of Court Services Officers, the CSOs’ primary role of service is accountability to the court and the court process.
The duties of CSOs vary. In general, CSOs supervise the probation of adult and juvenile offenders, work with children in need of care, research and write pre-sentence investigation reports, and perform other duties as directed by the district court.
Community Corrections
Community Corrections seeks to supervise and assist high-risk people convicted of felony offenses to address substance abuse and mental illness. Community Corrections focuses on public safety, helping people make changes to reduce criminal behavior, and reducing admissions to prison facilities. Community Corrections is a state and local partnership in which county departments are funded by the State through grants from the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC).
Community Corrections is composed of county employees working under the direction of local boards of county commissioners who supervise higher-risk adults and youth assigned by the court for intensive supervision probation.
Court Services
Community Corrections
Governing Branch
Judicial
Executive
Associated Agency
OJA
KDOC
County – State
State
County
Crime Level
Low-risk Felony Probation; Misdemeanor Probation
Moderate and High Risk — Felony Probation
Dual Supervision Legislation
An issue that has arisen with the current supervision structure in Kansas is how to resolve conflicts that may occur when an offender is ordered to be supervised by multiple entities due to multiple convictions.
In response to a recommendation made by the Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission in December 2021, the 2022 Legislature passed SB 408, which provides guidance for the consolidation of supervision into one supervision entity or agency for an offender under the supervision of two or more supervision entities or agencies.
The bill amended the statute governing transfer of supervision of persons on parole, on probation, assigned to a Community Corrections program, or under a suspended sentence to allow the district court where the defendant is currently being supervised to use the guidelines to determine whether it is appropriate to transfer jurisdiction of the defendant to a different district court or retain the jurisdiction.
Funding
In 2022, the Judicial Branch reported to the Legislative Budget Committee that the 2021 Legislature provided it with funding to hire 70 additional CSOs. Those positions were filled, and the retention rate for those positions, and CSOs in general, was reported as high.
The Judicial Branch has stated that it is better situated to meet the statutorily mandated duties CSOs must perform, in addition to new criminal justice reform duties, locally originating duties, and other services CSOs provide that are designed to reduce recidivism and increase public safety.
Subsequently, KDOC stated that Community Corrections was unable to compete with the higher wages that Court Services could provide to CSOs, which would negatively impact retention of Community Corrections officers, and, ultimately, offender recidivism. The Legislature added $2.6 million from the State General Fund (SGF) in FY 2022 and $8.4 million SGF for FY 2023 for the purpose of salary increases among Community Corrections agencies, as reflected in SB 267.
See the 2023 Briefing Book article “Board of Indigents’ Defense Services and Judicial Branch Budget Increases” on page 61 for more information.
The administration of water in Kansas – generally regarding its allocation, cleanliness, and availability – is, for the most part, divided among three state agencies:
Division of Water Resources (DWR), Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA);
Bureau of Water, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE); and
Kansas Water Office.
The following state agencies and entities have limited roles in the administration of water:
Adjutant General’s Office Department of Commerce Division of Conservation, KDA Bureau of Environmental Field Services, KDHE Bureau of Environmental Remediation, KDHE Bureau of Waste Management, KDHE Kansas Biological Survey Kansas Corporation Commission Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Kansas Forest Service Kansas Geological Survey Kansas State Research and Extension
State Agency Roles
Division of Water Resources, KDA
The DWR in the KDA is under the direction of the Chief Engineer, who administers 30 laws and responsibilities, including the Kansas Water Appropriation Act (Act). The Chief Engineer also governs how water is allocated and used; regulates the construction of dams, levees, and other changes to streams; oversees the State’s four interstate river compacts; and coordinates the National Flood Insurance Program in Kansas.
One of the most important programs the DWR administers is the Water Appropriation program, which is authorized by the Act and directed by rules and regulations regarding water rights.
This program also coordinates with groundwater management districts, irrigation districts, rural water districts, public wholesale water supply districts, and water assurance districts; administering the Water Transfer Act and Water Banking Act; administers intensive groundwater use control areas (IGUCAs); and performs other functions related to water rights and use.
In 2020, the Kansas Water Appropriation Act turned 75 years old. It continues to be amended by the Legislature nearly every legislative session as needs, technologies, and available water continue to change over time.
Bureau of Water, KDHE
Much of the authority for maintaining water quality rests with the Bureau of Water in KDHE. Although most of the State’s water quality programs have their home in KDHE, some do not. For example, when oil and gas activities have been the source of water pollution, the Kansas Corporation Commission has authority for remediation. Examples of water quality programs administered by KDHE include:
Clean drinking water standards;
Harmful algal blooms management and surface water quality standards;
The Livestock Waste Management program;
Municipal, commercial, and industrial wastewater lagoon regulations;
Watershed management; and
The Water Well program.
Kansas Water Office
The Kansas Water Office was established as the water planning, policy, coordination, and marketing agency for the State. The primary function of the agency is the development and implementation of the Kansas Water Plan, determined in coordination with the Kansas Water Authority, which consists of 24 members. The Kansas Water Authority also receives input from 14 regional advisory committees that represent the 14 watersheds in the state.
The Kansas Water Office also oversees various water projects that occur all over the state for water conservation, water management, technology and crop varieties, and additional sources of water supply. In addition, the agency monitors the storage capacity of the federal reservoirs in Kansas, and climate and drought conditions and outlook.
2021 House Committee on Water
The House Committee on Water was created for the 2021 Legislative Session. The Committee held informational hearings throughout the Session, learning from the state agencies and entities about their operations and responsibilities. The Committee discussed how these operations and responsibilities potentially could be modified or consolidated.
During the 2021 Interim, the Committee met in Garden City, where the Committee members learned about water issues in southwest Kansas. The Committee members toured sites and listened to stakeholders. The Committee also held an informational meeting at Garden City Community College.
During the 2022 Legislative Session, the Committee continued discussion on water in the state and introduced legislation regarding water administration, including state agency and entity configuration. The legislation did not pass.
2022 Special Committee on Water
During the 2022 Interim, a Special Committee on Water consisting of Senate and House members met in Topeka, where the Committee members listened to water stakeholders discuss concerns and suggestions for the future of water administration in Kansas.
Meredith Fry Research Analyst Meredith.Fry@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7882
Heather O’Hara Principal Research Analyst Heather.O’Hara@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7792
Luke Drury Senior Fiscal Analyst Luke.Drury@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7250
Heather O’Hara Principal Research Analyst Heather.O’Hara@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7792
Meredith Fry Research Analyst Meredith.Fry@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7882
Cotton Production in Kansas
Cotton was introduced in Kansas in the 19th century. Though it has never been a mainstream crop in the state’s agriculture sector, Kansas currently ranks 14th nationwide in cotton production.
Additionally, production has been steadily increasing. Since 1996, cotton production and ginning in the state has expanded, with more than 220 active cotton growers producing 2.4 million cotton bales in the last 26 years.
Infrastructure and Improvements
Kansas cotton production has increased partially due to the expansion of critical infrastructure, which includes four cotton gins in Anthony, Cullison, Moscow, and Winfield, and two warehouses in Clearwater and Liberal that can store cotton until it is sold. Millions of dollars have been invested in expanding the four gin locations and building the second warehouse in Clearwater in recent years.
What is a Cotton Gin?
The cotton gin is a machine that separates the fiber from the plant. “Ginning” is the process of using the machine to remove seed and debris from the fiber and compressing the fiber into cotton bales that are then sold for further processing into cotton textiles.
Why Do Farmers Grow Cotton?
Water. Cotton is drought-tolerant and does not require as much water to produce compared to corn and soybeans. In discussions at legislative committee meetings, various legislative agricultural tours, and the 2022 Kansas Ag Growth Summit (Summit), farmers stated they decided to grow cotton because they are interested to learn about the plant and want to see if it would be successful as a non-irrigated crop, perhaps outside irrigation crop circles. Other farmers discussed the current drought situation and water availability going forward.
Climate. Cotton thrives in hot temperatures and requires consistent heat with summer rainfall.
Crop Rotation. Some cotton growers in southwest Kansas include cotton as part of their crop rotation, which provides soil health, weed management, and other benefits. Value-added Agriculture. The debris separated from the fiber can be sold as supplemental livestock feed, mulch, or compost, which is a value-added agriculture practice that avoids waste.
What Are the Barriers to Growing Cotton?
2,4-d Loss. Cotton is one of the more susceptible specialty crops to 2,4-d, which is a widely used herbicide that is also used as a pesticide on traditional row crops. It was announced during the Cotton Sector Breakout Session at the Summit that 2,4-d resistant seed has been developed for the Kansas climate and will be available in the future.
Infrastructure. At the Summit, it was discussed that there is a need for more cotton acres to be planted – currently, the infrastructure outweighs the amount of cotton being grown. However, should additional cotton acres be grown, the state’s ginning capacity could be easily overwhelmed.
Costs. The cost of machinery to produce cotton can be prohibitive. A large number of acres would need to be planted in order to justify the purchase of harvesting machinery. New cotton growers usually employ a traveling cotton custom processor from Oklahoma or Texas to pick their cotton crop.
A new John Deere cotton picker can cost up to $600,000, compared to a new John Deere combine that can cost around $450,000.
Out-of-state Warehouses. At the Summit, frustration was expressed that some Kansas cotton growers send their ginned cotton to warehouses in Oklahoma and Texas instead of the two Kansas locations. Local economies miss out on the dollars that are spent by truckers hauling the cotton bales from the cotton gins.
International Trade. At the Summit, it was stated that because of some international relations, there is some difficulty finding export customers for U.S. cotton.
A document provided at the Cotton Sector Breakout Session at the Summit stated that according to the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, the top five export customers of raw cotton fiber in 2021 were Turkey, China, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Portugal.
However, the document stated that export potential exists for any country experiencing growth in its gross domestic product.
Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil Act
Boll weevils are a pest that feeds on cotton plants and live in Mexico and southern Texas. While not a current threat to Kansas cotton, a boll weevil outbreak can happen quickly and is devastating. Because Kansas has increased its cotton acres in recent years, other cotton growing states requested that Kansas create its own boll weevil program to manage a potential outbreak.
A boll weevil. Photo by Steve Ausmus, USDA/ARS.
The 2022 Legislature passed HB 2559, which establishes the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil Act and creates the Kansas Cotton Boll Weevil program. The bill authorizes a board to administer and implement the program, and authorizes the implementation of a boll weevil eradication plan with the Secretary of Agriculture.
The bill also authorizes the board to annually set an assessment per cotton bale at an amount not to exceed $2.
Elaina Rudder Research Analyst Elaina.Rudder@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4395
Heather O’Hara Principal Research Analyst Heather.O’Hara@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7792
Water Shortage Declared
On August 16, 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) declared the first-ever official water shortage on the Colorado River. This declaration triggered significant mandatory water cuts in the Colorado River Basin. While Kansas is not part of the Colorado River Basin, it does have a vested interest in western water issues, as the state relies on Colorado supplying an adequate amount of water each year.
The Colorado River
The Colorado River runs 1,450 miles through seven states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and Mexico. Water from the Colorado River is used to irrigate 5.5 million acres of agricultural land and to provide municipal and industrial (M&I) water supplies to 40 million people.
Water from the Colorado River is regulated by dams and stored in reservoirs. Two major dams along the Colorado River are the Glen Canyon Dam and the Hoover Dam. Each of these dams has an associated storage reservoir. Lake Powell, associated with the Glen Canyon Dam, has a storage capacity of 26.2 million acre-feet (MAF). Lake Mead, associated with the Hoover Dam, has a storage capacity of 26.1 MAF.
The Law of the River
The laws and agreements governing Colorado River operations are referred to as “The Law of the River,” stemming primarily from the Colorado River Compact of 1922. This agreement divided the Colorado River Basin into the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin. Each basin region was apportioned 7.5 MAF per year for beneficial consumptive use.
Problems Facing the Colorado River
Supply and Demand Imbalance
When the Colorado River Compact of 1922 was approved, the appropriations of water supply were based on the average flows during the preceding ten-year period, which included several wet years.
The data from this period indicated the average annual flows of the Colorado River totaled 16.4 MAF. But historical data collected by Reclamation from 1906 to 2020 shows that natural flows averaged closer to 14.7 MAF annually.
Thus, water supplies were over-allocated and subject to overuse. Even though this accounting error has been identified, the problem of overuse is likely to persist. By 2050, Reclamation estimates demand for water from the Colorado River will increase to an amount between 18.1 MAF and 20.4 MAF per year, and the number of people who rely on the Colorado River is projected to double by 2060.
Drought
In addition to the growing demand for water, a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey revealed natural flows from the Colorado River have declined approximately 20.0 percent over the last century. Between 2000 and 2020, flows averaged about 12.4 MAF annually. Reclamation found the current drought (2000 to 2021) has been the driest 22-year period on record, and it has resulted in 8 of the 20 driest years on record. The drought has negatively affected water storage operations along the Colorado River. In June 2021, modeling completed by Reclamation showed there is a 17.0 percent chance that Lake Powell could sink so low by 2024 that hydroelectric generation at the Glen Canyon Dam would become impossible.
Mitigation Efforts
The affected states and Mexico have been working to combat the declining natural flows and elevations of Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Mitigation techniques include using alternative water sources, like aquifers, changing landscaping regulations to incentivize reduced water use, investing in waste water treatment and reuse, and studying the potential of desalination plants to transform saltwater into freshwater.
In August 2022, Reclamation released the Colorado River Basin August 2022 24-Month Study, which determined a Tier 2a shortage level. Lake Powell will operate in the Lower Elevation Balancing Tier, which includes limiting water year 2023 releases to protect Lake Powell from declining below 3,525 feet. Lake Mead will operate in its first-ever Level 2a Shortage Condition in 2023. In this condition, shortage reductions and water savings contributions are required for the Lower Basin States and Mexico, as follows:
Arizona will experience a 21.0 percent reduction;
Nevada will experience an 8.0 percent reduction; and
Mexico will experience a 7.0 percent reduction.
The Future of the Colorado River
Over the next few years, the states, Mexico, Native American Tribes, and the federal government will negotiate a new framework to determine how to distribute water supplies, as the current guidelines expire in 2026.
Kansas, through the Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Department of Revenue, hosts a variety of job creation incentive programs. These programs include both tax incentives and more direct business incentives.
Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX)
APEX is the most recent economic incentive program created by the 2022 Legislature. The APEX program includes many of the incentives offered in other Kansas programs and enhances them.
APEX is limited to businesses making capital investments in excess of $1.0 billion and provides incentives for both the qualifying firm and up to five qualified suppliers.
All APEX offers are subject to approval of the State Finance Council. Each time an APEX project is approved, the Kansas Corporate Tax Rate is reduced by 0.5 percent.
Qualifying Firm Incentives:
Refundable investment tax credits up to 15.0 percent of qualifying capital investment;
Partial rebate of payroll up to 10.0 percent per year, not to exceed 10 years;
Training reimbursement up to 50.0 percent of qualifying expenses, not to exceed $5.0 million annually; $25.0 million total;
Relocation reimbursement up to 50.0 percent for non-Kansas residents; limited to $1.0 million annually and $10.0 million total; and
100.0 percent sales tax exemption up front for materials to construct facility.
Qualifying Supplier Incentives:
Refundable investment tax credits, scaled, up to 10.0 percent of first $100.0 million of qualifying capital investment;
Partial rebate of payroll withholding tax up to 65.0 percent per year, not to exceed 10 years;
Training reimbursement up to 50.0 percent of qualifying expenses, not to exceed $250,000 annually; $1.3 million total; and
100.0 percent sales tax exemption up front for materials to construct facility.
Business Incentive Programs
Promoting Employment Across Kansas
Through PEAK, companies can retain 95.0 percent of payroll withholding tax for up to ten years.
Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Economic Development Program
This program funds transportation improvements that can be shown to support job growth and capital investment in the state.
Utility Incentive Programs
These programs provide discounted rates or other cost-saving tools to assist companies looking to establish or grow their operations in Kansas.
Tax Credits and Financing Programs
High Performance Incentive Program (HPIP)
HPIP provides a 10.0 percent income tax credit on eligible capital investment, a sales tax exemption that will be used with the company’s eligible capital investment for the qualified facility, and a training tax credit up to $50,000.
Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs)
IRBs are issued by cities, counties, and the Kansas Development Finance Authority. Proceeds from the sale of the bonds to private investors are made available to enable creditworthy companies to purchase land and pay the costs of constructing and equipping new facilities or the costs of acquiring, remodeling and expanding existing facilities. Interest payable on all IRBs is exempt from Kansas income taxation, which reduces the rates by 2.0 to 2.5 percent below comparable taxable bonds.
Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds
This financing tool that allows Kansas municipalities to issue bonds to finance the development of major commercial, entertainment, and tourism projects. The bonds are paid off through the sales tax revenue generated by the development.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
This program is applicable to industrial, commercial, intermodal transportation area, and residential projects that use the incremental increase in property taxes to finance improvements within the TIF district.
Real Property Tax Abatement
A property tax abatement up to 100.0 percent property tax for 10 years on real property is available if industrial revenue bonds are utilized or the abatement qualifies under the State Constitution. Abatement on real property is offered by the city or county where the property is located.
Personal Property Tax Exemption
Kansas law exempts the property tax on commercial and industrial machinery and equipment purchased or transferred into Kansas after June 30, 2006. Savings will depend on the fair market value of the property, depreciation, the local mill levy rate, and whether all equipment qualifies for the property tax exemption. The exemption can cover items such as computers, furniture, office equipment, business machinery, and manufacturing and warehouse equipment.
Kansas Aviation Tax Credits
An employer hiring incentive and tuition reimbursement for newly hired employees up to $5,000 per year and up to $25,000 total, an employer non-refundable tax credit of 10.0 percent of compensation up to $75,000 in credits per employee, and an employer tax credit of up to 50.0 percent of employee tuition in a qualified program for up to four years.
Edward Penner Senior Economist Edward.Penner@klrd.ks.gov 785-291-0733
This brief provides information on how communities collaboratively prepare for economic development projects.
Considerations for Economic Development Projects
Preparing for new business ventures in a community includes many stakeholders, such as economic development leaders, universities and colleges, housing developers, and other current business leaders. These stakeholders collaborate to define the community’s assets and opportunities with input from the residents.
To begin the conversation, communities conduct a needs assessment to determine what resources are currently available. Additionally, community leaders survey residents to determine their interests in their community, priorities of all stakeholders, and issues that need to be addressed before considering a new business. Some options for collecting information are conducting written surveys via mail, which would cover several topics and assist in determining which factors matter to the most residents. Topics that could be addressed in these surveys include housing, child care and education, transportation, and health. For some communities, a lack of housing or child care may already be an issue. A new business with new residents entering the community may intensify these issues.
Another option would be conducting door-to-door or over-the-phone interviews to determine what matters most to residents. Knowing the concerns of residents early can help to mitigate issues before welcoming a new business to the community.
The Community Tool Box (https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment) is a service of the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas. The Community Tool Box has several resources available regarding how to engage communities in needs assessments and how to use that data to shape policy. Determining community priorities at the onset of the economic development expansion process can help identify which companies may be the best fit. This can help companies understand a community’s goals and needs, and allows residents to have a voice in the process. Community leadership has an opportunity to collaborate with residents and other stakeholders to prioritize the needs and desires of all, set goals based on those needs, and make decisions that best benefit the community.
Case Study: The Panasonic Mega-project
These concepts were applied by communities and stakeholders in northeast Kansas in anticipation of the Panasonic mega-project. For Panasonic, having a skilled workforce was one important decision-making factor in where to locate a new facility. Panasonic also considered the tax and business incentives provided by the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) program.
For more information on APEX, see the 2023 Briefing Book article “Job Creation Programs.”
Johnson County Community College and Kansas City Kansas Community College both contributed to the workforce training section of the proposal and identified how they and K-12 education can support the training of employees and general workforce training needs for the company.
Panasonic estimates hiring 500 employees every quarter, and the non-credit component of the community colleges in the surrounding area can assist in meeting that goal.
The community colleges outlined a five step approach for supporting the project:
Providing pre-hiring support through focusing on community outreach, building a working relationship with Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA), and creating a consortium of stakeholders;
Conducting a training needs assessment based on PENA benchmark standards and training, which also includes developing a training matrix and conducting a labor market assessment;
Designing and delivering customized training by identifying various paths to employment, developing new curriculum and modifying current curriculum, and leveraging what is already available;
Measuring outcomes through developing an evaluation and assessment strategy, monitoring key performance indicators, and developing plans for continuous improvement; and
Providing ongoing training and support with a continuous improvement loop for potential and current Panasonic employees.
Jill Shelley Principal Research Analyst Jill.Shelley@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-8085
Eric Adell Research Analyst Eric.Adell@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4404
Cameras are statutorily authorized for use by municipalities in 36 states and the District of Columbia for enforcement of traffic laws, most commonly in enforcement related to speeding, full stops at red lights, and passing school buses that are stopped with the stop arm extended. State laws authorize municipalities or certain municipalities to use such cameras under certain circumstances. Toll agencies, including the Kansas Turnpike Authority, also use video enforcement for toll collection.
Kansas law is silent on the use of cameras to enforce any statutes included in the Uniform Act Regulating Traffic on Highways or similar city ordinances. Bills have been introduced, but not enacted, in Kansas in recent years to authorize cameras on school buses to identify any vehicle passing a school bus stopped with the stop arm extended and lights flashing: 2021-2022 HB 2154, 2019-2020 SB 472 and HB 2532, 2017-2018 HB 2040, and 2016 HB 2470.
Proponents generally state camera enforcement can help reduce behaviors that put lives and property at risk and act as a force multiplier for law enforcement agencies. Opponents have stated enforcement without a law enforcement officer present is unmerited and enforcement from images could be used for surveillance or to raise revenues for the local government.
Costs of Crashes
The map on the following page shows the uses for which states authorize traffic enforcement cameras.
Information in the 2020 Kansas Traffic Crash Facts Annual Accidents Facts Book published by the Kansas Department of Transportation ― which notes 52,469 total crashes, 426 fatalities, and 15,997 people injured in 2020 ― includes the following about types of violations that traffic cameras are most frequently used to enforce in other states:
Estimated costs of $6.2 billion for 30,386 crashes involving driver infractions;
4,599 crashes that were speed related, 88 fatalities, 2,071 injured, with associated economic costs of $1.6 billion; and
1,275 crashes in work zones, 2 fatalities, 409 injured, and associated costs of $110 million.
Each crash can have more than one contributing factor, but driver inattention was most common (11,397 crashes). Other top driver contributing circumstances noted were right of way violations (No. 2, noted for 5,901 crashes), driving too fast for conditions (No. 3, 3,978 crashes), and running a red light (No. 12, 1,185 crashes).
School bus violations. The April 2022 Kansas One Day Stop Arm Violation Count found, for the 2,669 buses of 184 districts participating, 882 instances of a vehicle passing when the stop arm was extended.
State Policy Choices
States crafting policy for use of such cameras have many policy choices, such as:
Which entities can use camera enforcement;
In what capacities contractors can be involved;
Whether a traffic violation documented with use of a camera will be a criminal or a civil offense;
Whether a law enforcement officer or another type of government employee must review images before notices of violation are sent;
Whether information about camera-enforced violations can be used for insurance purposes or determining whether the driver’s license should be restricted or suspended;
Whether the images can be used for any purpose other than enforcement of the specific violation;
What elements must be present in, or omitted from, the image (e.g., an image of the driver);
The image retention period; and
Whether and how information is made available to drivers about the presence of enforcement cameras.
Kate Smeltzer Research Analyst Kate.Smeltzer@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4407
James Fisher Managing IT Analyst James.Fisher@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-6490
Electric Vehicle Adoption and Industry Growth
Globally, the automotive industry plans to invest $330 billion in electrification by 2023 and offer up to 130 electrified vehicle models in the United States. Nationally, hybrid vehicle sales in 2021 comprised 5.4 percent of total sales, and Zero Emission Vehicles, such as plug-in hybrids, and fuel cells, represented 4.1 percent.
Historically, successful new technologies, like television, cellphones, and LED light bulbs, were slow to sell until they reached the 5.0 percent adoption rate, at which point adoption began to occur at a much higher rate as demand become unpredictable.
The increasing demand for electric vehicles could also lead to a demand for more charging stations to help power these vehicles and alleviate driver “range anxiety,” as they would be capable of driving further without fear of running out of power for the vehicle.
As of 2022, nearly 6,763 electric/hybrid vehicles are registered in Kansas. This is less than 1.0 percent of vehicles registered in the state. Kansas will play a role in the expansion of charging station infrastructure in order to facilitate interstate travel and commerce.
Charging Station Expansion and Funding
It is estimated that $39.0 billion in investments are needed by 2030 for public charging infrastructure to meet the accompanying demand for electric vehicles in the United States.
As of 2022, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, has invested nearly $3.7 billion in programs and projects to accelerate the electronic vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure implementation process. The EEI estimates nearly 140,000 EV fast- charging stations will be needed to accommodate the projected 26 million EVs that are expected to be on U.S. roads by 2030.
In December 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Energy created a new department called the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Office), which will support and ensure production of electric vehicle charging networks nationwide.
In February 2022, the Office announced that $5.0 billion will be made available for electric vehicle charging under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which was established in the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act.
As of September 27, 2022, all 50 states including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have been approved to move forward with the construction of EV fast-charging stations covering approximately 75,000 miles of highway across the country.
The NEVI Formula funding can also be used for other projects that are directly related to charging of a vehicle, such as:
Upgrade of existing and construction of new EV charging infrastructure;
Operation and upkeep costs of EV charging stations;
Installation of on-site electrical service equipment;
Community and stakeholder engagement;
Workforce development;
EV charging station signage;
Data sharing activities; and
Mapping analysis.
Kansas EV Charging Programs and Funding
On September 16, 2022, the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Charge Up Kansas NEVI plan was approved and is set to receive $39.5 million over the course of the next five years. This program will include direct current fast chargers as well as EV charging corridors.
In Kansas, the corridors included will reside along I-70, I-35, I-135, U.S. 400 and U.S. 81 from I-70 north to the Nebraska state line.
When completed, approximately 1,600 miles of Kansas interstates and highways will have fast charging stations available for public use.
James Fisher Managing IT Analyst James.Fisher@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-6490
Kate Smeltzer Research Analyst Kate.Smeltzer@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-4407
Heather O’Hara Principal Research Analyst Heather.OHara@klrd.ks.gov 785-296-7792
Education, precision agriculture, and health care are just a few of the possibilities broadband internet enables, and a lack of connectivity can impact the economic well-being of individuals across the country.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in 2021, 23.36 percent of rural residents lacked fixed broadband with download speeds of 25 megabits per second (mbps) and upload speeds of 3 mbps (25/3) and fourth generation wireless networks (4g) with advertised median speeds of 10/3.
Further, the FCC has acknowledged that past maps are not as granular and accurate as policymakers would like. This means the published statistics on availability could be very different and could potentially impact funding for expansion of broadband.
Broadband Maps
The current broadband availability map is created using FCC Form 477 data. This form is used to collect information on the deployment of broadband and telephone services from service providers at a census block level. If a single home in a census block is reported as being served, then the entire census block will appear as though it was served in some capacity.
The map above shows the number of fixed residential broadband providers (including cable, fiber, fixed wireless, satellite, and ADSL) in a given area of the state. It indicates that over 99.0 percent of the state is served by 3 or more providers offering speeds of at least 25/3.
In 2018, Connected Nation, a nonprofit organization, engaged with the Information Network of Kansas to develop a statewide broadband map. The data collected was more granular than FCC form 477 data, but had other issues, which include:
10 providers refused to participate; 6 providers were non-responsive; and 2 providers submitted granular data for only 1 of the services they offered.
The map is shown here:
At the time, Kansas had 88 broadband providers, and 70 submitted granular/location level data. In instances where a provider did not participate, form 477 data was used. The Connected Nation data shows 17.0 percent of Kansans do not have access to broadband internet with speeds of at least 25/3 when only relying on the provided granular data. If the supplemented Form 477 data is included, this number drops to 3.4 percent.
Changes to Federal Data Collection
In June 2022, the FCC began collecting information from broadband providers about the precise locations where their services are provided. The window to collect this more granular data closed on September 2, 2022.
On September 12, 2022, the FCC opened up a challenge period for states, tribal governments, and local governments to review the data collected. The FCC released pre-production drafts of the new National Broadband Map on November 18, 2022. The Map uses more granular, specific location-level information about broadband service.
The release of this pre-production map also starts the public challenge period. The FCC has encouraged the public to test and submit ISP speeds using the updated FCC Speed Test App.
The pre-production residential services map of Kansas indicates the state is 100.0 percent covered by providers with an advertised speed of at 25/3 or greater. If only examining providers using terrestrial technology (excludes satellite and cellular technology, but includes fixed wireless), the percentage of the state covered by 25/3 or greater is 98.8 percent (see map below). The Office of Broadband Development (Office), within the Kansas Department of Commerce has expressed concerns of the inadequacy of the pre-production map, and noted it overestimates available service.
What This Means for Broadband in Kansas
More accurate maps could help give a better idea where grant funding should be utilized to incentivize the build out broadband infrastructure. These incentives are relevant to businesses considering service in less dense areas, where it is challenging to recover the cost of establishing the service.
You must be logged in to post a comment.