Budget Resource
Center

...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions.

Kansas

Actions Underway

• The Kansas general jurisdiction courts are primarily state funded.  The counties pay for their facilities and the operational expenses of the district courts.
• Approximately 98% of the Kansas Judicial Branch budget is expended for salaries and wages.  The Judicial Branch budget covers the salaries of all nonjudicial personnel as well as district judges, including limited jurisdiction judges, but not municipal judges and staff.
• The state budget was reduced by $1.4 million (1.25%)) in FY09.
• The FY10 budget was reduced by almost $11 million (9.7%) above the across-the-board cuts approved for all state budgets.  This additional cut has been portrayed as a legislative mistake and the Kansas Judiciary is hopeful that the Legislature will offer a supplemental appropriation early next session, but does not know when the supplemental appropriation will be made nor the amount.
  • If the supplemental appropriation does not materialize, Kansas plans to furlough nonjudicial personnel for 30 days, one week per month beginning in January.
• Kansas has implemented a hiring freeze and plans to continue it through FY2010.  Kansas will reduce the hours of temporary employees and severely restrict all other expenditures.  The legislature discussed court reorganization, but too late in the session to take any action.                    
             

Reports and Articles

• "Recovery Act Protects More Than 1,000 Public Safety Jobs in Kansas." Kansas City infoZine. August 10, 2009.
• John Hanna. "Court Fees in Kansas Rise Because of Budget Issues." Forbes.com. July 1, 2009.
• Eric Swanson. "Area Court Workers Hit By Cost Cuts." Dodge City Daily Globe. May 18, 2009.
• Chief Justice Robert E. Davis. "Letter to Judicial Branch Employees." Supreme Court or Kansas. May 11, 2009.
• Associated Press. "Kansas Court Furloughs Possible?" Prime Buzz. May 12, 2009.
• Jennifer Steinhauer. "To Cut Costs, States Relax Prison Policies." The New York Times. March 24, 2009.
• Kevin Johnson. "To Save Money on Prisons, States Take a Softer Stance." USA Today. March 17, 2009.
• "Chief Justice Touches on Budget Issues." The Topeka Capital Journal. February 10, 2009.
• Carl Manning. "Concern About Cutting Money to Kansas Courts." The Associated Press. February 1, 2009.
• Erin Mathews. "Judge Agrees to Serve Without Pay." Salina.com. January 10, 2009.

Gavel to Gavel

• Database. Search the Gavel to Gavel legislation database based on state, year, legislation category, or any combination.

State Links

• Court Budget Web Sites
• Strategic Planning
• State Budgets for 2009
• State Budget Offices