Category Archives: Kansas

Government, Kansas

Phone/internet Services Program Offered for Low Income Individuals

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Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Plan help Kansans
unable to pay for phone and internet services stay connected

TOPEKA – The start of a new school year is an expensive time for families. If you are struggling to pay for phone and internet services, there are programs to help you stay connected.

During Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week, the Kansas Corporation Commission joins utility regulators nationwide in encouraging those in need of assistance to apply for Lifeline and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).  Both programs help low-income individuals and families stay connected so they can access health care, attend classes, find employment, and call for help in an emergency.

Lifeline provides federal and state discounts up to $17.02 per month on phone service (wireless or residential) and broadband. Seven million Americans currently benefit from the program, including approximately 30,000 Kansans.

The Federal Communication Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP) provides a monthly internet service discount of up to $30 and a one-time device discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. According to FCC data, more than 20 million U.S. households are currently enrolled, including approximately 120,000 in Kansas.

Eligibility is based on income (at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for Lifeline and at or below 200% for ACP) or participation in certain assistance programs such as:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FHPA)
  • Veterans Pension & Survivors Pension Benefit
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
  • Head Start Tribal Programs (income based)
  • The Food Distribution Program on Tribal Lands.

Anyone who qualifies for Lifeline is automatically eligible to participate in ACP. Others may still qualify for ACP if they meet any of the following criteria:

  • Are approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including the USDA Community Eligibility Provision.
  • Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.
  • Meet the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.

Due to higher income maximums, ACP also has the potential to help families that may not qualify for other types of assistance. The maximum income for a family of four to qualify for the ACP program is $60,000 per year compared to $40,500 for Lifeline. Both Lifeline and ACP offer additional discounts for subscribers living on tribal lands.

More information on income eligibility, participating providers, and the enrollment process is available on the KCC’s website.

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Government, Kansas

KDOT to host 2023 Local Consult meetings

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Survey seeks public input in advance of regional meetings
KDOT is hosting nine meetings this fall as part of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) Local Consult process. KDOT holds Local Consult meetings every two years to discuss regional transportation project priorities with Kansans.

Attendees will have an opportunity to share their region’s transportation priorities, hear about investments being made in transportation in their area, and learn about various grant funding programs available through KDOT.

These meetings are an important step in gathering public input for the IKE program – the state’s current 10-year transportation improvement program. They are open to all Kansans.

In advance of the Local Consult meetings, KDOT has launched a short survey asking for input on the Kansas transportation system. The survey will be available online through September 22 at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KDOTLC2023.

Local Consult locations, dates are times:

  • Northeast Region (District 1) – Tuesday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. – noon, Four Points by Sheraton in Manhattan.
  • Southwest Region (District 6) – Wednesday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m. – noon, Clarion Inn in Garden City.
  • South Central Region (District 5) – Thursday, Oct. 5, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Meridian Center in Newton.
  • Northwest Region (District 3) – Tuesday, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. – noon, Hilton Garden Inn in Hays.
  • North Central Region (District 2) – Wednesday, Oct. 11, 9 a.m. – noon., Hilton Garden Inn in Salina.
  • Southeast Region (District 4) – Thursday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. – noon, Bowlus Fine Arts Center in Iola.
  • KC Metro – Tuesday, Oct. 17, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at the Lenexa Hyatt Place Kansas City/Lenexa City Center in Lenexa.
  • Wichita Metro – Wednesday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. – noon, at the WSU Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex in Wichita.
  • Virtual Meeting – Tuesday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (To receive virtual meeting registration information, please email: [email protected]).

More information about the Local Consult process is available online at: ike.ksdot.gov/local-consult-process.

About the IKE Program – IKE is a 10-year program that addresses highways, bridges, public transit, aviation, short-line rail and bike/pedestrian needs across Kansas. For more information about the IKE program: www.ksdotike.org.

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Government, Kansas

Support To Build Infrastructure For Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

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Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $1.2M to StrengthenSupportsforKansans with Alzheimer’s

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) will receive $1,185,000 over five years to build public health infrastructure and increase capacity to treat Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Kansas was one of 43 recipients of funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.

The funding will be used to reestablish an Alzheimer’s disease coalition in Kansas, which will use the CDC’s Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Road Map for Public Health to revise and implement proven strategies in the Alzheimer’s State Plan. It will also support KDHE and its partners to implement activities to support the revised state plan.

“My administration continues to be laser-focused on providing resources fundamental to the health of all Kansans, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This funding is a step in the right direction as we work to expand quality, affordable health coverage to more Kansas families.”

These efforts are part of a KDHE initiative that helps clinicians refer patients to community supports. The project will work with Kansans with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, caregivers, and health care providers.

“We are excited that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been awarded this grant to assist with the work that’s already being done across our state to care for the 55,000 Kansans living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias,” Ken Jackson, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association – Heart of America Chapter, said. “We look forward to the advancement of new and cutting-edge approaches to address this public health crisis in order to provide support to the people caring for a loved one with this disease.”

Alzheimer’s disease is the 8th leading cause of death in Kansas. In 2019, about 335,000 Kansas adults 18 years and older reported the experience of worsening or more frequent confusion or memory loss. This is one of the earliest noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. People with Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to have other chronic diseases like hypertension, depression, diabetes, and hearing loss. They are also more likely to experience depression, mental illness, and increased financial burden due to health care costs.

“As the number of Kansans living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia continues to rise, it is important that we establish systems to support them and their caregivers through early detection and diagnosis,” KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said. “These funds will target all levels of prevention – primary, secondary, and tertiary – to ensure that Kansans and their caregivers maintain a healthy quality of life before and after diagnosis.”

This project will strengthen and expand community partnerships, data availability for decision-making, and public knowledge about brain health and support services. The project will also reduce stigma and bias about cognitive decline. The project will emphasize coordination across community and clinical systems to strengthen Kansas’s basic foundations of health and health equity.

Click here for more information about BOLD.

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Government, Kansas

Governor Kelly Announces Appointments to Kansas Corporation Commission

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Governor Kelly Announces Appointments to Kansas Corporation Commission


TOPEKA – Today, Governor Laura Kelly announced she has appointed former longtime State Representative Annie Kuether and reappointed Andrew French to serve on the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). These appointments will be submitted to the Kansas State Senate for confirmation.

“Representative Kuether brings experience to the Kansas Corporation Commission from her 25 years in the Legislature, where she served as a ranking minority member on the energy, utilities, and telecommunications committee,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am pleased to appoint her and reappoint Andrew French to serve the people of Kansas on this vital commission.”

The KCC is one of the first state regulatory bodies in the nation, originally formed in 1883, and has five main divisions: Administration, Conservation, Utilities, Transportation, and Energy. The KCC consists of three members appointed by the Governor to overlapping four-year terms.

Kuether was previously a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from 1997-2022, representing a central portion of Topeka in District 55. Kuether’s appointment replaces Susan Duffy, who decided not to seek reappointment when her term ended on March 15, 2023. If confirmed, Kuether would begin on October 3, 2023.

French was originally appointed to the commission in 2020. He currently serves as the Kansas representative to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and the 2023 SPP Regional State Committee President. If confirmed again, his new term will begin on March 16, 2024.

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Government, Health Care, Kansas

KS To Promote Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health

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Governor Kelly Announces Kansas to Receive $10M to Integrate Behavioral and Primary
Physical Health Care

~~Expands Kelly Administration’s Efforts to Provide Care to the Whole Person, Reduce Stigma~~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) is receiving $10 million as part of a five-year federal grant to promote the integration of primary and behavioral health care. Integrated care recognizes the impact physical health can have on an individual’s behavioral health needs and is developed to manage whole-person care.

This project will serve an estimated 8,850 Kansans over the five-year project span, with an estimated average of 1,770 Kansans annually.

“Mental and physical health can’t be separated, and neither should mental and physical health care,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “With this grant, my administration will work closely with partners across the state to improve our health care systems so that they serve the whole person.”

KDADS, in consultation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Community Care, will partner with four Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or FQHC look-a-likes and one Rural Health Clinic (RHC) to integrate behavioral health care with primary care services.

Partners include the Atchison Community Health Clinic, Konza Prairie Community Health Center, Mercy & Truth Medical Missions Inc., Hunter Health, and Greeley County Health Services, Inc. The main behavioral health conditions to be served include adults with serious mental illness (SMI), children with serious emotional disturbance (SED), persons with substance use disorders (SUD), and persons with co-occurring SMI and SUD.

“Expanding programs and introducing new programs to fund and support the mental health needs of people across the state has been a top priority of the Kelly administration since day one,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “Investments like these from federal grant opportunities help us meet the needs of both adults and children where they are, and oftentimes that is the first person we turn to and trust – a primary care physician. This project will allow us to marry mental health and primary care health and open more doors to services.”

This project will address the key needs for integrated care and implement goals to achieve the following:

  • Reduce barriers to accessing integrated physical and behavioral health care.
  • Increase the capacity for integrated care by implementing evidence-based practices to reduce the proportion of adults and youth with nicotine use disorder and other SUDs.
  • Decrease the frequency of suicidal ideation through collaborative supports and services that address physical, behavioral, and health-related social needs.
  • Improve access to oral health care services through screening and referrals.
  • Develop a robust state infrastructure to implement and establish an integrated care model across Kansas.

Each provider organization’s service area reflects a high need, defined geographic region, and provides or coordinates services to individuals experiencing both physical health concerns and behavioral health concerns. These regions span urban, rural, and frontier areas across Kansas, representing a diverse set of opportunities to advance integrated care and reduce the stigma associated with behavioral health.

What Participating Organizations Are Saying:

“This grant will not only support the much-needed integration of behavioral health and primary care services within our clinic but also facilitate collaboration with community providers. Community health centers are positioned extremely well to identify patients in need of behavioral health services, and this grant offers us the ability to expand our ability to provide and coordinate care for some of our most vulnerable citizens. ACHC is excited to demonstrate the positive impact that integrating services has on our patient’s quality of life.”
– Steve Durkin, CEO, Atchison Community Health Clinic (Atchison, Kan.)

“We’re so pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care grant as part of Community Care. We welcome the chance to improve services to the rural residents of far western Kansas and work with our fellow clinics across the state.”
– Chrysanne Grund, Project Director, Greeley County Health Services (Tribune, Kan.) 

“We are honored to be a recipient of the Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care grant. This is an incredible opportunity for Hunter Health to join with our partners across Kansas to support the improvement of integrated care models statewide. We look forward to working with SAMHSA, KDADS, Community Care, and other community health centers to promote integration and collaboration between primary care and behavioral health care in community health centers.”
– Amy Feimer, CEO, Hunter Health (Wichita, Kan.)

“What great news! There is so much need in the communities we serve. No one organization can meet them all; it takes collaboration.  As a community health center, Konza aims to reduce barriers to health by providing as much care as possible for the patients we see. Meeting patients’ needs by integrating behavioral health services in the medical exam room, in the dental operatory, and throughout the various patient support services available at the health center not only reduces stigma but it improves access and embodies what we believe- health care is for all, and that includes behavioral health.”
– Dani Hallgren, CEO, Konza Prairie Community Health Center (Manhattan, Kan.)

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Government, Kansas

KS High School Athletics Adopted New Policy in Response to Fairness In Women’s Sports Act

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As schools kick off fall sports season, AG Kobach commends KSHSAA

TOPEKA – (Sept. 7, 2023) – With the start of fall sports, the Kansas Attorney General’s Office reminds Kansas school districts that a Kansas State High School Athletic Association (KSHSAA) policy prohibits biological males from competing in girls’ sports. The KSHSAA Executive Board adopted the policy last April in response to a new state law, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

“I want to commend KSHSAA for adopting these well-reasoned guidelines that fully comply with Kansas law,” Attorney General Kris Kobach said. “As the father of five girls who enjoy sports and athletic competition, I am delighted that the Kansas Legislature and KSHSAA have taken strong action to defend opportunities for women athletes and to protect them from unfair competition.”

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Government, Jobs, Kansas

Apprenticeships Increase in Kansas

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Governor Kelly Celebrates Nearly 40% Increase in Apprentices Since Creation of Office of Registered Apprenticeship One Year Ago

TOPEKA – Today marks one year since Governor Laura Kelly established the Office of Registered Apprenticeship through Executive Order 22-07. The Office was created to strengthen workforce development and grow the economy by modernizing and expanding apprenticeship opportunities and by building partnerships with educational institutions.

Since Governor Kelly’s executive order, Kansas has made great strides in expanding apprenticeship opportunities: There has been a 37.9% increase in Kansans participating in apprenticeships since September 2022, with nearly 4,400 apprentices in Kansas today. In addition, the Office has expanded the type of occupations in which Kansans can gain experience: 49 new job titles have been added, resulting in a total of 107 occupations in the apprenticeship pipeline.

“Through the Office of Registered Apprenticeship, we are helping Kansans gain the skills they need to get jobs that don’t require a college degree – and we’re developing the workforce needed to attract new businesses to the state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Because of our efforts, Kansas continues to lead the nation as the state with the most business investment per capita.”

All Registered Apprenticeship programs must have five core components to be recognized for certification, including on-the-job training, related technical instruction, mentorship, wage progression, and industry-recognized credentials. However, the driving force must be a business or industry willing to support an apprentice to “earn and learn” a career.

“Registered apprenticeship is an increasingly central component of our efforts to build up the Kansas workforce,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Our purposeful economic development is creating thousands of new opportunities for hard-working Kansans across the state.”

Since the creation of this office, there has been a 38.8% increase in the completion of apprenticeship programs – from 129 program completers in 2022 to 179 in 2023.

“We are executing a targeted plan to expand high-quality registered apprenticeships, and we are showing results across the entire state of Kansas,” said Shonda Anderson, Director of the Kansas Office of Apprenticeship. “Most importantly, we are bridging partnerships with our labor unions, business and industry, local workforce boards, non-profits, higher education, and even cross-departmental partnerships.”

Governor Kelly has also taken other actions to support apprenticeships, including:

  • Governor Kelly signed the Kansas Apprenticeship Act to promote and expand apprenticeships for the most in-demand industries in Kansas through tax credits and grants.
  • U.S. Department of Labor awarded Kansas $6.3 million to “Lead Apprenticeship Results in Kansas.” With this, the Office of Registered Apprenticeships will work with stakeholders to grow teacher educator apprenticeships, inside and outside justice involved apprenticeships, youth apprenticeships, and other programs in Kansas’ most in-demand industries.
  • Kansas was selected to participate in the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) Policy Academy to Advance Youth Apprenticeship. Through the Policy Academy, Kansas will develop a strategy to expand apprenticeship opportunities to youth ages 16 and older to help them build the skills needed for the modern workforce.
  • The Office of Registered Apprenticeship launched a statewide Teacher Educator Apprenticeship Program, making Kansas home to one of the most innovative teacher-educator apprenticeship programs, allowing para-educators to obtain their bachelor’s degree and gain a Kansas Teaching certificate while being paid to teach in the classroom from day one.
  • The Office is using $4.7 million in grants to expand registered apprenticeships in the care economy, IT sectors, construction, and more.

More information on Kansas Registered Apprenticeships can be found on the Kansas Department of Commerce website.

Government, Kansas

Funding to Create New Child Care/High Speed Internet Awarded Kansas

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Governor Kelly Announces Kansas Awarded $40M to Build Community Multi-Purpose Facilities, Expand Access to Child Care

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund announced today that Kansas has been awarded $40 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury for a new program, the Capital Projects Fund Accelerator (CPF Accelerator). The program will provide local communities with funding to build or renovate multi-purpose facilities that create new licensed child care slots and provide Kansans access to high-speed internet for digital work, health, and education supports.  

“The Capital Projects Fund Accelerator Grant program is another example of how my administration is finding new ways to expand access to affordable, quality child care and other essential community services,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This grant opportunity will enable more communities to work with local businesses to meet a pressing need for Kansas families.”

In June 2023, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund’s Child Care Capacity Accelerator awarded more than $43 million to 52 organizations and partnerships across Kansas. The new CPF Accelerator grant opportunity builds on that momentum by providing prospective grantees a new funding source for the construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of community facilities and other capital improvement for community-driven projects and programs. This funding is the latest effort to support the state’s rapidly growing work in early childhood and boost communities in scaling up their facilities to serve families and children.

“The Capital Projects Fund Accelerator is another exciting chance to invest in the infrastructure needed to increase access to affordable, high-quality childcare as well as a full range of programs and services to help families meet basic needs,” said Melissa Rooker, Executive Director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. “The Kansas Children’s Cabinet is proud to continue our work to champion community-driven solutions to the multi-faceted challenges facing families with young children today.”

The RFP is available here, with two submission deadline options. The first-round application deadline is Oct. 2, 2023, and the second-round deadline is Dec. 18, 2023. The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund encourages applicants to decide which deadline is appropriate for their project as there is no advantage or consequence in applying by either deadline. Applications will be submitted online via the Kansas CommonApp portal.

Kansas was previously awarded $83.5 million from the Capital Projects Fund to build reliable broadband infrastructure and extend high-speed internet to more than 24,500 homes, businesses, schools, health care facilities, and other public institutions in underserved counties across the state. A portion of Kansas’ $40 million award for the CPF Accelerator will be used to assist in the administration of the program. Combined with the Child Care Capacity Accelerator Grant programs, these two funding opportunities will infuse more than $83 million into Kansas’ early childhood care and education sector.

Click here to learn more about the Capital Projects Fund Accelerator.

Government, Kansas

KS Tourism Grants Available

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Governor Kelly Announces $1M Available for Tourism Attraction Development Grants

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that $1 million in Attraction Development Grants is available from Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. Attraction Development Grants are designed to assist in the development of sustainable tourism experiences that influence travel decisions and create economic impact, including new jobs, capital investment, revenue, and increased visitation.

“Kansas tourism is an economic driver that highlights the many reasons why our state is the best place in the nation to live, work, and raise a family,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By investing in our tourism industry, we strengthen our economic growth and Kansas’ placement as a destination state for tourists from around the world.”

A first round of applications is now open with a deadline of October 1, 2023. A second round will open on February 1, 2024. $500,000 will be awarded in each round. Successful grant applications must have an accountable tie to the tourism industry, with funds being used to develop new or enhance existing tourism attractions.

“Investing in the growth and development of our destination-based assets contributes to economic prosperity in communities of all sizes across Kansas,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Tourism empowers local communities by creating job opportunities and strengthening the overall business landscape.”

Tourism has a total economic impact of $11.2 billion on the state, which includes $7 billion in direct visitor spending on lodging, dining, transportation, and entertainment. Eligible projects for this grant program include new attraction construction, enhancements to an existing attraction, and new or enhanced exhibits that will improve a visitor’s experience.

“By strategically fostering new tourism development, we are inspiring quality vacation experiences for our visitors,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “Visitors spend dollars while in our state, and those dollars provide increased tax revenue, new jobs, and a better quality of life for all.”

For more information on the Attraction Development Grant Program, click here or email Kansas Tourism Grant Program Manager Carrie Doud here.

Funding for Kansas Tourism grants, including the Tourism Marketing Grant, is provided by the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF) from state lottery proceeds.

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Bourbon County, Fair, K-State Extension, Kansas

Foster, Snyder and Woods Win Purple Ribbons at Kansas State Fair

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Picture Left to Right: Ella Snyder and Tex, Makiah Woods and Sadie, Davina Foster and Paris. Submitted photos.
The Bourbon County 4h Dog Project qualified three members for the 2023 Kansas State Fair Dog Agility Competition.
On September 2 in Hutchinson, KS Ella Snyder with Tex, Makiah Woods with Sadie, and Davina Foster with Paris competed in a field of 45 in the Dog Agility 1 competition.
  All three received purple ribbons with Davina Foster placing 4th with a perfect score of 200.
The Bourbon County 4h Dog Project is assisted by volunteers Zach and Aubry Ross of Ross’s Kennels.
They will be holding try-it days in September or October for current and future 4Hers to come and experience the project along with adults as the club fundraises for equipment.
Dates will be announced soon.
Government, Kansas

KS August Tax Collections Are Below Estimate

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August total tax collections at $640.1 million; 3.7% below the estimate

TOPEKA – The State of Kansas closed August with total tax collections at $640.1 million. That is $24.5 million, or 3.7%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are down 1.9% from August 2022.

Individual income tax collections were $299.3 million. That is $25.7 million, or 7.9% below the estimate, and down 2.6% from August 2022. Corporate income tax collections were $25.1 million, or 25.5%, higher than the estimate and up 62.3% from August 2022.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $292.4 million, which is $5.6 million, or 1.9%, below the estimate and down $10.5 million, or 3.5%, from August 2022.

Click here to view the August 2023 revenue numbers.

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Government, Kansas

Help For Saving Energy and Lowering Monthly Bills

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KCC approves energy efficiency programs for Evergy customers

 

TOPEKA – In a 2 to 1 vote this morning, the Kansas Corporation Commission approved a settlement agreement pertaining to Evergy’s application for a Demand-Side Management (DSM) Portfolio featuring nine energy efficiency programs aimed at helping customers save energy and lower their monthly bills. Today’s decision is not related to Evergy’s pending rate case, which is a separate docket.

Discussions on the Energy Efficiency program application have been ongoing between Evergy, Commission Staff, and other stakeholders since the application was filed in December 2021. Agreement on the program offerings came relatively quickly. However, determining the best way to measure and fund the programs resulted in differing opinions.  Due to KCC staff concerns regarding potential cost, the Commission was presented with two proposals — a full slate of nine programs including PAYS® or a modified, lower cost option featuring only five programs.

The original nine-program offering was approved today with conditions attached to help ensure accurate performance measurements and fiscal accountability while avoiding duplication of funding available under the Inflation Reduction Act.  The approved settlement agreement is expected to have a total bill impact of less than 1-2% to implement and maintain the energy efficiency programs, while producing lower overall costs for customers in the long run. These costs will not appear on customer bills until mid-2025 at the earliest.

Commissioner Dwight Keen filed a dissenting opinion (included in the docket with today’s order) explaining his preference for a cost effective alternative DSM Energy Efficiency proposal that he believes provides substantial benefits to Evergy ratepayers at a significantly lesser cost, and more directly addresses his concerns regarding a possible duplication of incentives contained in the Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Today’s order states:

“The Commission’s view of “just and reasonable rates” and “the public interest” is broader than immediate bill impacts. The Commission must evaluate not just the cost of programs, but also what customers are receiving for that cost. Here, customers are gaining access to programs that allow them to better control their energy usage and their bills. The Commission received very positive feedback from the public that they want access to these types of programs.

“While there is ample evidence that the system as a whole will benefit from the KEEIA portfolio, the Commission is also compelled to provide opportunities for low and fixed income customers to control their bills. In the Commission’s view, programs serving these communities make rates more just and reasonable for all. The continued absence of energy efficiency tools for these communities contributes to less just and reasonable rates.”

The order also references the Kansas Energy Efficiency Investment Act (KEEIA) K.S.A. 66-1183, previously passed by the Kansas Legislature.

“Nearly ten years ago, the Kansas Legislature and Governor set State policy promoting the establishment of cost-effective energy efficiency programs. At that time, it became the policy of this State to help utility customers use energy more efficiently and in a manner that sustains or enhances those customers’ incentives to use energy more efficiently. The intent of this Order is to implement the goals of our State’s highest policymakers and ensure those Kansas residents and businesses with the greatest need to control their bills have options available to do so.”

The nine programs approved today include the following:

1) Whole Home Efficiency Program: Provides rebates, discounts, and on-bill financing for HVAC and building envelope measures in single and multifamily residences. It will also provide no cost energy assessments and discounted energy savings kits.

2) Home Energy Education Program: Helps rural and low-income customers use energy more efficiently through marketing, outreach, and education.

3) Home Demand Response Program: Helps customers reduce their energy use during peak demand periods. It also provides opportunities for customers to receive free thermostats and water heater controllers.

4) Hard-to-Reach Homes Program: Provides enhanced incentives, no-cost home upgrades, and no-cost energy assessments and savings kits for low-income and rural customers.

5) Whole Business Efficiency Program: Provides both variable and fixed incentives to help business customers install efficient equipment and building envelope improvements.

6) Business Energy Education Program: Provides tools, resources, and guidance for businesses interested in saving money on energy. The program focuses on small businesses.

7) Business Demand Response Program: Helps business customers decrease their energy usage during periods of peak demand.

8) Hard-to-Reach Businesses Program: Offers enhanced incentives to small businesses and non-profits.

9) Pilot Incubator Program: Creates a pathway to identify and evaluate new DSM program concepts to meet changing customer needs and integrate evolving technologies.

More details and the timeline for implementation will be shared as the programs are developed.

Today’s order is available here. A recording of today’s Business Meeting featuring comments by Commissioners, is available on the KCC YouTube channel.

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