Topeka ? The full House Appropriations Committee refused on Wednesday to reconsider funding enhanced budget requests from the state’s six Regents universities, including Kansas University’s request to establish a Drug and Vaccine Discovery Institute.

But the panel did reinstate $1.5 million that Gov. Sam Brownback had proposed eliminating for an incentive program that pays school districts $1,000 for each student who graduates with an industry-recognized job training certificate.

It also approved Brownback’s recommendation to reinstate $51.2 million in bonding authority this year for KU to build a new residence hall, plus $14.5 million in bonding authority for renovations at Corbin Hall this year.

The full committee’s action came two days after a subcommittee also balked at the Regents funding requests, items that Rep. Virgil Peck, R-Tyro, referred to as an “absurdity.”

Peck had asked that the subcommittee report include a comment noting that the Regents were asking for increased funding at a time when all other agencies were being asked to tighten their belts. The final report, however, only noted in several places that both KU and Kansas State University have reported rising instructional costs in recent years.

The three Democrats on the subcommittee filed a separate “minority report” arguing that the state’s budget problems were the result of policy choices by the Legislature, and suggesting that the enhanced funding requests should be reconsidered in the final “omnibus” budget bill that lawmakers will pass at the end of the session.

The minority report was signed by Reps. Valdinia Winn, of Kansas City; Jerry Henry, of Atchison; and Republican Barbara Bollier, of Mission Hills.

“We felt it was appropriate that this committee look at the enhancements, and that we not tell the universities and the Board of Regents that they are limited in what they should bring to our committee and talk about,” Henry told the full panel Wednesday.

But Peck objected to that as well, saying the committee should not even commit to considering those requests later in the session.

“I have no problem accepting the minority report, that’s just respectful to my fellow legislators,” Peck said. “But then to spend time looking at all these requests for additional taxpayer dollars at omnibus, I just don’t think we’re going to approve any of these.”

The committee voted 10-8 not to accept the minority report’s request for later consideration of the requests.

KU had asked for $5 million to help establish a Drug and Vaccine Discovery Institute.

“In addition to improving human health, the DVDI will benefit the Kansas economy by fostering KU partnerships with pharmaceutical firms, encouraging companies to locate in Kansas, and creating startup companies,” the university said in a position statement posted on its website.

It had also sought funding for a 3 percent merit-based salary increase for faculty and staff at its medical school.

Kansas State University had requested $75 million in bonding authority for expansion and renovation of its School of Architecture, which the university said hasn’t been upgraded since the 1970s, plus another $25 million in bonding authority for expansion of its student union.

The full committee did agree to reconsider those items later in the session, although Peck said he opposed that as well.

“That’s not our fault,” Peck said about the architecture building. “The university should have stepped up and maintained this building.”