TOPEKA
March 10, 2025
HOUSE DELIBERATIONS
Last week the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on 16 bills. The topics of the discussed legislation varied from memorials for firefighters to banning use of certain artificial intelligence applications on state devices and networks.
Below is a list of 7, of those 16 bills.
· First is House Bill (HB) 2372, this bill would designate the memorial within the Fallen Firefighter’s Museum in Wichita as the official Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial and convert the Kansas Firefighters Memorial Advisory Committee into the Kansas Firefighters Memorial Council, with the power to raise funds through grants and gifts.
· Second is Senate Bill (SB) 92, this legislation extends the deadline for decisions on line siting permits with the Kansas Corporation Commission from 120 days to 180 days.
· Third is SB 45, which adjusts graduation rate calculations for the purpose of school accreditation, with the State School Board, by excluding transfer students, after the eighth grade, that fail to earn sufficient credits to graduate or transfer to nonaccredited schools.
· Fourth is HB 2382, this legislation would increase the daily compensation rate for members of the State Board of Education to the rate legislator’s are paid while in session.
· Fifth is HB 2393, this bill would establish additional charges within court procedure costs to fund non-judicial employee salaries from now till the end of fiscal year 2030.
· Sixth is HB 2313, which bans the use of artificial intelligence platform Deep Seek, and similar programs of concern, from use on state-owned devices and networks in Kansas.
· Seventh and last is SB 7, this legislation would increase the bonding authority limits for townships, based on their population, and raise bond maturation terms from 15 to 20 years.
All 16 of those bills debated passed and I voted yes on each one.
COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS
House Appropriations (HAPP) was busy last week. Informational briefings across several important topics were held and several pieces of legislation were heard, with one bill being worked and passed out of the committee.
Tuesday the committee heard informational briefings from the Department of Commerce and Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. The Department of Commerce presented on the impact of its programs and several recent projects of major note, for example Hilmar Cheese in Dodge City and Amber Wave in Philipsburg. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation informed committee members on the need for more housing in our state and on the impact increased spending has made.
Wednesday saw HAPP hold a hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 14 and an informational briefing on nursing in state institutions. SB 14 establishes emergency budget protocols if the legislature fails to produce a budget in a fiscal year, enacting the previous fiscal year’s budget into law. The bill had one proponent testify, Senate President Ty Masterson, and one opponent testify, Leah Fliter for the Kansas Association of School Boards. Several state agencies provided testimony for the informational briefing on nursing, covering numerous factors that impact nursing in our state, from work-life balance to accreditation requirements.
The committee on Thursday held informational hearings on agriculture and water conservation and worked one bill. Kelsey Olson, Deputy Secretary for the Department of Agriculture, presented to the committee on important trends in agriculture, from the impact of tariffs to increased beef production. Julie Lorenz, former Secretary of Transportation, presented on water conservation in the state and the need for a state water infrastructure plan, similar to the process used by the Department of Transportation; afterwards SB 14 was passed out of committee with a single amendment.
LEGISLATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE
Last week the Kansas House of Representatives introduced nine pieces of legislation. Below is a selection of four bills from that list.
First is House Bill (HB) 2397, which would increase the minimum statutory distribution amount given from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to any local health departments from $7,000 to $12,000.
Second is HB 2398. This legislation would appropriate $600,000 from State General Fund (SGF) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 for the State Historical Society to issue a scope statement, timeline, and issue a request for proposal for a master plan on the Quindaro Ruins Archaeological Park, Kansas City.
Third is HB 2399 which would establish within the Kansas Department of Health and Environment the Advance Universal Newborn Screening Program, by expanding the scope of conditions covered.
Fourth and last is HB 2400. This bill would categorize trail rides as ranching activity, thus making it qualify as an agritourism activity and subject to different property tax valuation.
It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.
Contact My Office
Representative Troy L. Waymaster
300 SW 10th Street
Topeka, Kansas 66612
[email protected]
www.kslegislature.org
www.troywaymaster.com