By NOAH TABORDA
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Kansas could soon see autonomous Amazon and FedEx delivery robots roaming the streets of their neighborhood if a bill passed by the Senate is signed into law.
One of about two dozen bills debated in the Senate Wednesday, the autonomous vehicles in question under Senate Bill 161 can only go up to 6 miles per hour and weigh up to 15 pounds. No maximum exists for the cargo that is carried by these delivery robots.
Municipalities can opt-out and ban the robots in their communities with an ordinance.
The measure split senators between those who praised the bill as an opportunity to bring Kansas into the future and those who dubbed the bill a “job-killer.” Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, said the measure would destroy thousands of semi-skilled jobs in the state without providing Kansas communities the tools to proactively manage the devices.
“This bill is being painted as somehow a jobs creator where we’re going to encourage robotics development. Get real,” Holland said. “This is where you go from people employed by the hundreds to one or two folks. It’s a technology disruptor and it puts people out of work.”
The Senate approved the measure by a 24 to 15 vote, with both sides of the aisle split on the matter. The bill now goes to the House for further consideration.
Amazon currently employs 7,000 Kansans either full- or part-time and FedEx employs 4,500 more. Both companies have developed a delivery robot and requested the committee raise the speed it can travel to 10 mph.
In testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee, which the bill has passed out of twice, Amazon officials said they have had success integrating their autonomous delivery system into select neighborhoods in other states.
Municipalities who testified urged legislators to keep local authority, maintain well-regulated speed and weight rules. Opponents of the bill echoed Holland’s claims that the measure would inevitably cause Kansans to lose their jobs
To ensure protective measures were put in place should the bill pass, Holland offered two amendments. The first, approved by the Senate, requires the delivery service to pay the same commercial vehicle fees as on normal delivery vehicles.
Senators rejected a second amendment requiring Amazon to go before a city or county commission with a plan of routes before starting operation.
Sen. Kristen O’Shea, R-Topeka, told legislators similar measures are under consideration in other states and that Kansas should be careful not to be left behind.
“The future is here,” O’Shea said.
O’Shea said the bill would create a framework for a fair market while still providing for public safety. A similar measure passed out of committee in 2020 but did not advance before the session was cut short due to COVID-19.
Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, served on the commerce committee both times the bill made it through, and while he acknowledged technology was changing, said he did not believe Kansas was ready for robotic delivery.
A motion by Olson to send the measure back to the committee for further consideration failed. The Senate will take a final vote on the measure later this week.
“The Amazon trucks delivering packages right to the doorsteps are working well,” Olson said. “I just cannot see these remote robots working in my neighborhood running up and down the streets, delivering packages.”