Kelly also signs bills on distinctive license plates, hunting and fishing licenses
By TIM CARPENTER
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a series of bills Wednesday that created limited liability protection for businesses engaged in high school work programs, established a lifetime hunting and fishing license for children and authorized issuance of a handful of distinctive state license plates.
The contents of Senate Bill 91 granted injury liability protection for businesses, schools and municipalities offering work-based learning programs to students in high school. A business would be exempted from claims arising from a participating student’s negligent act.
The school district of the work-program student would be responsible for loss due to bodily injury, sickness or death related to accidents caused by the student or business. There would be no immunity for the student or business when either gross negligence or willful misconduct was established.
“By providing some liability protection for our students and businesses involved, we open the door for additional community involvement and more opportunity for students to gain the skills needed to step out of the classroom and into the workforce,” Kelly said.
Cynthia Lane, co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Education, said the council supported work by the Legislature and Kelly to recognize the value of industry programs aimed at developing, recruiting and retaining talented students in Kansas. The bill was supported 116-0 in the House and 37-2 in the Senate.
“This bill is a testament to the years-long effort by our members to pass legislation that will allow more students to prepare for their future careers,” Lane said.
In addition, Kelly signed House Bill 2456 to create a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for children. Under the law, a child 5 years or young and a Kansas resident could get a lifetime pass for a fee not to exceed $300 and the comparable license for children 6 or 7 years of age and a Kansas resident would not be more than $500.
Rep. Ken Corbet, a Topeka Republican and owner of the Ravenwood Lodge, introduced the bill. He said the law was warranted because the number of hunting and fishing licenses issued to Kansans 20 or younger had declined during the past 15 years. The lifetime license is an incentive to expand the next generation of anglers and hunters, he said.
Kelly also signed a bill enabling issuance of Silver Star and Bronze Star military medal license plates along with specialized plates for the City of Hutchinson and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Four plates associated with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks were created.
Her signature on House Bill 2476 also authorized individuals to submit a DD214 form available to military retirees or a Kansas veteran driver’s license as proof of veteran status for distinctive license plates.
The governor signed House Bill 2478 designating a portion of U.S. Highway 166 as the Sgt. Evan S. Parker Memorial Highway, a portion of U.S. Highway 56 as the Private First Class Shane Austin Memorial Highway, a portion of U.S. Highway 69 as the Sen. Tom R. Van Sickle Memorial Highway.
In addition, the bill would name a bridge on Kansas 126 as the Dennis Crain Memorial Bridge, a portion of U.S. 69 as the Aviation Machinist Mate Second Class Walter Scott Brown Memorial Highway and bridges on Kansas 66 highway as Veterans Memorial Bridge.