Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2153

Introduced
1/29/25  

Caption

Specifying when boards of directors for irrigation districts of 35,000 or more acres may conduct board member elections by mail ballot and establishing the terms for such members.

Impact

The implications of HB 2153 on state laws are significant, as it amends existing water resource regulations by defining more clearly the structures recognized as dams and water obstructions. The bill revises election laws to provide an option for mail-in ballots, which could increase participation in elections among landowners. It also empowers the chief engineer of the division of water resources to regulate compliance and approve permits, thus centralizing some aspects of water management while ensuring that the public has a voice in the governance of their irrigation districts.

Summary

House Bill 2153 pertains to the governance of irrigation districts in Kansas, particularly those exceeding 35,000 acres. It establishes provisions regarding the conduct of elections for the board of directors, specifically allowing for mail ballot voting. This change aims to streamline the election process, making it more convenient for land owners entitled to vote within the district. The bill also clarifies the term lengths for elected board members, which can be set at two, three, or four years by the board itself.

Contention

Some points of contention may arise regarding the balance between state oversight and local control, especially as the bill provides the chief engineer with significant authority over dam and water obstruction management. Concerns may be raised about the ability of local irrigation districts to effectively manage their affairs independently, as more power is vested in state authorities. Additionally, as the bill sets forth specific definitions and requirements for dams, stakeholders in agricultural sectors could be impacted by any revisions in regulations that affect their operations.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB4

Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

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