Kansas House Bill HB2561

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/26
• Refer: 1/27/26

Caption

Authorizing the state board of regents to sell and convey real property valued at $5,000,000 or less without further legislative authorization and requiring the submission of an annual report listing any such real property sales to the legislature.

Summary

HB2561 authorizes the Kansas state board of regents to sell and convey real property owned by the board or a state educational institution without additional legislative approval when the property has a market value of $5 million or less. Before a sale, the property must be appraised by three disinterested appraisers, and the board must adopt policies to govern how these transactions are carried out. The bill also requires the board to report any such sales to the legislature each regular session for the prior fiscal year. The bill directs proceeds from these sales to be remitted to the state treasurer and credited to the appropriate special revenue fund of the relevant board or institution. It also exempts these transactions from certain existing statutes governing state property disposition, while leaving in place the bill’s appraisal, policy, and reporting requirements. In effect, the measure streamlines the process for disposing of lower-value higher-education real estate while preserving legislative oversight through annual reporting.

Impact

HB2561 would change state law by creating a new authorization for the state board of regents to dispose of certain real property without seeking separate legislative approval, so long as the property is valued at $5 million or less. It would affect the board of regents and state educational institutions by giving them more flexibility to manage land and facilities, while also requiring appraisals, internal procedures, and annual disclosure to the legislature. The bill would also route sale proceeds through the state treasurer into the applicable special revenue fund and exempt these sales from specified statutory procedures governing state property transactions.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive of administrative efficiency and asset management. The measure is framed as a practical delegation of authority rather than a controversial policy change, with the reporting requirement suggesting an effort to balance flexibility with oversight. No recorded opposition or support is available in the provided materials.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the shift of authority away from direct legislative approval and toward the state board of regents, which could raise concerns about reduced oversight of public assets. Critics might question whether the $5 million threshold is too high or whether exempting these sales from certain statutes weakens existing safeguards. Supporters would likely emphasize that the bill still requires independent appraisals, board policies, and annual reporting, which are intended to limit abuse while allowing faster property management decisions.