Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB417

Introduced
1/28/26  
Refer
1/29/26  
Refer
2/19/26  

Caption

Establishing requirements for the development, construction, modification, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of certain industrial energy facilities and providing jurisdiction to the state corporation commission to control and permit such development, construction, modification, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of such facilities.

Impact

The passage of SB417 would significantly impact existing state laws concerning energy facility regulation. It introduces stringent requirements on the construction and operation of new industrial energy facilities, including the necessity for transparent communication with landowners, establishment of decommissioning plans, and adherence to setback distances to minimize disruptions to nearby properties. The bill's emphasis on local governmental authority involves the ability for county commissioners to approve or deny projects, which could lead to varying energy regulatory environments across the state, depending on local needs and community sentiment.

Summary

Senate Bill No. 417 aims to establish comprehensive regulatory measures for the development, construction, modification, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of industrial energy facilities, which encompass industrial solar and wind energy systems as well as industrial battery energy storage systems. This bill empowers the Kansas State Corporation Commission with jurisdiction over these facilities, mandating that they obtain permits before commencing any new construction or expansion. It also requires current facility owners to register with the commission, ensuring that all operations meet defined standards and protocols aimed at safeguarding health, safety, and environmental quality.

Contention

Despite the aimed regulatory framework, SB417 may present points of contention. Proponents argue that the regulations ensure necessary standards that would protect residents and the environment from the potential harms of industrial energy development. Conversely, critics worry that the bill may unduly empower local officials to obstruct beneficial energy projects, leading to economic drawbacks. Moreover, concerns have been raised about how these regulations may impose additional burdens on energy developers, possibly doubling the existing mitigation processes while potentially delaying essential energy infrastructure advancements.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 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 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 SB8

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

KS SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

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.

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SR1701

Providing for the organization of the Senate for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

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