Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB439

Introduced
2/2/26  
Refer
2/3/26  
Refer
2/13/26  
Refer
2/25/26  
Report Pass
3/2/26  

Caption

Enacting the utility railroad crossing act and establishing a process and limitations for utilities to interact with railroad right-of-way.

Impact

If passed, SB439 would introduce specific legislative language that governs how utilities can operate near railroad crossings. This will require utilities to adhere to established guidelines that ensure public safety while interacting with railroad properties. By clearly defining the roles and responsibilities involved, the act aims to minimize disruptions caused by utility work that can affect railroad operations and safety protocols. The legislation is projected to impact the operational efficiency and logistical considerations of utility companies significantly.

Summary

SB439 aims to enact the Utility Railroad Crossing Act, which seeks to establish a formal process and set limitations for utilities when interacting with railroad right-of-way. This bill is significant in addressing the interactions and operational protocols between utility providers and railroad authorities, ensuring a framework that promotes both safety and efficiency in managing right-of-way areas. The proposed act is intended to streamline procedures and reduce conflicts that may arise from utility work adjacent to or intersecting with railroads.

Contention

The discussions surrounding SB439 may highlight concerns from various stakeholders, including utility providers, railroad companies, and safety advocates. While some stakeholders may support the bill for its potential to create a more organized approach to utility work near railways, others might argue about the balance of regulation impacting operational flexibility. The need for comprehensive safety measures may also spark debate regarding their feasibility and practicality in real-world applications, particularly in densely populated areas or regions with high rail traffic.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB6

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

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 HB2002

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

KS SB8

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

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 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 SB3

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

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 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.

Similar Bills

AR HB2004

To Create Standard Requirements Concerning Railroad Train Defect Detectors And Trending Defect Detector Technology.

AZ SB1074

Railroad grade crossing; on-track equipment

AZ HB2259

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AK HB120

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WV HB3059

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CA AB2554

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MT HB933

Establish the Montana railroad crossing clarity act

CA SB1019

California Cargo Theft Task Force.