The Kansas Legislature had another busy week filled with bill hearings and informational meetings. KLA staff continues to monitor committee meetings and provide testimony on bills of interest to members.
Foreign ownership of land - KLA testified this week in opposition to SB 446, which would ban all foreign investment in real estate in Kansas unless an exemption were granted by a five-person state land council. KLA, based on its operating principles, stated the bill would create unnecessary government interference in the marketplace that would put business investments at the whim of three out of five people. KLA’s opposition was joined by the Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Bankers Association and several other business and civil liberties organizations. Staff testified KLA would not oppose a bill aimed at foreign adversaries, like China and Russia, to protect against legitimate security threats. In addition to intruding on the marketplace, the bill, as drafted, likely suffers from numerous constitutional deficiencies.
Amendment to IGUCA and LEMA law - KLA-supported HB 2634 would add an additional corrective control to the local enhanced management area (LEMA) and intensive groundwater use control area (IGUCA) law. The new corrective control would allow a producer to exceed the annual allocation of a water right if they do not exceed their total authorized allocation over the determined conservation period. KLA testified the bill could provide livestock facilities and producers more flexibility under a LEMA or IGUCA, while also advancing groundwater conservation. This specifically would help solve common water-use distribution issues facing feedyards and dairies. The bill was favorably passed out of the House Water Committee and awaits further action on the House floor.
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Categories: Kansas, General