ENGAGE, EXPLORE, EVOLVE with AIA Kansas
February 22, 2019
Legislative Update Week 6
Hearing for SB 148
Deadline for non-exempt bills is Monday, Feb. 25

The Senate Education met to conduct a hearing on Senate Bill 148, which deals with amending requirements for school district board requests for proposals for construction or repair projects. The bill was summarized as a way to prevent closed specs and allow for a substitute product or system that is similar if the industry deems it so. There was one proponent ( Delta Innovative Services, Inc. ) and one opponent ( Kansas Association School Board ). Attached is the testimony from both. Senators on the committee showed general interest and desire to have a "fair", competitive process to save money. Discussion and final action on the bill was postponed to Monday, February 24. The AIA Kansas Governmental Affairs Committee is drafting a letter to send to committee members to demonstrate opposition to the bill. The letter will be shared once it is finalized.

Monday will be the deadline for nonexempt bills to get to the House and Senate floors. Then the legislature will debate bills in each of the chambers before Turnaround Day on Thursday, February 28. Turnaround Day is the first noteworthy legislative deadline of the session and signifies the movement of bills from their originating chamber of the opposite body. Nonexempt bills which have not been worked out of committee, debated and passed on the floor of the chamber which they began will not move forward in the legislative process after turnaround day. This marks the halfway point of the session. It is a busy and exciting point in the session.
Bills of Interest

SB 148 - Amending requirements for school district board requests for proposals for construction or repair projects
Introduced by: Committee on Education
To read the bill, Click Here
Final action scheduled for February 25 at 1:30pm. Click hear to listen.

HB 2207 - Requirements for school district construction contracts relating to requests for proposals that specify particular products or particular installation methods
Introduced by: Committee on K-12 Education Budget
To read the bill, Click Here

HB 2026 - Enacting the Fire Sprinkler Industry Act
Introduced by: Representative Stan Frownfelter
To read the bill, Click Here

HB 2006 - Requiring the Department of Commerce to create a database of economic development incentive program information
Introduced by: Representative Kristey Williams
To read the bill with amendment, Click Here
Passed out of committee as amended.
Amendment requires certain analyses and reporting of economic development programs, which would be done by the Legislative Division of Post Audit and the Department of Commerce (Department).   

HB 2043 - Review of tax credits, tax exemptions and economic development programs
Introduced by: Representative Jim Gartner
To read the bill with amendment, Click Here
Passed out of committee as amended.
A friendly amendment was made to the bill to make both the Department of Revenue and the Historical Society the reporting authority on the historical tax credit.

HB 2147 - Increasing bond maturity limitations in the Kansas rural incentive district act
Introduced by: Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
To read the bill, Click Here
Passed out of committee.

If you have any questions regarding these bills, please email Terry .
About AIA Kansas
AIA Kansas is a state chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The organization provides services and programs to meet the professional development needs and interests of Kansas architects and to develop public awareness for the value of architects and architecture. 

Our 700-plus members are leaders in
building healthy, sustainable communities
that will serve our citizens into the future.

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