29 March 2005

Governor Signs Bills into Law

Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed 6 bills into law today, bringing the total bills signed this session to 43.

HB 2031 would remove a requirement that the Legislative Division of Post Audit initiate audit steps to assure tax abatements authorized by the Kansas Department of Revenue were made in accordance with law. The accompanying audit reporting requirement would also be eliminated.

HB 2183 would increase the bonding authority for Fort Hays State University for the Memorial Union renovation from $5.7 million to $6.5 million. The bill would also require that the total cost of the project is to be covered by bond proceeds, student fees, and fund reserves.

HB 2323 would amend KSA 40-305 and KSA 2004 Supp. 40-306 relating to stock companies and KSA 40-502 relating to mutual life insurance companies by making the existing statutory language compatible with the Kansas Corporation Code. The bill would also make technical changes to the existing law. Specifically, the bill would: Remove the requirement that a director of a domestic insurance company having capital stock or a mutual life insurance company take an oath of office; and Remove the requirement that the board of directors elect from their number a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer and other officers as prescribed in the bylaws of the board. The proposed new language would remove the words “from their number” and the specific listing of company officers from existing law. The bill would require that the officers of the insurance company be chosen in a manner, be given titles and duties, and serve terms consistent with the company’s bylaws or as determined by the board of directors or other governing body.

HB 2325 would amend KSA 40-401, KSA 40-436, and KSA 40-3641 to allow stock and mutual life insurance companies to issue funding agreements, guaranteed investment contracts and synthetic guaranteed investment contracts. Specifically, KSA 40-401 concerns the powers, organization, and administration of insurance companies. KSA 40-436 provides for the establishment of separate accounts by domestic life insurance companies. KSA 40-3641 relates to the priority of distribution of claims against impaired or insolvent insurers.

HB 2327 provides the Commissioner of the Juvenile Justice Authority with the statutory authority, similar to the Department of Corrections, to obtain a court order to have an offender’s blood tested for infectious diseases when staff at a juvenile correctional facility has been exposed to that offender’s body fluids.

SB 113 would amend a section of law which establishes the maximum fee to register a soil amendment product with the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Specifically, the bill would increase the maximum registration fee from $60 to a maximum of $100 per product. The bill also would delete the sunset provision in current law dealing with fees which would have expired on June 30, 2010. Also, the bill would repeal a section of law which permits the Kansas Department of Agriculture to charge an inspection fee based on the tonnage of soil amendment product sold in the state. This section of law proposed for repeal also requires reporting by registrants to the agency indicating tonnage distributed by county. Lastly, the bill would amend a section of law to remove language that makes it unlawful to fail to file the tonnage report or pay the inspection fee.