April 18, 2006
Governor signs traffic safety bill aimed at protecting highway workers
Governor Sebelius signs 11 bills into law
A bill designed to improve the safety of highway workers throughout Kansas was signed into law today by Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
The bill, SB 411, requires traffic on four-lane highways to move away from vehicles engaged in highway construction or maintenance operations when those vehicles are displaying an amber flashing light.
“Our road crews work in dangerous situations, which is why we need to slow down in work zones and give them an extra margin of safety,” Sebelius said.
Last year in Kansas eight people were killed and 460 people injured in work zone crashes throughout the state.
The Kansas Department of Transportation alone had two tragic reminders of the dangers of working alongside highways. On June 1, 2005, KDOT equipment operator Marvin “Scotty” McDonald, III was struck and killed while cleaning a roadside along US-75 north of Topeka.
Two months later, on Aug. 1, 2005, equipment operator Richard Cunningham was killed on K-130 near Neosho Rapids. Equipment operator Gary Burroughs was also injured in the same crash when their dump truck was struck by a semi trailer. Burroughs spent nearly two months in the hospital and is still undergoing outpatient therapy.
These incidents led KDOT to push for this legislation, which will take effect upon publication in the statute book.
Governor Sebelius also signed 10 other bills into law today. She has signed 142 bills and vetoed two during the 2006 Legislature.
Promoting affordable airfares
SB 475 creates the $5,000,000 State Affordable Airfare Fund, to be administered by the Department of Commerce. The goal is to provide more air flight options, more competition for air travel and more affordable air fares for Kansas. Funds will be distributed through an annual grant by Commerce to the Regional Economic Area Partnership based on a match of 25% from local units of government or private entities and 75% from the State Affordable Airfare Fund. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Encouraging the production of biodiesel
SB 388 establishes a biodiesel fuel producer production incentive in the amount of $.30 for each gallon of biodiesel fuel sold by a producer, payable from the Kansas Qualified Biodiesel Fuel Producer Incentive Fund. The fund will be created in the state treasury and will be financed from the State Economic Development Initiatives Fund. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Increasing certain retirement benefits and changing KPERS guidelines
SB 270 increases the minimum retirement benefit from $500 to $625 on July 1, 2006, and to $750 beginning July 1, 2007, for retired members of the Kansas School Retirement System with at least 20 years service credit. It also raises the working after retirement salary limitation from $15,000 to $20,000 for retired KPERS members who return to work after retirement for the same employer from which they retired. It also requires any KPERS participating employer who hires a KPERS retired member to pay the KPERS actuarially-determined employer and employee contributions on behalf of the retired member. Additionally, it changes the statutory definition of a professional employee employed by a school district board of education and the statutory definition of teacher and replaces a statutory reference to the normal retirement age of 65 with a reference to the federal Social Security Act. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Restricting sexually-oriented signs within one mile of any state highway
SB 35 bans signs and outdoor advertising for adult cabarets and sexually oriented businesses within one mile of any state highway. If the business is located within one mile of a state highway, it may display a maximum of two exterior signs on the premises, one identification sign and one giving notice that the premises are off-limits to minors. The identification sign shall be no more than 40 square feet in size and shall include no more than the following information: name, street address, telephone number and operating hours. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Making work-site utility vehicles exempt from sales tax
SB 76 adds work-site utility vehicles to Kansas law, in order to no longer treat these vehicles as all-terrain vehicles. The sale of these vehicles may be exempt from sales tax if the purchaser certifies that the vehicle will be used only in farming or ranching operations. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Updating the Highway Advertising Control Act
SB 253 updates the Highway Advertising Control Act, restructuring fees for signs along highways and authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to adopt rules and regulations to regulate the use of new technology in outdoor advertising. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book
Lifting restrictions on certain motorcycle handlebars
SB 278 removes language from existing law that prohibits a person from operating a motorcycle with handlebars so positioned that the hands of the operator, when on the grips, are at or above shoulder height when the person is sitting astride the seat with the vehicle in an upright position. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Increasing safety in school zones
SB 344 makes it unlawful for a person to willfully fail or refuse to comply with a lawful order or direction of any uniformed school crossing guard and requires school districts, nonpublic schools, cities or counties to provide training to volunteers as school crossing guards. The Secretary of Transportation will work in conjunction with the Board of Education of any school district having a school located adjacent to a rural school zone to determine the appropriate maximum speed limit in and the appropriate signage for any rural school zone. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Exempting self-propelled cranes from registration
SB 374 clarifies the conditions under which self-propelled cranes are exempt from registration by specifying that they cannot be used to transport property, except when required for the operation of the crane itself. The bill also defines “antique military vehicle” as any vehicle, regardless of size or weight, which was manufactured for use in any country’s military forces and is maintained to represent its military design. The bill also increases the county treasurer’s additional compensation for administering the motor vehicle title and registration laws and fees. This bill will take effect after publication in the Kansas register.
Removing KCC’s discretion to price deregulated telecommunications services
SB 350 removes the Kansas Corporation Commission’s discretion to price deregulated telecommunications services in an exchange. The bill establishes thresholds for price deregulation for local exchange carriers currently subject to price cap regulation. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
