Kansas seeks new Hill’s Pet Nutrition facility
Sebelius signs bill providing incentives for company to locate plant in state

Kansas is working hard to recruit a new Hill’s Pet Nutrition facility to the state, Governor Kathleen Sebelius says. 

She today signed a bill providing incentives for the company to build a new manufacturing plant in Kansas. Locations being considered include Ottawa, Gardner and Topeka.

“Hill’s is a great local employer and an important part of our state’s animal science industry. It’s my hope that they’ll add to their local presence by building a new facility and hiring new employees to be part of the Hill’s team,” said Sebelius.

SB 240 establishes a single-factor formula for corporate income tax apportionment, as opposed to the current, three-factor formula.  This new formula would be an option for manufacturers that, by December 31, 2009, construct a new facility in Kansas costing at least $100 million and employing at least 100 new employees at higher than average wages.

If selected, this optional apportionment formula, based exclusively on the amount of sales attributable to Kansas, would be required to be utilized by the corporate taxpayer for 10 tax years.

The bill will take effect after its publication in the statute book, as will with three other bills signed by Sebelius today.  Governor Sebelius has signed 21 bills during the 2007 Legislative Session.

Streamlining rules regarding prescription refills

SB 63 allows for ‘at will’ prescription refills to expire after one year. The authority to refill a prescription would be limited to the date stated by the prescriber or one year from the date of issuance, whichever occurs first.

Removing a barrier to the use of electronic prescriptions

SB 62 removes the requirement that a prescription for amphetamine or sympathomimetic amine designated in Schedules II, III, or IV of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, indicate in the prescriber’s own handwriting the purpose for which the drug is being given. Adequate documentation is still required to be maintained in the patient’s medical record, but there is no longer an impediment to electronic prescriptions. Prior to this bill becoming law, Kansas was the only state to have such a requirement.

Changing procedures of the Board of Pharmacy

HB 2096 amends laws governing the meetings and elections of the Kansas Board of Pharmacy by removing the requirement that the annual meeting to elect officers be held in June. The bill also removes a requirement that the board meet, at least once per year, for the purpose of examining applicants for licensure as pharmacists.

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