Sebelius creates housing grant program
Bill helps those impacted by disasters, also rural communities

Communities across the state struggle with the very real dilemma of trying to attract businesses and workers to their communities while lacking available and affordable workforce housing. These struggles are particularly exacerbated for Kansas communities impacted by disasters.

“Affordable workforce housing is key in the recovery of communities impacted by disasters, as well as in the overall economic vitality of rural communities across the entire state,” said Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

SB 417 creates the housing development grant program and provides $4 million annually for housing grants, initially targeting cities and counties that suffered recent disasters and later expanding eligibility in 2010 to include rural cities and counties. These resources will be used to assist local communities with the long-term development of both rental and individually-owned affordable housing through new state housing development grants. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation of the Kansas Development Finance Authority will implement and administer the grant program for cities and is effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Sebelius signed three other bills today, bringing the total for this session to 95 bills signed and two bills vetoed.

HB 2660

Regarding the Petroleum Inspection Fee Funds

This bill decreases the amount of money raised by petroleum inspection fees and changes the amount transferred to the State General Fund from $250,000 to $100,000.

In addition, the bill changes current statute to allow the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt rules and regulations to authorize agricultural chemicals to be registered for a period not to exceed three years. The bill also enables the Secretary of Agriculture to charge a fee for which the agricultural chemical would be registered.

This bill is effective upon publication in the statute book.

HB 2897

Regarding grain commodity commissions

HB 2897 allows each commission, by majority approval of the commissions, to appoint a first purchaser as a member of the Commission in addition to the other two potential at-large members provided by current law. A first purchaser would serve a term determined by the commodity commission not to exceed a three-year term of appointment and must be a Kansas resident and have been a first purchaser for at least five years preceding the  appointment.

This bill is effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.

HB 2968

Regarding the judicial branch non-judicial salary adjustment fund

HB 2968 funds the salary plan adjustments for non-judicial employees of the Judicial Branch by increasing docket fees by $9 and depositing the money into the Judicial Branch Non-judiciary Salary Adjustment Fund. The fund is created by this bill and is to be used solely for the compensation of non-judicial employees, which would include clerk of district court staff, judicial support staff, and court services officers.

This bill is effective upon publication in the statute book.

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