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HB 2139

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2025 Regular Session Introduced by Wendell Walker

Raises the dollar threshold for sealed bids and superintendent contracting from $20,000 to $50,000, easing mid-range district purchases.

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Bill Summary · HB 2139

Summary — HB 2139 (Kansas, 2025 session)

Title: Increasing the minimum expenditure amount for school districts for contracted goods and services without requiring sealed bids and the minimum expenditure amount for goods and services that the district superintendent may acquire on behalf of the school district

Purpose / Intent

HB 2139 raises the dollar thresholds that trigger formal sealed-bid procurement and the authority delegated to district superintendents. The bill is intended to give Kansas school districts greater administrative flexibility for routine purchases and to simplify procurement for mid‑range contracts.

Key provisions

  • Amends K.S.A. 72-1131 and 72-1151.
  • Increases two monetary thresholds from $20,000 to $50,000:
    • The maximum value of goods or services a superintendent may contract for on behalf of a unified school district (K.S.A. 72-1131).
    • The threshold above which a board of education must use sealed proposals and award to the lowest responsible bidder for purchases (K.S.A. 72-1151(a)).
  • Retains existing exceptions in K.S.A. 72-1151(b) — the sealed-bid requirement still does not apply to specified categories (examples: certain services; motor fuel; child nutrition foodstuffs; prison-made goods; purchases under state or federal contract pricing provisions; emergency repairs covered by insurance, etc.).
  • Retains the local preference provision in subsection (c) (allows a domiciliary school district bidder to be awarded when within 1% of the low bid and meeting other conditions); subsection (d) remains exempting construction/reconstruction/remodeling from that preference.
  • Repeals the current versions of K.S.A. 72-1131 and 72-1151 and replaces them with the amended language.

Who would be affected

  • Unified school districts in Kansas (boards of education and superintendents).
  • Vendors and contractors competing for district contracts (particularly those with contract values between $20,000 and $50,000).
  • Procurement and finance staff in districts (fewer sealed-bid procurements in the $20k–$50k range).

Fiscal impact and analysis

  • Kansas Division of the Budget fiscal note (Feb 6, 2025): no fiscal effect on state aid or state expenditures; any fiscal effect for districts likely negligible.
  • Kansas Association of School Boards: anticipates greater administrative flexibility; no significant cost savings or increases identified.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced January 28, 2025; referred to the House Committee on Education. Hearing scheduled Feb 10, 2025 (1:30 PM, Room 218‑N).
  • As introduced, effective upon publication in the statute book (no fixed effective date specified in the text).

Potential implications (practical considerations)

  • Pros: reduces administrative burden and cost for smaller procurement processes; speeds acquisition for mid‑sized purchases.
  • Cons: reduces the number of competitively bid procurements in the $20k–$50k range, which could affect transparency and competitive pricing unless districts adopt internal controls or alternative competitive processes.

Statutory citations: proposed changes to K.S.A. 72-1131 and 72-1151 (as provided in the introduced bill).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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