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Bill

HB 2279

Relating to utilities.

2025 Regular Session

HB 2279 exempts KDWP from the $1 million five-year cost threshold, allowing high-cost rules without legislative ratification and reducing legislative oversight of KDWP rulemaking.

In committee upon adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 2279

Summary — HB 2279

Title: Exempting the department of wildlife and parks from proposed rule and regulation restrictions on implementation and compliance costs
Introduced: January 30, 2025 | Hearing: February 17, 2025 — 9:00 AM, Room 346‑S

Purpose / Intent

HB 2279 would change Kansas administrative rulemaking law so that the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is exempt from a statutory restriction that prevents state agencies from adopting proposed rules expected to impose $1,000,000 or more in implementation and compliance costs over the first five years unless the rule is specifically ratified by the Legislature.

Key provisions

  • Amends K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 77-441 to exempt the Department of Wildlife and Parks from the $1,000,000 five‑year implementation/compliance cost threshold that otherwise requires legislative ratification before adoption of a proposed rule or regulation.
  • Repeals the existing 77‑441 and replaces it with the amended text.
  • Maintains other procedural elements of the statute: agencies must prepare economic impact statements; agencies can modify proposals and prepare revised statements to reduce estimated costs below the $1,000,000 threshold.
  • Effective upon publication in the statute book (per the bill text).

Who or what would be affected

  • Primary: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks — KDWP could adopt high‑cost rules (≥ $1,000,000 over five years) without awaiting an authorizing bill from the Legislature.
  • Secondary: businesses, local governmental units, and individuals that would bear implementation and compliance costs for KDWP rules.
  • Legislature: reduces one avenue of oversight (legislative ratification) over KDWP rulemaking where costs exceed the statutory threshold.

Fiscal note / budgetary impact

  • Kansas Division of the Budget (Feb 14, 2025) reports: current law requires legislative ratification for rules with estimated costs ≥ $1,000,000 in the first five years; HB 2279 would exempt KDWP. The Department of Wildlife and Parks states the bill would have no fiscal effect. No direct state fiscal cost was identified in the fiscal note.

Procedural / timeline highlights

  • Filed: Jan 30, 2025
  • Fiscal note dated: Feb 14, 2025
  • Hearing scheduled: Feb 17, 2025, 9:00 AM, Room 346‑S
  • The bill text explicitly repeals and replaces the current version of K.S.A. 77‑441.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Administrative: KDWP could adopt rule changes more quickly and independently, useful for urgent wildlife, conservation, or public‑safety responses.
  • Regulatory cost risk: affected parties could face higher regulatory compliance costs without the additional legislative review/ratification step intended to constrain adoption of high‑cost rules.
  • Policy tradeoff: balances agency flexibility against reduced legislative oversight for potentially high‑cost regulations.

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

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