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HB 2283

Requiring at least one member of the Kansas state fair board to be a resident of Reno county.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Schwertfeger and 3 co-sponsors

Shifts Kansas State Fair Board seats from a governor pick to seven seats filled by legislative leaders, guaranteeing a Reno County resident; sets nomination rules and terms.

Died in Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2283

HB 2283 — Summary (Kansas)

Status: Introduced January 30, 2025; Referred to Committee on Federal and State Affairs (public hearing held March 31, 2025; left pending)
Companion bill: SB 1619

Purpose

Amend K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 74‑520a to change how certain members of the Kansas State Fair Board are appointed and to require that at least one of the public appointees be a resident of Reno County.

Key provisions

  • Amends the statutory membership rules for the Kansas State Fair Board.
  • Retains the board’s ex‑officio members (secretary of agriculture or designee; secretary of commerce or designee; director of extension, KSU or designee) and the three industry‑nominated appointees (Kansas Chamber, travel industry, Kansas fairs association).
  • Replaces the single block of “seven people from the general public appointed by the governor” with specific appointing authorities for each of the seven public seats:
    • Speaker of the House: one person to represent the state at large.
    • House majority leader: one person to represent the northwest extension area.
    • House minority leader: one person to represent the southwest extension area.
    • President of the Senate: one person to represent the south central extension area.
    • Senate majority leader: one person to represent the southeast extension area.
    • Senate minority leader: one person to represent the northeast extension area.
    • One person who is a resident of Reno County to represent the state at large — appointed by the governor.
  • Requires that nominees submitted by extension area directors be actively involved in agricultural production or agribusiness.
  • Provides for staggered initial terms (the bill retains language establishing one‑, two‑ and three‑year initial terms for certain initial appointees) and thereafter three‑year terms; vacancies are filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
  • Confirms the board’s authority to form a 501(c)(3) nonprofit for fundraising; includes corresponding board composition for that nonprofit.
  • Repeals the existing version of K.S.A. 74‑520a and takes effect upon publication in the statute book.

Who is affected

  • Kansas State Fair Board membership and the pool of appointing authorities (shifts most of the appointments for the seven public seats from a single executive appointing authority to legislative leaders and one governor appointee from Reno County).
  • Extension area directors (responsible for submitting nominations).
  • Residents of Reno County (guaranteed at least one seat among the public appointees).
  • Stakeholders in fair governance and agricultural representation.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Fiscal Note (Kansas Division of the Budget, Feb. 16, 2025): Kansas State Fair reports enactment would have no fiscal effect on operations.
  • Legislative actions (selected): filed Jan 30, 2025; referred to Committee on Federal and State Affairs Feb 6, 2025; considered in public hearing Mar 31, 2025 (left pending).

Practical effect

The bill ensures explicit representation for Reno County on the State Fair Board and redistributes most appointment authority for the public seats to legislative leaders, which may change the political balance of appointments without creating new direct costs to the State Fair according to the fiscal note.

Note: The materials provided included unrelated bill texts from other states; this summary focuses on the Kansas HB 2283 content.

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

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