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Minutes for SB417 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Removing the secretary of wildlife and park's authority to exercise the right of eminent domain.
Minutes Content for Tue, Feb 13, 2024
Chairman Peck opened the hearing on SB417.
Revisor Tamera Lawrence gave an overview of the bill and stood for questions.
Senator Mark Steffen, gave proponent testimony (Attachment 1) that this statute dating back to 1927 has become antiquated and is inappropriate. Senator Steffen said that in section 1(c) of the statute (KSA 32-840) (Attachment 2) indentures the Attorney General to carry out the will of the Secretary of Wildlife and Parks. In closing he stated that the statute is old, was never a good idea and that imminent domain is a dicey deal that erodes the fiber of a free society and must not be allowed to be used whimsically. Senator Steffen stood for questions.
Representative Ken Corbet also spoke (Attachment 3). Representative Corbet referred to a Division of Post Audit report that says that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism was the largest landowner in Kansas with 156,810 acres as of July 26, 2019. Representative Corbet stood for questions (Attachment 4)
Written Proponent testimony was given by:
Jill O'Connor (Attachment 5)
Abhishek Kambli, Deputy Attorney General, Special Litigation & Constitutional Issues Division ) (Attachment 6)
Matt Steele, Executive Director, Kansas Cattlemen's Association (Attachment 7)
Written Neutral testimony was given by:
Brad Loveless, Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks. (Attachment 8) Secretary Loveless was in attendance and stood for questions.
Chairman Peck closed the hearing on SB417 and adjourned the meeting at 9:02 am.
