Legislative Update
February 25, 2022
CEP has a rich history of advocacy. We respond to rapidly evolving climate and energy issues by mobilizing Kansans to take action through advocacy, coalition building, legislative action, and regulatory intervention.
The legislature adjourned a day early for Turnaround, the mid-session deadline whereby bills must pass their original Chamber or be considered dead. Clean energy advocates have worked hard this session to ensure the anti-wind legislation heard in Senate Utilities didn’t advance.
Kudos to all for your efforts! We’re in a good place right now.
Committee members stood firm in their support for the renewable energy industry. Efforts to restrict these energy sources have not advanced. We’re not out of the woods – as long as legislators are in Topeka, we must be vigilant, but the facts prevail: wind and solar are good for Kansas and policymakers shouldn’t restrict responsible development.
SB 349, the rate cap bill, failed to advance in Senate Utilities, however, the Chairman has indicated he’d like to find a way to continue to work on that bill. SB 350, the bill in Senate Utilities that would reverse some of the securitization benefits did not get a hearing.
Progress continues on the Water bill, HB 2686, a bipartisan initiative to ensure the state’s water supply isn’t jeopardized. View testimony and minutes. The committee will work the bill on Tuesday in the House Water Committee. Thanks to everyone who has weighed in on this. We’re pleased to note the budget committees are also recommending the legislature fully fund the water plan. Another victory!
Unfortunately, a broad preemption bill, SB 493, that would prohibit cities from enacting policies about plastic bags and other items passed the Senate 27-13. Please let your local House member know that you don’t support the legislature’s encroachment on local control decisions that impact environmental policy.
The legislature returns to Topeka on Tuesday, March 1. The last day for non-exempt committees to meet is March 18.
View last week’s legislative update on our website.
Bills We’re Watching
HB 2689 – Limiting cost recovery of replacing coal-fired electric generation facilities in rates, requiring public utilities to purchase certain electricity generated from coal-fired facilities and exempting certain coal-fired electric generation facilities from regulation. Introduced Feb. 10 and sponsored by the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. Referred to House Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications. No hearing has been set.
HB 2696 – Establishing electric generation requirements for certain renewable energy resources that provide baseload generation supply to public utilities. Requested for introduction by Representative Barker (R-District 70). Introduced Feb. 11 and sponsored by the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. Referred to House Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications. No hearing has been set.
SB 478 – Establishing requirements for wind energy conversion system obstruction lighting to mitigate the visual impact of such lighting systems. Requested for introduction Feb. 9 by Senator Thompson. Referred to and sponsored by Senate Utilities Committee. Withdrawn from Committee on Utilities; Referred to Senate Committee on Ways and Means Feb. 23. No hearing has been set.
SB 374 – Discontinuing the property tax exemption for new developments of renewable energy resources. Introduced Jan. 24 by Senator Mike Thompson. Bill sponsor: Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. Referred to Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation. No hearing has been set.
Live and recorded hearings can be viewed on the Statehouse Live & Archive Page.
Save the Date! 2022 WEALTH Day
This year, WEALTH Day will focus on ways to show support from afar for policies related to the WEALTH topics: Water, Energy, Air, Land, Transport, and Health.
Participants will receive a Digital Toolkit that offers specific actions, messaging, and talking points to be used in advocacy efforts throughout the day – they may pick and choose which topics to support and actions to take.
The day will include advocacy training, legislative briefing, a panel discussion from the Kansas Youth Power Coalition, Kansas Energy Efficiency Investment Act (KEEIA) briefing, and a toolkit for digital advocacy.
Register today and view more details on our event page!
Kansas Rural Center Policy Watch
CEP is a 2022 co-sponsor of the Kansas Rural Center’s Policy Watch weekly e-updates. KRC monitors the state legislature for decisions affecting a diversified agriculture, the environment, our natural resource base, rural communities, and our local and regional food systems. The weekly e-updates also provide information about upcoming hearings, so constituents can contact legislators or attend.
Issue No. 8 Covered: water reform legislation process, housing legislation process, food sales tax brief, budget overview for KDHE Division of Environment, energy bill updates, and agriculture pipeline bill advancement.
Read and subscribe to their latest issues on their website.
