[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6632509,"mediaKeyId","2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207","parentId",2673056,"title","Judiciary committee adopts amendment to SB 242 and advances substitute for House Bill 228 tightening oversight of contingency-fee legal contracts","audioSeconds",738,"startMs",3849435,"endMs",4588020,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207&start=3849&end=4588","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207/thumbnail_3849435.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6632509/Kansas/Judiciary-committee-adopts-amendment-to-SB-242-and-advances-substitute-for-House-Bill-228-tightening-oversight-of-contingency-fee-legal-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632509-b9a0b3cd82a8b64c15cc519e51f4aab5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139189&Signature=n35~j8zAkHjqBQsP3l5i0tR0mkXdCL3TwTDzWXTCGudxnoZKsVLmzDrchtRgTtWpV8IIv2adrewFlCM114ciM3Tpq406CsTdNClwSGFf32xS8kFXPctSK402BDC7wYKYoQ2PtABu-5vHzxI9RluvI7cCCglUNaX3zXp4AnPr69HDJb7f7F~3K1GmX2DF4-IDLjKx2uc6L91rAllKynXELEBU~Sm9OvOixTvIlqOzk4~20eijhYKCpWTHfUQxuiIN0-mdV3wi08m3sgKBfsqyux2mGeb0Y987ANB0sDXomQzzMGlprt~lrq5ArA32VUxdvvmNGPqStPhusSVcfoyaoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Judiciary","date","2025-03-18T17:44:22.137Z","article","The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee adopted a comprehensive amendment to Senate Bill 242 and then moved the amended language into House Bill 228 by substitution, recommending the substitute favorably.

The reviser summarized the amendment as requiring a political subdivision to hold an open meeting to discuss entering a contingency-fee contract for legal services and to disclose the reasons for pursuing the matter and the qualifications, experience and competence of any attorney or firm selected or being considered. The amendment adds agenda and notice clarifications, requires findings on the record that either there is a substantial need for the services or contracting is in the best interest of residents, and narrows the circumstances under which the Attorney General must disapprove a contract. The AG’s review period in the amendment was shortened from 90 days to 45 days; if the AG refuses approval the office must provide a written, detailed explanation. The amendment adds a definition of \"legal services\" with enumerated exemptions (bond counsel, debt collection, recoupment actions, trustees selling property) and excludes water utilities from the definition of political subdivision for this section. It also made the AG’s review of some pre-existing contracts discretionary and narrowed the retroactivity window.

Senator Corson objected to adopting the amendment without additional stakeholder input, calling it a substantial rewrite of the bill and arguing committee members had not had time to vet the changes with proponents and opponents. The chair noted the amendment was negotiated with the Attorney General’s office and the Kansas League of Municipalities.

The committee then voted on the amendment by division; the chair announced the tally as 9 in favor and 3 opposed and ruled the motion passed. The committee subsequently moved to open House Bill 228 for the purpose of replacing its contents with the amended SB 242 language and then voted to pass the Senate substitute for House Bill 228 recommended favorably; the motion carried (the committee did not read a roll-call tally for the final motion).

Why it matters: The amendment increases public transparency and state oversight of contingency-fee contracts entered by counties, cities and other political subdivisions by requiring public discussion, disclosure of attorney qualifications and a shortened, mandatory AG review with a written explanation for disapproval. Supporters framed the changes as transparency and accountability measures; opponents argued the changes were substantial and warranted additional vetting.

Key procedural actions
- Amendment to SB 242 (as described above): adopted by committee (division vote announced 9-3). Mover: Chair Warren. Second: Senator Reichman.
- Motion to substitute amended SB 242 into House Bill 228 and recommend the Senate substitute for House Bill 228 favorably: motion passed; no roll-call tally announced on the final motion.

The committee adjourned after completing the action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Judiciary 03/18/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee adopted a package of amendments to Senate Bill 242 that require political subdivisions to hold public meetings and to submit contingency-fee legal contracts to the Attorney General for review, and then advanced the amended language into House Bill 228 by substitution.","taxTitle"," Judiciary, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Kansas","taxId",18805,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6632518,"Senate committee holds informational briefing on SB 9 proposing limits on foreign land purchases near military bases and drone procurements",1840,28920,1869440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207&start=28&end=1869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207/thumbnail_28920.jpg","/articles/6632518/Kansas/Senate-committee-holds-informational-briefing-on-SB-9-proposing-limits-on-foreign-land-purchases-near-military-bases-and-drone-procurements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632518-07fb2ef6a95093a3d5aa3a7400ecddcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139189&Signature=QEn6SrTd5NkDGuQZncywlhaYOyvRsb-IZ5XWlSMbwtkMM90WwIXnx-IY4I30Xd6MDwA~C2rTjHVxZpl1fqiHgbSjgM79KPyXiERNu8DkMhmu6scPUyIOlD3h-J1-u4d9NMOczPRnUj2mG0I6UJGBPJP2wU-EDKUqHHBRWbAOMvqVSvAhfsM7u8WgDiAeISdhMDeETKqmfaZL4SlchXrDr8fpEfm6AO4ep7PoT5l3rNt5ErwYJeboITs6IKwzWrH97vGceCZUhKPCd79tRKH9lz0zcLyeCoJEhKsIpk2XahaqtFCO2B5jBfqmUWweTmXboFkahf6Y9-X-fPnD7Fcylg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee opened an informational briefing on Senate Bill 9, a proposal titled the Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act that would bar certain foreign principals from acquiring interests in land near military installations and limit government purchases of drones and critical drone components from specified countries.

The reviser told the committee the bill would generally prohibit a foreign principal from directly or indirectly acquiring any interest in real property located within 100 miles of the boundary of any military installation located in Kansas or an adjacent state, with limited de minimis exceptions. The measure would require a foreign principal who owns such property to register the interest with the attorney general within 90 days of the act’s effective date or acquisition, and it directs the secretary of state to notify business entities and nonprofits of the filing requirement. The reviser also described provisions extending enforcement tools — including court-ordered divestiture, injunctive relief, civil forfeiture and attorney fees — and amendments to the Kansas statutes governing asset forfeiture to treat violations as conduct giving rise to forfeiture.

Section 12, the reviser said, would bar state and local governmental agencies from purchasing drones, related services or critical components produced in a listed “country of concern” or owned by a foreign principal. Equipment purchased before July 1, 2025, could continue in use but replacement purchases would have to comply with the new rules unless the secretary of administration, after consulting the adjutant general, approved an acquisition that was necessary to avoid a greater safety or security risk. The bill would also require Kansas State University to prepare an annual report on foreign land holdings in Kansas and would require certain reporting to CFIUS and state legislative committees.

Supporters who testified described national-security rationales. Michael Lucci, founder of StateArmor, said \"SB 9 speaks really directly to some of those clear threats,\" adding his group sees land purchases and drone sales as ways foreign adversaries could preposition assets and gather data. \"We would expect China to be pre positioning assets across The United States to disrupt our military here and our critical infrastructure here, and they're doing exactly that,\" Lucci said.

Jackie Diehl, an advisory-board member with StateArmor testifying via WebEx, said the Chinese Communist Party has a sustained strategy \"of going deep into The United States\" to influence decision-making and gather intelligence and argued the state could use SB 9 to put barriers in place.

A retired Air Force general appearing for American Global Strategies said Chinese-linked entities have purchased U.S. farmland through complex shell-company structures and stressed the need for state-level tools alongside federal reviews.

Representatives of the agricultural and meat-processing sectors urged caution. Aaron Popelka, vice president of legal and governmental affairs for the Kansas Livestock Association, said the association was neutral and concerned primarily about maintaining existing meat-processing capacity, supply chains and markets. Popelka said his group favors narrow, targeted measures, limited exceptions (for inheritance, foreclosure, foreclosing on security interests), and consideration of CFIUS review outcomes.

Steven Cuba, government-relations manager for Smithfield Foods, said the company is opposed to the bill as written. He emphasized Smithfield is an American foods company with a 2013 CFIUS review that resulted in approval \"with no mitigation measures,\" and asked for amendments to preserve Smithfield’s ability to invest and operate in Kansas.

Committee members did not take legislative action on SB 9 during the briefing. Chair Warren said SB 9 is not referred to the Judiciary Committee but is in conference committee; the session was held to inform committee members of the bill’s provisions and the issues raised by conferees. The reviser and conferees provided written materials for committee members and answered questions.

Why it matters: The bill intersects state-level land-use rules, procurement policy, and national-security concerns by proposing both civil-enforcement tools and procurement restrictions that could affect local government purchasing and private investments near military installations. Supporters framed the measure as a homeland-security safeguard; agricultural and business witnesses urged narrow exceptions and attention to CFIUS review history.

The committee closed the informational briefing on SB 9 without a vote; the measure remains in conference committee.","The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee opened an informational briefing on Senate Bill 9, a proposed Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act that would restrict certain foreign principals from acquiring land near military installations and limit government purchases of drones and drone components from countries of concern.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6632513,"Judiciary committee hears overview of eminent domain, utilities and Grain Belt Express land-acquisition practices",1875,1873180,3748895,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207&start=1873&end=3748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2673056-86fa203cbf6294f0ddc02c77008b3207/thumbnail_1873180.jpg","/articles/6632513/Kansas/Judiciary-committee-hears-overview-of-eminent-domain-utilities-and-Grain-Belt-Express-land-acquisition-practices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632513-3925e13e090574cc7c94e50936d14c76/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139189&Signature=o~B8oDkOBYoFGl5-m-k6BKugOjieO7BmmDz0sSJKoSuutWtvKlL0w8m1cwzB99~EriGR-zZQXYISO9IjbM9wcKIE5nW6xq~2ZsEAQiK9OF5iO4rAXjKxiKe9WqDJfE1HYScotMBZrxivaXX4lK5VnQfk7Pb6BdnxrPM1z3vNjcnnWsgljHvips3C4XuTOWcW4y9IdFmRHNGxTdIEc7vaN2RusGB4buyyiVhRCuFu5wqkRYXCHAIel4kKnw~zxBBrL6eJFnh-UcudlSDKzEBdeOUVqOD6LCG6gIZe8S7GqEeU~zn6LuqUq4YRVXo6ogjbOtdZ9CS2JM910pvp6p-mdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee held an informational briefing on eminent domain and the exercise of condemnation authority by government agencies and utilities, with an eye toward transmission lines, recreational trails and park projects.

A legislative reviser opened the briefing with an overview of the state's eminent-domain framework. The reviser said Kansas possesses an inherent sovereign power of eminent domain that the legislature may delegate to public and private entities, but that any taking requires just compensation under the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas Constitution (article XII, section 4) and must follow the Eminent Domain Procedure Act (KSA 26-5xx series). The reviser summarized valuation procedures: a presiding judge appoints three disinterested appraisers who examine the land, hold a public hearing, receive testimony from interested parties and consider statutorily listed factors to determine fair market value.

Representative Brett Fairchild, who introduced a bill to restrict eminent domain use, said the measure is a response to constituent concerns about transmission projects such as the Grain Belt Express and to calls from private-property advocates to make eminent-domain takings rarer. \"This bill doesn't go as far as I would want it to go,\" Fairchild said, noting his bill would make it more difficult for governments to authorize takings for economic-development purposes.

Industry witnesses described customary practices and reforms. Dave Peck, director of project management for transmission and substation construction at Evergy, said utility easement acquisition is the most time-consuming part of building transmission; utilities aim to obtain about 90% of rights by negotiation and he estimated condemnation is required roughly 5% of the time, often for title-cleanup issues such as unresolved probate. Peck described internal approvals required before Evergy files a condemnation action and said the Kansas Corporation Commission's updated siting guidance should provide greater clarity.

Kimberly Genker Swati, representing Advanced Power Alliance and Kansas Municipal Utilities, said generator lead lines for wind and solar in Kansas do not carry eminent-domain authority; development of generator lead lines must be negotiated with willing landowners. Swati provided data she attributed to Grain Belt Express showing 97.5% of easements obtained by voluntary agreement and only 17 of 1,005 acquired through a contested appraiser hearing. She said Grain Belt Express has a 50-foot right-of-way footprint for towers and that landowners are compensated for the partial taking while generally retaining use up to the tower base.

Senators asked about valuation for partial takings and visual impact of large poles in urban neighborhoods. Senator Haley asked whether property-value impacts on adjacent parcels are considered; the reviser said Kansas case law may allow a landowner to seek compensation for provable impacts to their particular property and that he would research the issue further. Swati and Peck described engineering trade-offs — pole size, guy wires and foundation sizes — and said utilities increasingly try to avoid oversizing structures in urban areas.

The committee did not take legislative action during the informational briefing. Members were provided written materials, including a memo and a chapter on eminent-domain law from the Revisor's office, and were invited to review Senate Bill 262 and written testimony placed in the briefing packet.

Why it matters: The briefing addressed recurring tensions between the need for electric transmission and local property rights, offered data about voluntary easement rates and underscored the limited, sometimes title-related, uses of condemnation by utilities. The session also highlighted constituent concerns about visual impacts and compensation for partial takings, topics likely to inform any future legislation.","The Senate Judiciary Committee received an overview of eminent domain law in Kansas and heard testimony from utilities and developers describing land-acquisition practices, voluntary easement rates, and concerns about transmission siting and property valuation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Judiciary committee adopts amendment to SB 242 and advances substitute for House Bill 228 tightening oversight of contingency-fee legal contracts

Senate committee holds informational briefing on SB 9 proposing limits on foreign land purchases near military bases and drone procurements

Judiciary committee hears overview of eminent domain, utilities and Grain Belt Express land-acquisition practices