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Wichita staff brief council on multiple state bills; city to oppose contingency‑fee law limiting local contracting
Summary
City staff updated council on House and Senate activity including House Bill 2396 (property tax lid proposal with $60 million fund), cuts to tourism programs like Sunflower Summers, fireworks sales and scrap‑metal bills, and recommended opposition to Senate Bill 242 (contingency‑fee legal contracts) as an infringement on home‑rule protections.
City legislative staff provided a multi‑item update to the council on Feb. 28 covering budget, tax and other bills at the Kansas Legislature and recommended the city formally oppose a bill regulating contingency‑fee legal contracts.
Staff member Marley briefed council members that the Kansas House had passed a budget bill and referred it to the Senate Ways and Means Committee; the House draft trimmed several economic development programs, including a $1,000,000 allocation for the Sunflower Summers tourism program. Marley also summarized a House property‑tax proposal in House Bill 2396 and said she had sent the bill to staff for review. “It does set up a state fund of $60,000,000 to go to communities that stay under the lid,” Marley said, adding that the fund’s availability would depend on annual legislative appropriation.
City legal staff member Jennifer described Senate Bill 242 (referred to in the meeting as the contingency‑fee contract bill) and said the city recommends opposing the bill because it “impinge[s] on city's local control” and conflicts, in her view, with Kansas constitutional home‑rule protections. Jennifer said the bill would require specific procedural steps for contingency‑fee legal contracts, including additional agenda requirements and referral to the Kansas attorney general for review; she said staff would submit written testimony under her signature for the upcoming hearing.
Marley and staff also noted several other bills under consideration: a local‑deposit bill (House Bill 2152) with amendments in negotiation; Senate Bill 178 concerning agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities; House Bill 2377 (a Sedgwick County bill on mill levy adjustments); a fireworks bill (SB199) that would change sales windows; ongoing work on a scrap‑metal bill with local stakeholders; Fair Chance Housing Act (SB100) referenced for follow-up; and that a proposed eviction bill had been held over for further work.
Ending: Staff said they would submit written testimony opposing Senate Bill 242 and would continue to monitor and report on House Bill 2396 and other bills; no formal council vote on the legislative positions was recorded during the Feb. 28 agenda review.
