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Senate committee backs making county citizen commission optional in SB 104
Summary
A Senate committee voted to recommend Senate Bill 104 favorably and place it on the consent calendar; the bill would change KSA 19 20 six-seventy from a mandatory requirement that certain counties create a citizens commission on local government to a discretionary allowance.
A Senate committee voted to recommend Senate Bill 104 favorably and send it to the consent calendar, changing a statutory requirement in KSA 19 20 six-seventy so that certain counties would have the discretion — rather than the obligation — to establish a citizens commission on local government.
The change centers on a single wording edit in the statute: "shall" to "may," which would remove the mandatory requirement that counties meeting the population threshold set out in section 1 establish such a commission. "KSA 19 20 six-seventy ... requires that certain counties with a specific population as noted in section 1 or the first paragraph, must establish a citizens commission on local government. And this bill changes that mandatory requirement to be discretionary. Changes the shall to may," said Charles, a staff member, during the committee discussion.
The committee’s discussion was brief. Senator Patty said she had raised the idea of eliminating the requirement when the bill was introduced but came to support sending SB 104 to the consent calendar after an outside group, Brighter Minds, suggested that approach. "When Brighter Minds suggested that it just go to the consent calendar, I decided that was probably the best way," Patty said.
Senator Reichman said he favors the bill in part because of committee-size considerations, noting that large citizens committees can be unwieldy: "But when you have a 59 member citizens committee, sometimes I see a group of 8 or 9 is really enough so I'll be for this Bill," Reichman said.
A procedural question about remote participation arose. Senator Vasquezau, participating virtually, asked whether she was able to vote while joining remotely. The chair replied, "No. I I don't believe so," indicating that this committee does not allow remote voting for participants in that session.
Senator Titus moved that the committee recommend Senate Bill 104 favorably for passage and that it be placed on the consent calendar; the chair announced a second by Senator Pettee. The committee took a voice vote; the chair called the ayes and said the motion passed. The committee then adjourned.
The bill, as discussed, would make the creation of a citizens commission on local government discretionary for counties described in the statute rather than mandatory. The transcript notes that the population threshold is specified in section 1 of the statute, but the committee record did not include the actual population numbers or further implementation details. It was also not specified whether any follow-up steps, timelines or reporting requirements would accompany the change if enacted.
The committee indicated it planned to meet again the following Monday to continue other business and wrap up bills they had heard.
