Sedgwick County outlines items for Kansas Association of Counties legislative platform, sets Aug. 20 deadline

Sedgwick County officials met on Aug. 5 to review items the county may submit to the Kansas Association of Counties (KAC) for its statewide legislative platform and to agree internal next steps ahead of KAC’s Aug. 20 submission deadline.

Tom (county manager) opened the meeting by explaining the layers of the county’s legislative process and the role of KAC: “This starts the process, but we also do our own Sedgwick County platform, which is much too early to discuss that yet.” He said the county will later coordinate a joint platform with local partners and participate in a “Big 5” counties’ discussion with other large counties.

Why it matters: KAC’s platform guides the association’s legislative priorities and lobbying efforts with the Kansas Legislature. Sedgwick County commissioners said they want KAC to consider county-specific proposals that would affect policy and county budgets statewide.

What the county proposed for KAC consideration

- Dangerous-animal authority: Tanya (staff) read a proposal that would “enact language that allows county to take action to protect public from dangerous animals while also ensuring that the owners of such animals are afforded constitutional due process.” Commissioners discussed local incidents that motivated the request and whether counties presently have sufficient authority.

- Publication statute change (KSA 64-101b): Tanya proposed amending KSA 64-101b to allow counties the same flexibility as cities to use alternative methods of legal publication in addition to traditional newspapers, which the staff said could produce savings.

- Elections and appraiser offices: Tanya restated a previously submitted request asking the Legislature either to appropriate additional budget for county election and county appraiser offices or to transfer those functions to the state. Commissioners discussed narrowing that language and prioritizing one ask to improve chances of passage.

- Property tax/appraisal items (summary): Commissioners flagged several appraisal-related proposals (see separate article) including a public dashboard for appeals, creation or use of local hearing officers/panels, and statutory fixes addressing appeal timelines and appraiser qualifications.

- Unilateral annexation / local control: Commissioners discussed the Andale annexation dispute and asked KAC to raise options that would give counties a clearer role when cities use statutes that allow unilateral annexation. Staff noted an alternate statute exists that could involve the county more directly, and that pushing the alternate process to the fore might address constituent concerns.

- Motor-vehicle/tag office funding: Brandy (county treasurer) briefed the group on a continuing funding shortfall at the county motor-vehicle/tag office and said treasurers across Kansas have struggled to pass fee or funding changes through the Legislature. Commissioners asked KAC to elevate the issue as a priority because the subsidy to the county general fund for the tag office is significant.

Next steps and deadlines

Tanya said she will solicit department proposals for Sedgwick County’s own platform in mid-August, then circulate draft language to commissioners for review. The KAC submission deadline the group discussed is Aug. 20.

The meeting also confirmed Sedgwick County will host a Big 5 counties meeting on Sept. 12 (see separate article). Staff said they will return to the commission with draft text and fiscal estimates for items that require local implementation.

Ending note: Officials stressed picking a limited number of clear, prioritized asks to increase the chance KAC will adopt them as legislative priorities.