House committee passes substitute for Senate Bill 197 after multiple amendments to star bond law

A House committee on an unspecified date approved a substituted version of Senate Bill 197, the "star bond" bill, after debating and adopting several amendments that change how projects are approved, what penalties apply and how the program is reported to the Legislature.

The changes approved by the committee include allowing Wyandotte County authority in the bill to form a port authority; modifying a statutory review role for the State Finance Council from a mandatory step to a discretionary one; replacing a potential state tax-payback penalty with a bar on seeking future star bond projects for noncompliant developers; adding an annual reporting requirement for the secretary; extending the bill's sunset date; giving the revisor discretion to tidy language; and passing the substitute bill as amended.

Why it matters: The bill governs "star bond" projects, a financing mechanism tied to sales-tax incentives for large tourism and development projects. The committee's amendments alter oversight, enforcement and the timeline for the program, and they shift some decision authority from a mandatory review process to discretionary review by the State Finance Council.

What the committee adopted

Port authority change: The committee adopted an amendment to add a statute allowing port authorities under the bill. Charles Rymer, the revisor/staff member at the table, summarized the change: "Yes. That covers it. Just we'll be adding a statute to the bill. There'll need to be some amendments as a title and we're just gonna change that statute." The amendment was moved, seconded by Representative Ward, and passed by voice vote.

State Finance Council discretion: Committee debate included a change to language that previously required the State Finance Council to act and now…