Stakeholders urge broad, research-driven task force to evaluate Kansas water programs and funding

The committee opened a hearing on House Bill 2172, which would establish a Water Program Task Force charged with evaluating Kansas water programs and funding, identifying risks to water quality and quantity, and recommending steps to achieve a "multi-generational promise of water for Kansans."

Nut graf: Witnesses representing agricultural policy centers, municipalities, water assurance districts and municipal utilities told the committee the task force should include broad stakeholder representation, be supported by independent research and focus on funding mechanisms and measurable outcomes. Several speakers emphasized the need to include representatives from across the state's conservation regions and to schedule public meetings statewide.

The reviser described the membership: 23 voting members and 10 nonvoting members, including committee chairs and ranking minority members of relevant legislative committees, Kansas residents appointed by legislative leadership, and representatives of listed stakeholder groups; nonlegislator appointees must represent specific stakeholder organizations and no more than two members may represent the same stakeholder. Appointments would be required by April 30, 2025; co-chairs would be chosen by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate; the task force would submit a report to the legislature and governor by January 30, 2026, and the bill's provisions would expire July 1, 2027. The reviser noted the bill passed the House on a 109-12 vote.

Former state representative Richard Perrell, who helped chair a prior transportation task force, told the committee that the proposed water task force mirrors successful elements of past legislative task forces and stressed statewide outreach: "Water is so important to our businesses, to agriculture, to industry, and probably number one is clean drinking water," he said, urging broad participation and strategic meeting locations.

Jay Armstrong, chairman of the Flinchbaugh Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, urged that the task force have access to independent, research-driven analysis and stakeholder convening capacity; Armstrong said the center could provide objective alternatives and consequences analysis without taking positions.

Wendy Stark of the League of Kansas Municipalities said municipal governments were the largest stakeholder group in local meetings last year and asked that the League or its designee be included on the task force. Mike Lawless of the Water Assurance Districts of Kansas asked the committee to amend the bill to allow water assurance districts to appoint a voting member; he described assurance districts' substantial ownership of storage in federal reservoirs and their role in providing drought resilience to about 1,200,000 Kansans.

Joshua Swati of the Kansas Municipal Utilities said municipal utilities supported the task force concept and stressed the value of continuing the policy conversation given prior task forces and legislative history.

The committee received multiple written proponent submissions. With no opponents or neutral witnesses present, the committee closed the hearing; members indicated they expected to spend additional time working on the bill on a later date.

Ending: The bill sets appointment and reporting deadlines and would expire in mid-2027 if enacted; witnesses asked for a structure that combines legislative leadership, stakeholder representation and independent research capacity to guide funding and program recommendations.