House Water Committee advances SB 58 to simplify multi‑year flex account calculations for irrigation water rights

The House Committee on Water voted to advance Senate Bill 58, which revises how Kansas calculates multi‑year flex account (MIFA) allocations for irrigation water rights, and moved the bill to emergency final action.

Revisor Kyle Hamilton briefed the committee on the bill, saying it would amend KSA 82a‑736 (part of the Kansas Water Appropriations Act) to make the MIFA quantity allocation calculation "500% of the product of the county's net irrigation requirement multiplied by the base water rights authorized acreage multiplied by 110%" and to make conforming and technical edits throughout the statute. The bill would also change administration of fees and reporting frequency: costs of program administration would be paid from the water appropriation certification fund rather than MIFA fees, the MIFA report to the Legislature would be provided every four years instead of annually, and the term‑permit fee for a MIFA remains capped at an amount "not to exceed $400." The bill becomes effective upon publication in the statute…