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Committee advances bill to raise dry‑cleaning surcharge, increase cleanup deductible
Summary
The Committee of the Whole adopted an amendment and reported Senate Bill 184 favorably after sponsors said the dry‑cleaning remediation trust fund needs additional revenues; the bill would change the surcharge formula to 5% (example: $10 cleaning -> 50¢) and raise facility deductibles from $5,000 to $10,000.
Senate Bill 184, which authorizes adjustments to the Kansas Dry Cleaning Environmental Response Act funding and facility responsibilities, advanced in the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 27. Senator Peck, carrying the bill, described the fund’s shortfall and explained the measure would change the surcharge on dry‑cleaning receipts to 5 percent and increase the deductible for facilities requesting cleanup assistance from $5,000 to $10,000.
"If you have a $10 cleaning bill, you would pay 50¢, and that money goes into the fund to make certain that when we do have an unfortunate spill... the department can clean up the facility," Senator Peck said while explaining the surcharge proposal. He said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment had indicated the fund was not meeting remediation needs.
Senator Peck also offered a technical amendment (No. 3019) to update a date carried over from the prior session; the Committee adopted that amendment and proceeded. After debate and adoption of the amendment, the committee moved that SB 184 be passed as further amended; that report was adopted by the full senate when the committee rose.
The bill's changes were presented as a balance between ensuring available cleanup funds and maintaining facility accountability through a higher deductible. Sponsors said the surcharge and deductible adjustments are designed to ensure the trust fund can meet remediation needs without immediate additional state general-fund appropriations.
Next steps: The committee recommended SB 184 be passed as further amended; the senate adopted the committee report and the bill now proceeds according to the legislative schedule.
