TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly has signed Senate Bill 36, which increases the cap on the amount of money conservation districts can receive from the division of conservation and increases the amount of matching dollars the state can provide conservation districts.
“Addressing our state’s diverse water quality and quantity challenges will require on-the-ground action from local partners who know their communities the best,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This bill strengthens local capacity by providing our state’s conservation districts the resources they need to effectively implement state and federal natural resource programs.”
Under Senate Bill 36, the matching basis for state moneys disbursed to conservation districts will be based on amounts allocated by the board of county commissioners for such districts.
“Kansas Conservation Districts have been a vital part of responsibly maintaining our water supply and protecting against erosion for over eight decades,” said Representative for House District 116 Kyle Hoffman. “By ensuring these districts have the resources necessary to continue their important work, we are taking critical steps toward the future of agriculture in Kansas.”
This bill doubles the amount of money conservation districts can receive from $25,000 to $50,000 and makes matching dollars a $2 division contribution for every $1 from counties to match the funds allocated by county commissioners.
“Doubling the matching funds available could allow the district to hire a second staff member to focus on education and outreach,” said Senator for District 2 Marci Francisco. “Helping our farmers understand the advantages of conservation practices such as cover crops could in turn have a significant impact on both soil health and crop quality.”
In addition to Senate Bill 36, Governor Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills:
Senate Bill 6: Reaffirms current law prohibiting the use of ranked-choice voting methods for conducting elections.
Senate Bill 58: Modifies the requirements and allocations for multi-year flex accounts, providing for additional flexibilities to maximize the efficiency of water usage and conservation.
House Bill 2254: Ensures Kansas milk producers are financially protected by requiring milk processors to hold payments in trust for producers until full payment is received.
House Bill 2085: Extends the expiration of permits issued under the water pollution control permit system from five to 10 years.
House Bill 2166: Continues existing exceptions to the disclosure of public records under the open records act pertaining to sensitive personal medical information.
House Bill 2182: Clarifies that victims shall not be charged a fee for service of process by a sheriff’s office under the Kansas protection order acts; with the goal of ensuring that said fee does not deter victims from pursuing a protection order for their safety.
House Bill 2238: Directs legislative administrative services to prepare all committee minutes.
