Brief⁽¹⁾

H.B. 2146 would eliminate a portion of law where the Legislature has previously approved the Department of Wildlife and Parks entering into a project cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Army to modify and restore approximately 2,550 acres of permanent and seasonal wetland habitat located on the Republican River floodplain. This project is within the flood control pool of Milford Lake. The language which would be eliminated is that which requires not more than $361,512 of total project costs to be paid from the State General Fund with the remainder of the nonfederal share to be paid from nonstate moneys.

The bill would become effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Background

This bill was requested by a spokesperson from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). At the hearing on the bill, a spokesperson from KDWP stated that the Army Corps of Engineers has determined that the language declaring a limitation on the state's financial obligation prevents the Corps from signing a project cooperative agreement with KDWP. The spokesperson stated that the amendment would not materially alter KDWP's spending authority, nor will it remove the Legislature's authority over KDWP appropriations.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources amended the bill to make it effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.

The fiscal note on the bill states that the bill would not increase State General Fund expenditures because the funding has already been appropriated. The note does state that if the bill does not pass, the state would lose the opportunity to obtain the available federal funding of $1,084,536.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.