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Minutes for SB272 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Increasing the transfer from the state highway fund to the public use general aviation airport development fund.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 14, 2024
Chairperson Billinger opened the hearing on SB 272. David Wiese, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 8)
Scott Wagner, President of the Kansas Association of Airports, spoke in support of the bill. The mission of their organization is to advocate for airports and they have partnered with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to ensure adequate funding. This enhancement would significantly expand the projects that can be financed and would help keep pavement conditions in good shape. (Attachment 9)
Shelli Swanson, Vice President of the Kansas Association of Airports, testified as a proponent of the bill. Over the last year has been working with KDOT to determine what the needs are for airports around the state. A Joint Task Force of airport managers from around the state have worked together to develop a plan. The funds being requested would be from the State Highway Fund and not SGF.
Ray Seif, Director of Aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, spoke in support of the bill. Kansas has 109 public use airports and 80 of them can receive federal funding. The Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program provides $5 million, which is stretched across all 109 airports. The funding can be used for pavement, beacons, automated weather observations systems and lighting. For FY 2025, they received 135 applications totaling $46 million in requests so anything above the current level of $5 million would help. The bill asks for $18 million but they will be amending it to make the request $15 million. Mr. Seif responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 10)
Written only testimony in support of the bill was submitted by:
Tara Mays, Kansas Hospital Association (Attachment 11)
Melissa Sieben, City of Lawrence (Attachment 12)
Bonnie Lowe, Chamber of Lawrence (Attachment 13)
Timothy Rogers, Salina Airport Authority (Attachment 14)
Scott Heidner, American Council of Engineering Companies of Kansas (Attachment 15)
Leann Johnson, City of Abilene (Attachment 16)
Nathanial Blank, City of Liberal (Attachment 17)
Tom Chandler, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (Attachment 18)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Billinger closed the hearing on SB 272.
Chairperson Billinger adjourned the meeting at 11:41 am. The next meeting will be February 16, 2024.
