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Minutes for SB61 - Committee on Agriculture
Short Title
Relating to fees for dairy businesses and the processing of paper documents by the Kansas secretary of agriculture.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 8, 2017
Chair Hoffman opened the hearing on SB61 at 4:20pm.
Kyle Hamilton, Assistant Revisor, Office of The Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of SB61 and the statutes that it affects. (Attachment 6) He answered questions from the Committee.
Chad Bontrager, Deputy Secretary, Kansas Department of Agriculture, appeared before the Committee as a proponent of SB61. He discussed the the changes that were made to the bill in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The Senate reduced the length of the sunset from 2028 to 2023; removed the KSDA ability to lower or raise dairy fees by order under specific fee caps and instead requires action through regulation; sets up an exemption for small on-farm milk processors to pay reduced processor fees; and removed KSDA's ability to charge a paper processing fee. KSDA appreciates the extension of the sunset, exemption for small dairy operations, and can work with the regulation requirement. We would like the ability to recover administrative fees for paper document processing restored so KSDA can continue to move toward electronic filing of documents. (Attachment 7) Mr. Bontrager answered questions from the Committee.
Tucker Stewart, Associate Counsel, Kansas Livestock Association, appeared before the Committee as a proponent of SB61. We support the changes made to the bill, but want to ensure that language for the exemption of the small dairy operations will not cause a six month break between bill enactment and January 2018. (Attachment 8) Mr. Stewart answered questions from the Committee.
There were no opponents/neutrals of SB61.
The hearing on SB61 was closed at 4:38pm.
Chair Hoffman adjourned the meeting at 4:40pm.
