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Minutes for SB182 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Providing for water measuring device inspections and limiting the liability of water right owners regarding water measuring devices and the use of water measuring device technicians.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 21, 2019
Chairperson Kerschen opened the hearing on SB182.
Tamera Lawrence of the Revisor of Statutes Office explained the bill.
Aaron Popelka testified in support of the bill. He told the committee that the bill will accomplish three goals. It will protect water right owners from being penalized by the Chief Engineer of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources in cases where water meter technicians do not perform up to an industry standard. Secondly, it will clarify that the Chief Engineer can penalize water meter technicians who do not perform up to industry standards. Finally, it will clarify that the Chief Engineer has the authority to test water meters for accuracy.(Attachment 1)
Kent Askren gave neutral testimony on the bill. He believes that many of the proposals in the bill deserve the attention and effort of our most qualified water managers and legal minds to help improve our ability to accurately monitor water use while clearly establishing water right owners responsibilities and service provider guidelines. With that in mind, he would prefer to see a working group of stakeholders collaborate over the summer to determine if state or regulations need to be amended to better protect the resource, private property rights, owners, operators and service providers.(Attachment 2)
Lane Letourneau spoke in opposition to the bill. He feels that this bill would make enforcement of the Kansas Water Appropriations Act more difficult for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, would increase the cost for meter repairs, and likely decrease the availability of technicians that are willing to perform these repairs.(Attachment 3)
Sean Miller testified in opposition to the bill. He told the committee that because the Groundwater Management Districts were consulted late in the process regarding the language in this bill, he is asking that the bill not be worked at this time. Instead he requested that the relevant stakeholders, including Groundwater Management Districts, be allowed to work together during the interim session to ensure that they understand the concerns of the proponents and can craft a solution that addresses the issue without creating new, unintended problems for Groundwater Managements Districts or their members.(Attachment 4)
Chairperson Kerschen closed the hearing on SB182.
