Updated May 9, 2013

2013 Bills

SB49 (KDWPT initiative)--Current law makes it unlawful to operate a vessel with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 at the time of or within two hours of operating a vessel. This bill would increase the time period from two hours to three hours after operation of a vessel, making it consistent with state DUI laws for motor vehicles.This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, and passed out of committee. This bill passed the Senate 39-0 and has been received and introduced in the House. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice. This bill has been stricken from House General Orders and provisions incorporated into conference committee report on HB2218.

SB50 (KDWPT initiative)--This bill would require anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1989 to complete an approved boater education course before operating a vessel without supervision. Current law exempts anyone 21 or older from education requirements.This bill was referred to the Senate Natural Resources Committee. This bill had a hearing Jan. 24.

SB57 -- The department supports provisions of this bill related to domestic deer. Under statute, anyone possessing domesticated deer must be permitted under the Kansas Department of Agriculture. This bill would amend that statute to allow the Department of Agriculture to request assistance from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism in implementing and enforcing laws governing domesticated deer. This bill had a hearing for opponents on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. This bill had a hearing for proponents is on Feb. 13, and was scheduled for Committee Final Action on Feb. 25. This bill passed the Senate 40-0 and was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. It had a hearing March 12. This bill passed the House 87-32. This bill was signed by the governor on April 16, 2013.

SB74 -- This bill would prohibit the Department of Corrections from producing modular homes, including KDWPT cabins. The bill had a hearing on Thursday, Feb. 7. KDWPT requested an exemption to allow DOC to produce the cabins being placed in state parks, state fishing lakes and wildlife areas. This bill was amended to protect the KDWPT cabin program and the department supports the bill as amended. The bill passed the Senate 36-4 and has been referred to the House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development. This bill passed the House 87-32. This bill was signed by the governor on April 10, 2013.

SB83 --This bill deals with income, severance and sales tax issues and was amended to include provisions of HB2244 whichreduces the percentage of value that watercraft are assessed at to 11.5 percent in 2014 and 5 percent in 2015 and thereafter. The bill was signed the governor on April 16, 2013.

SB94 --This bill deals with certain crimes and punishments and amends the definition of a firearm to exempt antique firearms including matchlock, flintlock and percussion cap muzzleloaders, making it consistent with the federal definition of firearms.

SB223 -- This bill would authorize use of a crossbow by all hunters during big game archery season. Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. The hearing scheduled for this bill was cancelled.

HB2030 (KDWPT initiative)--This bill would allow the department to issue 10 "Wounded Warrior Deer Permits" to disabled veterans who sustained injuries in combat and have a service-connected disability of not less than 30 percent. This bill had a hearing Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. Room 346-S. This bill passed as amended out of committee and pass the House 115-0. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources.This bill was signed by the governor on April 2, 2013.

HB2052 -- This bill creates the crime of unlawful discharge of a firearm within or into the corporate limits of any city. However, it allows the discharge of a firearm to lawfully take wildlife, including nuisance wildlife, if approved by the KDWPT and the governing body of the city. This bill had a hearing on Feb. 7. This bill passed the House as amended 121-2. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs and had a hearing. The bill was amended to include items from other firearm-related bills but still includes original provisions related to unlawful discharge. The amended version of this bill passed the Senate 35-5 and is in conference committee. This bill was signed by the governor on April 16, 2013.

HB2076 -- This bill would exempt any honorably discharged veteran who resides in Kansas and has a service connected disability equal to or greater than 30 percent from all hunting and fishing license/permit requirements and fees. The department opposes this bill. This bill had a hearing Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. Room 346-S. Bill was tabled in committee on Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

HB2218 -- This bill now includes provisions from SB49, which was a boating under the influence bill. Current law makes it unlawful to operate a vessel with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 at the time of or within two hours of operating a vessel. Provisions from SB49 would increase the time period from two hours to three hours after operation of a vessel, making it consistent with state DUI laws for motor vehicles. The conference committee report on HB2218 has passed both the House and Senate and is on its way to the Governor.

HB2244 (KDWPT initiative) -- This bill was introduced as a result of the ballot issue which passed in November 2012 allowing the state constitution to be amended and a change to the way watercraft are taxed in the state. This bill would gradually reduce the percentage of appraised value used to asses property tax on a watercraft to 20 percent in 2014, 10 percent in 2015, then exempting watercraft from taxation for tax year 2016 and thereafter. This bill had a hearing on February 18 and will be referred to a sub-committee for further discussion. This bill was discussed at a sub-committee meeting on March 19. A sub-committee report with possible substitute bill is scheduled to be presented on March 21 at 3:30 p.m., Room 582N. The amended bill would reduce the percentage of value that watercraft are assessed at to 11.5 percent in 2014 and 5 percent in 2015 and thereafter. The amended version passed the House on Emergency Final Action 107-15. It was received and introduced to the Senate on March 27.The provisions of this bill were incorporated into SB83, which was signed by the governor on April 16, 2013.

HB2362 -- This bill would amend provisions of the nongame and endangered species conservation act, specifically redefining critical habitat as it relates to a threatened and endangered species, as well as significantly changing how species are designated threatened or endangered in Kansas. The department opposes the bill, which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. This bill had a hearing on February 25.

Senate Resolution 1711 -- This resolution opposes the black-footed ferret programmatic harbor agreement and environmental assessment drafted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which involves black-footed ferrets that were reintroduced into Logan County in 2007. This resolution was referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources. This resolution passed the Senate as amended 31-9.