Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, on Wednesday signed legislation into law that he said will help “plan and prepare for future passenger rail service in Kansas.”
House Bill 2552 enacts the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact to promote improvements to passenger rail service and the development of plans for long-range high speed rail service in the Midwest.
The legislation also coordinates interaction between Midwestern state elected officials and their designees on rail issues, as well as the interests of public and private sector public and private sector partners.
“Passenger rail service in Kansas would create economic opportunities for the future, but the planning must begin now,” Parkinson said in a statement. “A strong public infrastructure system helps attract businesses and jobs to our state, and a high-speed rail service is another piece in furthering our economic recovery. I am pleased to sign these two bills that will set the gears in motion for increased avenues of transportation in Kansas and the entire Midwest.”
In conjunction, Senate Bill 409 authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to establish and implement a passenger rail service program.
The Secretary would be authorized to enter into agreements with Amtrak, other rail operators, local jurisdictions and other states.
She also would be allowed to provide local jurisdictions assistance and encourage economic development, as well as loans or grants to passenger rail service providers from a Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund established by the bill.
SB 409 also is aimed at helping Kansas attract further funding for passenger rail from the federal government. The bill does not propose a revenue mechanism for funding the activities and leaves the initiation of the activities outlined in the bill to the Secretary. Both bills takes effect upon its publication in the Kansas Register.
In addition, Parkinson signed 17 additional bills into law:
• Concerning corporations relating to indemnification and advancement of expenses (SB 398);
• Concerning business trusts filings with the office of the Secretary of State (SB 438);
• Concerning municipal bonds (SB 451);
• Concerning contact lenses (SB 489);
• Concerning rural water districts and annexation (HB 2283);
• Concerning employment of persons by care services providers (HB 2323);
• Concerning military installations and adjacent areas (HB 2445);
• Concerning probate (HB 2456);
• Concerning optometry, relating to ophthalmic lenses (HB 2584);
• Relating to banks and banking (HB 2609);
• Concerning registered nurse anesthetists (HB 2619);
• Concerning the Kansas Judicial Review Act (SB 376);
• Concerning the Laboratory Fee Fund (SB 396);
• Relating to registration of insignias (SB 440);
• Concerning county bonded debt limits (SB 463);
• Concerning payment of property taxes (SB 464);
• Concerning discount cards, filing requirements (SB 508).
On the Web:
www.kslegislature.org
