Brief(1)
S.B. 556 amends the law dealing with the qualifications of official newspapers of cities, counties, and school districts, a township publication of expenditure requirement, and credit card payment of city debts.
The bill requires newspapers be published in Kansas but deletes a requirement that the paper be printed in Kansas. The bill also establishes specific criteria for official newspapers of school districts which are substantially the same for cities and counties.
Other amendments are primarily technical in nature.
The Senate Committee amendments deleted the requirement that the paper be printed in Kansas, have been published for five years (for cities), published as second class mail, and a circulation requirement (counties) and made other technical amendments.
The Senate on Final Action deleted the repeal of K.S.A. 12-1651 which establishes official newspaper criteria for cities of the second and third class; reinserted the provision in K.S.A. 64-101(a) that the law applies only to cities of the first class; and established special criteria for official newspapers for the consolidated government of Kansas City, Kansas-Wyandotte County including a competitive bid requirement.
The House Committee deleted a Senate on Final Action amendment which established special criteria for the official newspaper for the Kansas City, Kansas-Wyandotte County consolidated government.
The House Committee of the Whole amended a township statute to exclude townships with a budget of less than $25,000 from a requirement that an annual statement of expenditures be published. Another amendment authorizes cities to accept credit card payments for debts.
Background
The bill, as amended, was supported by the Kansas Press Association and a number of representatives of newspapers.
The bill has no fiscal impact on the state.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.