Brief⁽¹⁾

H.B. 2761 would allow the Secretary of Agriculture to extend the waiver for the requirement to obtain a grain storage warehouse license beyond the current statutory limit of 30 days. Specifically, the bill would allow the Secretary to extend the waiver beyond 30 days for grain stored in an alternative location other than a location identified in the public warehouse license, if the Secretary determines that the owner of the grain would suffer substantial hardship if the grain were required to be stored at a location identified in the license. The Secretary would be allowed to determine what constitutes "substantial hardship" and the length of time the grain may be stored at the alternative location.

Background

This bill was introduced to address the issue of stockpiling grain outside during periods when the licensed locations no longer have storage capacity or rail service to transport grain to other warehouse facilities is unavailable.

Conferees appearing before House Agriculture Committee in support of the bill included representatives of the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. Written testimony from the Kansas Cooperative Council in support of the bill was distributed to the Committee. There were no opponents to the bill.

The bill was amended to correct a technical error.

The fiscal note indicates that there would be no fiscal impact.

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.