Brief(1)
H.B. 2803, as amended, establishes the Kansas Transportation Trust Fund to help pay for the implementation of a statutorily authorized transportation program. On June 30, 1998, the Director of Accounts and Reports would transfer $25 million from the State General Fund to the Kansas Transportation Trust Fund followed by a $6.25 million quarterly transfer beginning July 15, 1998 through June 30, 2002. Interest earnings on these amounts would be returned to the trust fund monthly. Transfers from the Kansas Transportation Trust Fund to the State Highway Fund would be made through requests of the Secretary of Transportation to the Director of Accounts and Reports.
Background
H.B. 2803, as introduced, was sponsored and supported by Representative Terry Presta. Representative Presta testified that the bill would create a Highway Trust Fund to help fund the next comprehensive highway program.
The Secretary of Transportation appeared in opposition to the bill, indicating that the measure would not generate sufficient revenue to meet the future needs of a transportation program.
The spokesperson for Economic Life Lines provided background information about the 1989 Comprehensive Highway Plan, emphasizing the economic benefits to the state from the plan.
The House Committee amended the bill by: changing the designation of the Kansas Highway Trust Fund to the Kansas Transportation Trust Fund; granting the Secretary of Transportation the authority to request demand transfers from the Kansas Transportation Trust Fund to the State Highway Fund; and deleting provisions relating to the use of monies from cost savings by an agency head for partial funding of the Kansas Highway Trust Fund and for paying state employees who had demonstrated cost reductions.
The fiscal note for the amended version of the bill is not yet available.
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.