Brief (1)
SB 405 would allow owners of land located in a rural water district to petition the board of directors of the district to release their land from the district. If the board of directors of the district does not grant the petition within 30 days after receipt, then the petitioners could submit the petition to the board of county commissioners. The board of county commissioners would schedule a hearing on the petition and give written notice to the petitioners of the time and place of the hearing at least ten days before the hearing. Notice to the board of directors of the rural water district would be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, not less than ten days before the hearing. The board of county commissioners could then issue a certificate stating that the land involved are released and separated from the rural water district.
Background
This bill was introduced by Senator Pugh. At the hearing on the bill proponents included the attorney for Rural Water District No. 4 in Pottawatomie County, a landowner in Pottawatomie County, and the attorney for the landowner in Pottawatomie County. Appearing in opposition to the bill was a spokesperson from Rural Water District No. 2 in Pottawatomie County and an attorney for a rural water district in Jackson County.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee amended the bill to establish a process for the release of land from a rural water district. The process includes petitioning the board of directors of a rural water district for release and if not granted establishing an appeal process to the board of county commissioners.
According to the fiscal note, the Kansas Water Office believes there would be no fiscal impact from passage of the bill.
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/bill_search.html