Brief ⁽¹⁾

Sub. for HB 2277 concerns the Rail Service Improvement Program. The bill provides that a qualified entity shall not be eligible for any loan or grant under such program, if:

• •the entity has filed for rail abandonment on any portion of its railroad line in Kansas;
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• •such rail abandonment is pending; and
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• •such rail abandonment is being challenged by shippers who use the railroad line.
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The qualified entity shall be eligible for a loan or grant, after a determination is made on the rail abandonment. A qualified entity is a railroad certified by the Surface Transportation Board, a port authority established in accordance with Kansas laws, or any entity meeting the rules and regulations established by KSA 75-5050.

Background

The original bill HB 2277 pertained to all-terrain vehicles. Sub. for HB 2277 was recommended in response to the issue of railroad abandonments in Kansas.

No fiscal note was available when the Committee took action on 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/fulltext.cgi