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Minutes for SB545 - Committee on Commerce
Short Title
Providing a sales tax exemption for the construction or remodeling of a qualified data center in Kansas and the purchase of data center equipment, eligible data center costs, electricity and certain labor costs to qualified firms that commit to a minimum investment of at least $600,000,000 and meet new Kansas jobs and other requirements.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 20, 2024
Vice Chair Dietrich opened the hearing on SB 545.
Staff provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 5)
Proponents:
Barbara Comstock, Former Congresswoman and Virginia Legislator, and Advisor to NetChoice spoke in support of the bill. (Attachment 1) She urged the Kansas Senate adopt the bill so the state can compete for hyper-scale data centers that have yet to locate to Kansas, and thereby enjoy the jobs and significant economic impacts that come with them.
Brad Smoot, Legislative Counsel NetChoice, appeared in support of the bill. (Attachment 2) We believe that the bill offers Kansas a great business opportunity by incentivizing the investment of billions of private dollars in hyper-scale data centers here, not in 33 other states that have already enacted similar incentives.
Bob Johnson, Sharehlder, Polsinelli PC, testified in support of the bill. (Attachment 3) Without the bill it is exceedingly unlikely there will be significant data center development in Kansas, certainly of the scope that is required for eligibility pursuant to this legislation.
Written in support of the bill:
Greg Kindle, on behalf of Wyandotte Economic Development Council (Attachment 4)
Vice chair Dietrich closed the hearing on SB 545.
The next meeting is March 21 2024. The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am.
