KANSAS UPDATE FROM KCRAR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
The Legislature passed the recission budget and the Governor signed it. No funds were swept out of the KCREC fee funds.
Private Transfer Fee - HB2092 was heard on February 9th in the House Financial Institutions Committee and was moved to the full house. The House voted 123 to 2 in favor of the bill. This legislation was referred to the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. This legislation prohibits private transfer fees in real estate transactions. (Support)
Multiple Pieces of Legislation Curbing Annexation were heard and passed out of the House Local Government Committee (HB2029, HB2030, HB2031 and HB2032). hearings have not been heard on the House floor and are expected to be scheduled for next week. Numerous pieces of legislation seeking to place new limitations on annexation by cities were introduced. (Oppose)
Home Inspector Bill - HB2067. Minor revisions are proposed from the Home Inspector Board to the legislation passed in 2008. The bill passed out of the House Commerce and Labor Committee. (Support) The full House heard the bill and passed 97 to 26. The Senate Commerce Committee will now hear the bill.
Prop K Bill - HB 2150. Hearings were held this week in House Taxation Committee. This legislation would replace the State’s current tax appraisal system. (Monitor)
Affiliated Business Legislation – HB2041 had a hearing on February 12th in the House Insurance Committee but it did not have the votes to get it out of committee. This legislation will eliminate the statutory cap on the ownership of affiliated business arrangements by real estate brokerages. (Support)
Historic Environs Review Legislation – HB2083 introduced in the House Local Government Committee and had a hearing on February 12th. This has not gotten out of committee yet. This legislation was proposed by KAR and would eliminate the historic environs review requirement. (Support)
KREC Fee Funds – SB23 and HB2022. Governor’s Proposal to sweep $830,000 from the Real Estate Fee Fund and the Real Estate Recovery Fund. According to the Kansas Real Estate Commission, these fund sweeps would prevent them from making a critical upgrade to our licensing database, might lead to an increase in licensing fees in 2011 and would deplete the real estate recovery fund. No final decision has been made on the budget for 2009 so we are actively monitoring these bills and any budget related legislation. (Oppose)
