Agriculture and Natural Resources

HB 2161 creates a $0.05 per gallon income tax credit for Kansas retail gas stations and fuel distributors selling biodiesel blends (at least 10% biodiesel) or renewable diesel blends (at least 10% renewable diesel) to end users. The credit applies to sales made at retail service stations or direct sales to final users within Kansas, covering taxable years 2026 through 2031. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years, but the total annual credit amount cannot exceed $5 million. This policy directly supports businesses selling renewable fuel blends by reducing their tax liability, aiming to incentivize the use of cleaner motor vehicle fuels.

HB 2174 establishes a financial assistance program to encourage legal professionals to serve rural Kansas communities. It provides law students at Washburn University or the University of Kansas with up to $30,000 per year in tuition loans (forgivable upon meeting requirements) and offers loan repayment assistance to licensed attorneys practicing law in rural Kansas counties (excluding Douglas, Johnson, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte). Participants must commit to full-time rural practice for at least 12 consecutive months for each year they received funding, with specific repayment terms if obligations aren't met. The program is administered by a committee of rural attorneys, law school representatives, and non-attorneys, pending legislative approval. This bill is currently pending in committee and has not yet become law.

HB 2268 restricts nonresident hunters from hunting migratory waterfowl (like ducks and geese) on most days during hunting seasons, allowing only Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. This applies to Kansas state lands, specific federal reservoirs managed by the Army Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife refuges, but excludes walk-in hunting areas, navigable rivers, and light geese conservation seasons. The bill also reduces fees for migratory waterfowl habitat stamps, which nonresidents must purchase to hunt. It directly affects nonresidents who haven’t lived in Kansas for 60 days, excluding certain license holders as defined in the law.

HB 2012 provides a $0.05 per gallon tax credit for retail fuel dealers and distributors selling ethanol blends containing 15% to 85% ethanol at Kansas retail service stations or directly to end users. The credit applies to tax years 2026 through 2031, with a yearly cap of $5 million total across all businesses. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years, but the credit cannot be refunded. This bill directly affects businesses selling ethanol-blended fuels in Kansas, including gas stations and fuel distributors.

HB 2153 allows irrigation districts in Kansas with more than 35,000 acres to conduct board member elections by mail ballot instead of in-person voting. The bill authorizes the board of directors in these large districts to set the term length for elected members (ranging from two to four years). This applies to existing districts of that size, requiring them to establish voting areas and adopt mail ballot procedures. The bill also includes related provisions clarifying water infrastructure definitions and penalties, but its primary focus is on election methods and term-setting for district boards.