SESSION OF 2023
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 229
As Recommended by Senate Committee on
Transportation
Brief*
SB 229 would authorize a City of Topeka license plate
for use on a passenger vehicle or a truck registered for a
gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less, for issuance on or
after January 1, 2024.
The license plate would display an image of the City of
Topeka flag. The bill would require a person desiring this
plate to make a flag image payment, which would be paid to
the Greater Topeka Partnership Inc. as the city’s designee.
The bill would require a change of designee to be by mutual
agreement of the City of Topeka and the Greater Topeka
Partnership.
The bill would require the vehicle owner or lessee to
apply for the new license plate at least 60 days prior to their
renewal of registration date, on a form provided by the
Director of Vehicles (Director), Kansas Department of
Revenue (KDOR), after making a flag image payment of
between $25 and $100 to the county treasurer. Payment of
the regular license fee would also be required.
The registration or license plate would not be
transferable to any other person. The bill would authorize the
Director to approve transfer of the plate from a leased vehicle
to a purchased vehicle. The design of the plate would be
subject to approval by the Director.
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*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.kslegislature.org The bill would state that the City of Topeka flag was
designed through a community input process managed by the
Greater Topeka Partnership, adopted by the city’s governing
body in 2019, and no individual or entity has intellectual
property rights regarding use of its image.
Under continuing law, City of Topeka license plates will
not be issued unless there is a guarantee of an initial
issuance of least 250 license plates, and a nonrefundable
amount not to exceed $5,000 is submitted to defray costs of
the Division of Vehicles (Division), KDOR, for developing the
distinctive license plate. Continuing law also requires the
Division to produce this distinctive license plate for a
motorcycle upon request.
Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Commerce at the request of Senator O’Shea. The bill was
referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation.
Senate Committee on Transportation
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by representatives of the City of Topeka, Forge
Young Talent, and Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce,
and by a private citizen. The proponents described the
symbolism of the City of Topeka flag and noted the flag’s
significance in developing civic pride.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
Senator O’Shea.
No other testimony was provided.
2- 229 Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, KDOR estimates enactment of the bill
would increase FY 2024 revenues by $10,000, of which
$9,813 would be remitted to the State Highway Fund and
$187 would be retained by county treasurers. KDOR
estimates the bill would increase revenues to the Distinctive
License Plate Fund by $5,000, to defray the cost to develop
the new license plate. KDOR estimates that enactment of the
bill would increase expenditures by $3,750 in FY 2024 for
costs related to designing and manufacturing the new plate.
Any fiscal effect associated with enactment of the bill is not
reflected in The FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report.
Distinctive license plate; flags; Topeka
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