Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2041 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	Session of 2025
2	2	HOUSE BILL No. 2041
3	3	By Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
4	4	Requested by Paul Snider on behalf of Kansans for Lower Electric Rates
5	5	1-21
6	6	AN ACT concerning electric transmission lines; relating to the state
7	7	corporation commission; requiring an electric public utility to include
8	8	that a competitive bid process was completed for the proposed electric
9	9	transmission line in an application for a siting permit; requiring the
10	10	commission to issue an order whether a competitive bid process was
11	11	completed for a proposed electric transmission line to permit such line;
12	12	amending K.S.A. 66-1,178 and 66-1,180 and repealing the existing
13	13	sections.
14	14	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
15	15	Section 1. K.S.A. 66-1,178 is hereby amended to read as follows: 66-
16	16	1,178. (a) No electric utility may begin site preparation for or construction
17	17	of an electric transmission line, or exercise the right of eminent domain to
18	18	acquire any interest in land in connection with the site preparation for a
19	19	construction of any such line without first acquiring a siting permit from
20	20	the commission. Whenever any electric utility desires to obtain such a
21	21	permit, the utility shall file an application with the commission setting
22	22	forth therein that the utility proposes to construct an electric transmission
23	23	line and specifying:
24	24	(1) The proposed location thereof of such electric transmission line;
25	25	(2) the names and addresses of the landowners of record whose land
26	26	or interest therein is proposed to be acquired in connection with the
27	27	construction of or is located within 660 feet of the center line of the
28	28	easement where the line is proposed to be located; and
29	29	(3) for transmission lines with costs that will be recovered through a
30	30	regional transmission organization, that such line was placed for
31	31	competitive bid among qualified bidders with evidence that the bidding
32	32	process was open and fair and whether such utility was the lowest
33	33	reasonable bid; and
34	34	(4) such other information as may be required by the commission.
35	35	(b) Upon the filing of an application pursuant to subsection (a), the
36	36	commission shall fix a time for a public hearing on such application,
37	37	which shall be not more than 90 days after the date the application was
38	38	filed, to determine the necessity for and the reasonableness of the location
39	39	of the proposed electric transmission line. The commission shall fix the
40	40	1
41	41	2
42	42	3
43	43	4
44	44	5
45	45	6
46	46	7
47	47	8
48	48	9
49	49	10
50	50	11
51	51	12
52	52	13
53	53	14
54	54	15
55	55	16
56	56	17
57	57	18
58	58	19
59	59	20
60	60	21
61	61	22
62	62	23
63	63	24
64	64	25
65	65	26
66	66	27
67	67	28
68	68	29
69	69	30
70	70	31
71	71	32
72	72	33
73	73	34
74	74	35 HB 2041 2
75	75	place for hearing, which shall be in one of the counties through which the
76	76	electric transmission line is proposed to traverse.
77	77	(c) The commission may conduct an evidentiary hearing on an
78	78	application filed pursuant to this section at such time and place as the
79	79	commission deems appropriate.
80	80	(d) The commission shall issue a final order on the application within
81	81	120 days after the date the application was filed.
82	82	Sec. 2. K.S.A. 66-1,180 is hereby amended to read as follows: 66-
83	83	1,180. (a) All hearings conducted pursuant to this act shall be in
84	84	accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act.
85	85	All such hearings shall be completed within 30 days after the
86	86	commencement thereof, unless the electric utility requests a continuance
87	87	of any such hearing. All costs of any hearing pursuant to this act shall be
88	88	taxed against the electric utility.
89	89	(b) The commission shall not issue a permit for any electric
90	90	transmission line with costs that will be recovered through a regional
91	91	transmission organization, unless the commission issues an order that
92	92	such line was placed for competitive bid among qualified bidders with
93	93	evidence that the bidding process was open and fair and whether the
94	94	lowest reasonable bid was selected.
95	95	(c) The commission shall make its decision with respect to the
96	96	necessity for and the reasonableness of the location of the proposed
97	97	electric transmission line, taking into consideration the benefit to both
98	98	consumers in Kansas and consumers outside the state and economic
99	99	development benefits in Kansas.
100	100	(d) The commission shall issue or withhold the permit applied for and
101	101	may condition such permit as the commission may deem just and
102	102	reasonable and as may, in its judgment, best protect the rights of all
103	103	interested parties and those of the general public.
104	104	Sec. 3. K.S.A. 66-1,178 and 66-1,180 are hereby repealed.
105	105	Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
106	106	publication in the statute book.
107	107	1
108	108	2
109	109	3
110	110	4
111	111	5
112	112	6
113	113	7
114	114	8
115	115	9
116	116	10
117	117	11
118	118	12
119	119	13
120	120	14
121	121	15
122	122	16
123	123	17
124	124	18
125	125	19
126	126	20
127	127	21
128	128	22
129	129	23
130	130	24
131	131	25
132	132	26
133	133	27
134	134	28
135	135	29
136	136	30
137	137	31
138	138	32