Session of 2025
HOUSE BILL No. 2051
By Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Requested by Representative Fairchild
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AN ACT concerning national land designations; requiring legislative
approval of any designation of a national heritage area or national
historic trail in the state of Kansas or the inclusion of certain property
within any such designation; prohibiting state funding of any national
heritage area or national historic trail unless such funding is first
approved by the legislature of the state of Kansas.
WHEREAS, National heritage areas and national historic trails are
designated by the United States congress as places where natural, cultural
and historic resources form a nationally important landscape; and
WHEREAS, The proposed boundaries for areas and trail designations
can include federal, state and private property; and
WHEREAS, The State of Kansas and private property owners have no
ability to remove their property from this designation; and
WHEREAS, A national heritage area or national historic trail
designation is a federal legislative process with no application or
nomination process; and
WHEREAS, National heritage area and national historic trail
designations are managed or controlled by a private, unelected,
unaccountable entity and interferes with state and private property rights;
and
WHEREAS, There is significant opposition to including private
property in a national heritage area or national historic trail upon discovery
by members of a community; and
WHEREAS, National heritage areas are administered by the national
park service, and national historic trails are administered by the national
park service, the United States department of agriculture forest service and
the bureau of land management, depending on the trail; and
WHEREAS, National designations can accept and administer money
paid by the United States secretary of the interior; and
WHEREAS, Financial assistance components, legal agreements,
accountability measures and performance requirements for national
heritage areas and national historic trails can create undue burdens for state
and private property under federal oversight.
Now, therefore:
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35 HB 2051 2
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) Designation by the United States national park service
of any national heritage area or national historic trail, pursuant to 54
U.S.C. 300101 et seq., that extends beyond federal land within the state of
Kansas shall require the approval of the legislature of the state of Kansas
through the adoption of a concurrent resolution.
(b) State funds shall not be expended or transferred from state
agencies to match federal moneys for national heritage areas, national
historic trails or any similar or successor designated areas without the
approval of the legislature of the state of Kansas through the adoption of a
concurrent resolution.
(c) State lands, water, property or facilities shall not be included in
any designated national heritage area, national historic trail or any similar
or successor designated areas without the approval of the legislature of the
state of Kansas through the adoption of a concurrent resolution.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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