| 1 | 1 | | Session of 2025 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | SENATE BILL No. 262 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | By Committee on Federal and State Affairs |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | 2-11 |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT concerning eminent domain; eliminating the power of the |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | legislature to take private property for economic development; |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | narrowing the definition of public use; requiring a good faith offer of |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | compensation to a property owner prior to filing an eminent domain |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | action; providing that if the good faith offer is greater than the |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | appraiser's award, the greater amount may be subject to appeal only by |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | the property owner; amending K.S.A. 26-501a, 26-501b, 26-502 and |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | 26-507 and repealing the existing sections. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | New Section 1. (a) At least 30 days before filing a petition under |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | K.S.A. 26-501 et seq., and amendments thereto, an agency as defined in |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | K.S.A. 26-501a, and amendments thereto, shall provide notice by personal |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | service to the owner of property that the agency intends to acquire the |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | owner's property. The notice shall include a good faith offer of |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | compensation for the property, which shall be the minimum award of |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | compensation to the owner. The good faith offer shall not later be reduced |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | or revoked by the agency, nor shall the agency present evidence or |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | argument for a lesser amount of compensation in an appeal from an award |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | notice under K.S.A. 26-508, and amendments thereto. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (b) If the agency makes a subsequent offer prior to the filing of the |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | petition under K.S.A. 26-501 et seq., and amendments thereto, that is a |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | greater amount than the initial good faith offer, the subsequent greater |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | amount shall be the minimum award of compensation for such property. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | Sec. 2. K.S.A. 26-501a is hereby amended to read as follows: 26- |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | 501a. On and after July 1, 2007: (a) Private property shall not be taken by |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | eminent domain except for public use, and private property shall not be |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | taken without just compensation. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (b) The taking of private property by eminent domain for the purpose |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | of selling, leasing or otherwise transferring such property to any private |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | entity is prohibited except as provided in K.S.A. 26-501b, and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | amendments thereto. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (c) "Agency" includes the state and municipalities as defined in |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | K.S.A. 75-6102, and amendments thereto, public utilities as defined in |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | K.S.A. 66-104, and amendments thereto, and other entities listed in K.S.A. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 26-501b(b), and amendments thereto. |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | 36 SB 262 2 |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | (d) "Public use" does not include the use of any property for |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | recreational trails, which are trails used for hiking, bicycling, horseback |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | riding or other forms of recreational travel. |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | (e) This section shall be a part of and supplemental to the eminent |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | domain procedure act. |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | Sec. 3. K.S.A. 26-501b is hereby amended to read as follows: 26- |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | 501b. On and after July 1, 2007, the taking of private property by eminent |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | domain for the purpose of selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring such |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | property to any private entity is authorized if the taking is: |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | (a) By the Kansas department of transportation or a municipality and |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | the property is deemed excess real property that was taken lawfully and |
|---|
| 87 | 87 | | incidental to the acquisition of right-of-way for a public road, bridge or |
|---|
| 88 | 88 | | public improvement project, including, but not limited to, a public |
|---|
| 89 | 89 | | building, park, recreation facility, water supply project, wastewater and |
|---|
| 90 | 90 | | waste disposal project, storm water project and flood control and drainage |
|---|
| 91 | 91 | | project; |
|---|
| 92 | 92 | | (b) by any public utility, as defined in K.S.A. 66-104, and |
|---|
| 93 | 93 | | amendments thereto, gas gathering service, as defined in K.S.A. 55-1,101, |
|---|
| 94 | 94 | | and amendments thereto, pipe-line companies, railroads and all persons |
|---|
| 95 | 95 | | and associations of persons, whether incorporated or not, operating such |
|---|
| 96 | 96 | | agencies for public use in the conveyance of persons or property within |
|---|
| 97 | 97 | | this state, but only to the extent such property is used for the operation of |
|---|
| 98 | 98 | | facilities necessary for the provision of services; |
|---|
| 99 | 99 | | (c) by any municipality when the private property owner has |
|---|
| 100 | 100 | | acquiesced in writing to the taking; |
|---|
| 101 | 101 | | (d) by any municipality for the purpose of acquiring property which |
|---|
| 102 | 102 | | that has defective or unusual conditions of title, including, but not limited |
|---|
| 103 | 103 | | to, clouded or defective title or unknown ownership interests in the |
|---|
| 104 | 104 | | property; or |
|---|
| 105 | 105 | | (e) by any municipality for the purpose of acquiring property which |
|---|
| 106 | 106 | | that is unsafe for occupation by humans under the building codes of the |
|---|
| 107 | 107 | | jurisdiction where the structure is situated; |
|---|
| 108 | 108 | | (f) expressly authorized by the legislature on or after July 1, 2007, by |
|---|
| 109 | 109 | | enactment of law that identifies the specific tract or tracts to be taken. If |
|---|
| 110 | 110 | | the legislature authorizes eminent domain for private economic |
|---|
| 111 | 111 | | development purposes, the legislature shall consider requiring |
|---|
| 112 | 112 | | compensation of at least 200% of fair market value to property owners. |
|---|
| 113 | 113 | | (g)(f) This section shall be a part of and supplemental to the eminent |
|---|
| 114 | 114 | | domain procedure act. |
|---|
| 115 | 115 | | Sec. 4. K.S.A. 26-502 is hereby amended to read as follows: 26-502. |
|---|
| 116 | 116 | | Subject to section 1, and amendments thereto, a petition shall include |
|---|
| 117 | 117 | | allegations of: (1) Clear and convincing evidence that the taking is |
|---|
| 118 | 118 | | necessary and for a public use, and the agency has the authority for and |
|---|
| 119 | 119 | | 1 |
|---|
| 120 | 120 | | 2 |
|---|
| 121 | 121 | | 3 |
|---|
| 122 | 122 | | 4 |
|---|
| 123 | 123 | | 5 |
|---|
| 124 | 124 | | 6 |
|---|
| 125 | 125 | | 7 |
|---|
| 126 | 126 | | 8 |
|---|
| 127 | 127 | | 9 |
|---|
| 128 | 128 | | 10 |
|---|
| 129 | 129 | | 11 |
|---|
| 130 | 130 | | 12 |
|---|
| 131 | 131 | | 13 |
|---|
| 132 | 132 | | 14 |
|---|
| 133 | 133 | | 15 |
|---|
| 134 | 134 | | 16 |
|---|
| 135 | 135 | | 17 |
|---|
| 136 | 136 | | 18 |
|---|
| 137 | 137 | | 19 |
|---|
| 138 | 138 | | 20 |
|---|
| 139 | 139 | | 21 |
|---|
| 140 | 140 | | 22 |
|---|
| 141 | 141 | | 23 |
|---|
| 142 | 142 | | 24 |
|---|
| 143 | 143 | | 25 |
|---|
| 144 | 144 | | 26 |
|---|
| 145 | 145 | | 27 |
|---|
| 146 | 146 | | 28 |
|---|
| 147 | 147 | | 29 |
|---|
| 148 | 148 | | 30 |
|---|
| 149 | 149 | | 31 |
|---|
| 150 | 150 | | 32 |
|---|
| 151 | 151 | | 33 |
|---|
| 152 | 152 | | 34 |
|---|
| 153 | 153 | | 35 |
|---|
| 154 | 154 | | 36 |
|---|
| 155 | 155 | | 37 |
|---|
| 156 | 156 | | 38 |
|---|
| 157 | 157 | | 39 |
|---|
| 158 | 158 | | 40 |
|---|
| 159 | 159 | | 41 |
|---|
| 160 | 160 | | 42 |
|---|
| 161 | 161 | | 43 SB 262 3 |
|---|
| 162 | 162 | | the purpose of the taking; (2) a description of each lot, parcel or tract of |
|---|
| 163 | 163 | | land and the nature of the interest to be taken; and (3) insofar as their |
|---|
| 164 | 164 | | interests are to be taken (a), the name of any owner and all lienholders of |
|---|
| 165 | 165 | | record, and (b) the name of any party in possession. Such petition shall be |
|---|
| 166 | 166 | | verified by affidavit. Upon the filing of such petition, the court, by order, |
|---|
| 167 | 167 | | shall fix the time when the same such petition will be taken up. No defect |
|---|
| 168 | 168 | | in form which that does not impair substantial rights of the parties shall |
|---|
| 169 | 169 | | invalidate any proceeding. |
|---|
| 170 | 170 | | Sec. 5. K.S.A. 26-507 is hereby amended to read as follows: 26-507. |
|---|
| 171 | 171 | | (a) Payment of award; vesting of rights. If the plaintiff desires to continue |
|---|
| 172 | 172 | | with the proceeding as to particular tracts the plaintiff, within 30 days from |
|---|
| 173 | 173 | | the time the appraisers' report is filed, shall pay to the clerk of the district |
|---|
| 174 | 174 | | court the amount of the appraisers' award or the amount of the good faith |
|---|
| 175 | 175 | | offer, if greater, as provided in section 1, and amendments thereto, as to |
|---|
| 176 | 176 | | those particular tracts and court costs accrued to date, including appraisers' |
|---|
| 177 | 177 | | fees. Such payment shall be without prejudice to plaintiff's right to appeal |
|---|
| 178 | 178 | | from the appraisers' award. Except as provided further, upon such payment |
|---|
| 179 | 179 | | being made, the title, easement or interest appropriated in the land |
|---|
| 180 | 180 | | condemned shall thereupon immediately vest in the plaintiff, and it shall |
|---|
| 181 | 181 | | be entitled to the immediate possession of the land to the extent necessary |
|---|
| 182 | 182 | | for the purpose for which taken and consistent with the title, easement or |
|---|
| 183 | 183 | | interest condemned. If such property contains a defendant's personal |
|---|
| 184 | 184 | | property, a defendant shall have 14 days from the date such payment is |
|---|
| 185 | 185 | | made to the clerk of the district court to remove such personal property |
|---|
| 186 | 186 | | from the premises. The plaintiff shall be entitled to all the remedies |
|---|
| 187 | 187 | | provided by law for the securing of such possession. The clerk of the |
|---|
| 188 | 188 | | district court shall notify the interested parties that the appraisers' award |
|---|
| 189 | 189 | | has been paid and that the defendant shall have 14 days from the payment |
|---|
| 190 | 190 | | date to remove personal property from the premises. |
|---|
| 191 | 191 | | (b) Abandonment. If the plaintiff does not make the payment |
|---|
| 192 | 192 | | prescribed in subsection (a) for any of the tracts described in the petition, |
|---|
| 193 | 193 | | within 30 days, from the time the appraisers' report is filed, the |
|---|
| 194 | 194 | | condemnation is abandoned as to those tracts, and judgment for costs, |
|---|
| 195 | 195 | | including the appraisers' fees together with judgment in favor of the |
|---|
| 196 | 196 | | defendant for the reasonable expenses incurred in defense of the action, |
|---|
| 197 | 197 | | shall be entered against the plaintiff. After such payment is made by the |
|---|
| 198 | 198 | | plaintiff to the clerk of the court, as provided in subsection (a), the |
|---|
| 199 | 199 | | proceedings as to those tracts for which payment has been made can only |
|---|
| 200 | 200 | | be abandoned by the mutual consent of the plaintiff and the parties |
|---|
| 201 | 201 | | interested in the award. |
|---|
| 202 | 202 | | Sec. 6. K.S.A. 26-501a, 26-501b, 26-502 and 26-507 are hereby |
|---|
| 203 | 203 | | repealed. |
|---|
| 204 | 204 | | Sec. 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its |
|---|
| 205 | 205 | | 1 |
|---|
| 206 | 206 | | 2 |
|---|
| 207 | 207 | | 3 |
|---|
| 208 | 208 | | 4 |
|---|
| 209 | 209 | | 5 |
|---|
| 210 | 210 | | 6 |
|---|
| 211 | 211 | | 7 |
|---|
| 212 | 212 | | 8 |
|---|
| 213 | 213 | | 9 |
|---|
| 214 | 214 | | 10 |
|---|
| 215 | 215 | | 11 |
|---|
| 216 | 216 | | 12 |
|---|
| 217 | 217 | | 13 |
|---|
| 218 | 218 | | 14 |
|---|
| 219 | 219 | | 15 |
|---|
| 220 | 220 | | 16 |
|---|
| 221 | 221 | | 17 |
|---|
| 222 | 222 | | 18 |
|---|
| 223 | 223 | | 19 |
|---|
| 224 | 224 | | 20 |
|---|
| 225 | 225 | | 21 |
|---|
| 226 | 226 | | 22 |
|---|
| 227 | 227 | | 23 |
|---|
| 228 | 228 | | 24 |
|---|
| 229 | 229 | | 25 |
|---|
| 230 | 230 | | 26 |
|---|
| 231 | 231 | | 27 |
|---|
| 232 | 232 | | 28 |
|---|
| 233 | 233 | | 29 |
|---|
| 234 | 234 | | 30 |
|---|
| 235 | 235 | | 31 |
|---|
| 236 | 236 | | 32 |
|---|
| 237 | 237 | | 33 |
|---|
| 238 | 238 | | 34 |
|---|
| 239 | 239 | | 35 |
|---|
| 240 | 240 | | 36 |
|---|
| 241 | 241 | | 37 |
|---|
| 242 | 242 | | 38 |
|---|
| 243 | 243 | | 39 |
|---|
| 244 | 244 | | 40 |
|---|
| 245 | 245 | | 41 |
|---|
| 246 | 246 | | 42 |
|---|
| 247 | 247 | | 43 SB 262 4 |
|---|
| 248 | 248 | | publication in the statute book.1 |
|---|