Mission Statement

Guide state and national actions that affect economic development in the region and adopt joint actions among member governments that enhance the regional economy.

REAP Legislative Priorities Tracker

Providing you with updated information on REAP's 2010 Priorities.

 (Update as of 5-25-10)

Kansas Affordable Airfares Program

Transportation

Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project

  • No new update at this time.

Aviation Research

  • No new update at this time.

Bioscience/Composites

  • No new update at this time.

Graduate Medical Education

  • No new update at this time.

Water

  • HB 2283 passed the house 119-1 an now moves to the Governor.  This bill would enact new law dealing with the process of transfer of water service when a city annexes property where a rural water district is providing service and amend existing law to provide an additional factor that must be considered by a rural water district's board of directors prior to their releasing lands from the rural water district  The bill also would repeal KSA 12-527 dealing with the annexation of lands located within water districts and clarify existing guidelines for the implementation of an intensive groundwater use control area within the boundaries of a groundwater management district.

  • Senate Bill 510 (Establishing Conservation as a Beneficial Use of Water):  The Kansas Department of Agriculture has introduced legislation to promote the voluntary conservation of water, marking a substantial shift in water policy from the previous half-century.  There are still many questions to be answered as to the long term impacts of this program, and how it relates to municipal or industrial water use, but initial impressions are that it seems like a dramatic step in the right direction for water appropriations in Kansas.  The bill was introduced in the Senate Agriculture Committee.  The bill and additional information is available from the Department of Agriculture page at http://www.ksda.gove/dwr/ .

  • The REAP Water Resources Committee is also making progress on drafting a set of guidelines for the annexation of RWD territory.  To supplement these guidelines, a simple checklist for water service providers to follow in anticipation of an annexation, and water service agreements to cover the majority of annexation cases

Workforce Investment Act Re-authorization

  • REAP supports the federal re-authorization of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, to include maintaining local control through private sector and employer driven Local Workforce Investment Boards.

Other REAP Legislative Interests

Historic Tax Credits     

  •  REAP  provided the following testimony on the impacts of Historic Tax Credits throughout the REAP region, and adopted a statement of support to accompany the compiled information.

  • On March 10th the House Taxation Committee approved an amended version of SB 430 and sent it to the House floor where it may be considered as early as mid week.  The amended version differs from the original Senate version in that it eliminates completely the "10 percent haircut".  Once it passes the House, it goes back to the Senate for its consideration either to concur with the amended version or appoint a conference committee to work the differences.