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Minutes for SB197 - Committee on Commerce
Short Title
Extending the sunset date of the STAR bonds financing act to July 1, 2030.
Minutes Content for Mon, Feb 10, 2025
Chairman Alley opened the hearing on SB 197.
Staff provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 3)
Amber Cabrera, Attorney, Department of Commerce, presented Bob North, Chief Counsel, proponent testimony. (Attachment 4) The bill extends the sunset on the STAR Bond program from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2031. The extension of the STAR Bond program will allow Commerce to work with local communities to continue to utilize this tool. As the committee is considering the extension, would ask the committee make a permanent fix in the statute to hold those established districts that have a grocery store harmless since the state's food sales tax has been eliminated.
Jason Watkins, on behalf of the Wichita Regional Chamber, spoke in favor of the bill. (Attachment 5) The bill extends the sunset for the STAR Bonds program to July 1, 2030.
Written testimony in support of the bill:
Michael O'Donnell, self, Wichita, Kansas (Attachment 6)
Alan Carr, President, Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK) (Attachment 7)
Tim McKee, CEO, Olathe Chamber of Commerce (Attachment 8)
Mitch Robinson, President, Kansas Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) (Attachment 9)
Opponent
Elizabeth Patton, State Director, Americans for Prosperity-Kansas (AFP), testified in opposition to the bill. (Attachment 10) AFP's position is - STAR Bond needs reform to be successful; STAR Bonds shift tax burdens to the most vulnerable Kansans across the state, making it harder to make the state's tax climate uncompetitive, the bill is a failure of transparency and comprehensive public consideration, STAR Bonds have coincided with Kansas falling farther behind the National Average than before STAR Bonds. STAR Bonds fail to address the lack of an accurate cost/benefit analysis.
Chairman Alley closed the hearing on SB 197.
The next committee meeting is February 11, 2025. The meeting was adjourned at 2:23 pm.
