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Minutes for SB510 - Committee on Local Government
Short Title
Requiring cities to reconnect property to the city sewer system if the property owner requests such reconnection and the disconnection was not a result of failure to pay sewer fees.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 29, 2024
Chair McGinn opened the hearing on SB 510. Revisor Jason Long (Attachment 1) gave an overview of the bill and stood for questions from the Committee.
Senator Straub (Attachment 2) spoke as a proponent of the bill. She explained that the purpose of the bill was to clarify the responsibilities of municipalities and municipal sewer systems in what they provide to the citizens and property owners in the communities they serve. Since the statute was first enacted in 1915, it hasn't been amended and modernized to meet present day situations. Senator Straub stood for questions from the Committee.
Additional proponent, written only testimony was received from the following individuals:
Kari Sue Vosburgh(Attachment 3), Sedgwick County Precinct Committee member
Jamie Kissinger (Attachment 4), Sedgwick County Precinct Committee member
Brett Anderson (Attachment 5), Sedgwick County Precinct Committee member
Melissa Cambpell (Attachment 6), private citizen
Spencer Duncan (Attachment 7) testified before the Committee as an opponent of the bill. He expressed concern that the bill, as written, would have much broader implications than fixing the initial issue. There would need to be greater clarification of terminology as well as determining who has final authority over the reconnect process.
Kimberly Svaty (Attachment 8) argued against the bill sharing similar concerns as Mr. Duncan in that the bill would have broader consequences for residential and commercial dwellings statewide. She asserted that the connection to the public sewer system is a private asset and the responsibility lies with the property owners. This bill would shift responsibility and associated costs upon the waste water utility system and its collective customer base for private sewer connections.
Both Mr. Duncan and Ms. Svaty stood for questions from the Committee.
Chair McGinn closed the hearing on SB 510.
