74-50,150. State affordable airfare fund; purpose and administration; administrative fee; duties of secretary of commerce; reports to legislature; study by legislative budget committee. (a) There is hereby established in the state treasury the $5,000,000 state affordable airfare fund, which shall be known and referred to as the state affordable airfare fund and which shall be administered by the secretary of commerce. In accordance with the provisions of appropriation acts, moneys shall be transferred to the state affordable airfare fund from the state general fund or one or more special revenue funds in the state treasury as specified by appropriation acts. Subject to appropriation acts, the secretary is authorized to designate or deduct from such moneys transferred to the state affordable airfare fund an annual administrative fee not to exceed 2% of such moneys transferred, which administrative fee shall be remitted to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto, and the entire amount deposited by the state treasurer in the state treasury to the credit of the state affordable airfare administrative fee fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. All expenditures from the state affordable airfare fund shall be for the program to provide more air flight options, more competition for air travel and affordable air fares for Kansas, including a regional airport in western Kansas. All expenditures from the state affordable airfare fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the secretary of commerce or the designee of the secretary.

(b) The moneys credited to the state affordable airfare fund shall be disbursed as an annual grant by the secretary of commerce to the regional economic area partnership (REAP) and shall be used for the development and implementation of a program to provide more air flight options, more competition for air travel and affordable air fares for Kansas, including a regional airport in western Kansas. Each annual grant shall be matched by moneys received by the regional economic area partnership (REAP) from local units of government or private entities on the basis of 75% from the state affordable airfare fund to 25% from local units of government or private entities.

(c) Annually, beginning by January 15, 2008, at the beginning of each regular session of the legislature thereafter, the regional economic area partnership (REAP) shall evaluate and present a report on the effectiveness of this program to the house of representatives committee on appropriations and the senate committee on ways and means. Commencing with the regular session in 2008, the regional economic area partnership (REAP) shall prepare and submit a report on the expenditures of the state annual grant and local matching moneys under the program and the results obtained for such expenditures to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session.

(d) During the interim between regular sessions of the legislature, commencing with the 2006 legislative interim period, the legislative budget committee shall study and review the activities of the regional economic area partnership (REAP) under the program to provide more air flight options, more competition for air travel and affordable air fares for Kansas, including a regional airport in western Kansas.

(e) All expenditures from the state affordable airfare administrative fee fund shall be for the purpose of recovering costs incurred by the secretary in the course of administering the state affordable airfare fund and shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the secretary or by a person or persons designated by the secretary.

History: L. 2006, ch. 138, § 1; L. 2016, ch. 109, § 4; July 1.