12-105b. Uniform procedure for payment of claims; presentment of claims; claims which could give rise to action under Kansas tort claims act; notice, contents, limitation on commencement of action; payments in advance of approval; auditing; approval. (a) All claims against a municipality must be presented in writing with a full account of the items, and no claim shall be allowed except in accordance with the provisions of this section. A claim may be the usual statement of account of the vendor or party rendering a service or other written statement showing the required information.

(b) Claims for salaries or wages of officers or employees need not be signed by the officer or employee if a payroll claim is certified by the administrative head of a department or group of officers or employees or an authorized representative that the salaries or wages stated therein were contracted or incurred for the municipality under authority of law, that the amounts claimed are correct, due and unpaid and that the amounts are due as salaries and wages for services performed by the person named.

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as prohibiting the payment of employment incentive or retention bonuses authorized by K.S.A. 72-2244, and amendments thereto.

(c) No costs shall be recovered against a municipality or against an employee of a municipality in any action brought against the municipality or an employee of a municipality for any claims allowed in part unless the recovery shall be for a greater sum than the amount allowed, with the interest due. Subject to the terms of applicable insurance contracts, judgments and settlements obtained for claims recoverable pursuant to the Kansas tort claims act shall be presented for payment in accordance with this section or in such manner as the governing body may designate.

(d) Any person having a claim against a municipality or against an employee of a municipality which could give rise to an action brought under the Kansas tort claims act shall file a written notice as provided in this subsection before commencing such action. The notice shall be filed with the clerk or governing body of the municipality and shall contain the following: (1) The name and address of the claimant and the name and address of the claimant's attorney, if any; (2) a concise statement of the factual basis of the claim, including the date, time, place and circumstances of the act, omission or event complained of; (3) the name and address of any public officer or employee involved, if known; (4) a concise statement of the nature and the extent of the injury claimed to have been suffered; and (5) a statement of the amount of monetary damages that is being requested. In the filing of a notice of claim, substantial compliance with the provisions and requirements of this subsection shall constitute valid filing of a claim. The contents of such notice shall not be admissible in any subsequent action arising out of the claim. Once notice of the claim is filed, no action shall be commenced until after the claimant has received notice from the municipality that it has denied the claim or until after 120 days has passed following the filing of the notice of claim, whichever occurs first. A claim is deemed denied if the municipality fails to approve the claim in its entirety within 120 days unless the interested parties have reached a settlement before the expiration of that period. No person may initiate an action against a municipality or against an employee of a municipality unless the claim has been denied in whole or part. Any action brought pursuant to the Kansas tort claims act shall be commenced within the time period provided for in the code of civil procedure or it shall be forever barred, except that, a claimant shall have no less than 90 days from the date the claim is denied or deemed denied in which to commence an action.

(e) Claims against a municipality which provide for a discount for early payment or for the assessment of a penalty for late payment may be authorized to be paid in advance of approval thereof by the governing body in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The governing body may designate and authorize one or more of its officers or employees to pay any such claim made against the municipality in advance of its presentation to and approval by the governing body if payment of the amount of such claim is required before the next scheduled regular meeting of the governing body in order for the municipality to benefit from the discount provided for early payment or to avoid assessment of the penalty for late payment. Any officer or employee authorized to pay claims under this subsection shall keep an accurate record of all moneys paid and the purpose for which expended, and shall submit the record to the governing body at the next meeting thereof. Payments of claims by an officer or employee of the municipality under authority of this subsection are valid to the same extent as if the claims had been approved and ordered to be paid by the governing body.

(f) When an employee is required to travel on behalf of a municipality, the employee shall be entitled, upon complying with the provisions of the municipality's policies and regulations on employee travel, to timely payment of subsistence allowances and reimbursement for transportation and other related travel expenses incurred by the employee while on an approved travel status. When reimbursement through the regular claims approval process of the municipality will require more than 15 days from the date the reimbursement claim is filed, the claim may be authorized to be paid in advance of approval thereof by the governing body in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The governing body may designate and authorize one or more of its officers or employees to pay any such claim made against the municipality in advance of its presentation to and approval by the governing body if payment of the amount of such claim is required before the next scheduled regular meeting of the governing body. Any officer or employee authorized to pay claims under this subsection shall keep an accurate record of all moneys paid and the purpose for which expended, and shall submit the record to the governing body at the next meeting thereof. Payments of claims by an officer or employee of the municipality under authority of this subsection are valid to the same extent as if the claims had been approved and ordered to be paid by the governing body.

(g) Claims submitted by members of a municipality's self-insured health plan may be authorized to be paid in advance of approval thereof by the governing body. Such claims shall be submitted to the administrative officer of such insurance plan.

(h) Claims against a school district for the purchase of food or gasoline while students are on a co-curricular or extra-curricular activity outside of the school boundaries may be paid in advance of approval thereof by the governing body in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The governing body may designate and authorize one or more of its officers or employees to pay any such claim made against the school district in advance of its presentation to and approval by the governing body.

(i) Except as otherwise provided, before any claim is presented to the governing body or before any claim is paid by any officer or employee of the municipality under subsection (e) or (f), it shall be audited by the clerk, secretary, manager, superintendent, finance committee or finance department or other officer or officers charged by law to approve claims affecting the area of government concerned in the claim, and thereby approved in whole or in part as correct, due and unpaid.

History: L. 1968, ch. 375, § 2; L. 1970, ch. 67, § 3; L. 1979, ch. 186, § 18; L. 1980, ch. 59, § 1; L. 1982, ch. 62, § 1; L. 1983, ch. 56, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 353, § 9; L. 1998, ch. 129, § 1; L. 1999, ch. 86, § 2; L. 2002, ch. 167, § 3; L. 2004, ch. 10, § 1; L. 2015, ch. 28, § 2; July 1.