75-37,123. Topeka state hospital property; defined; control and custody; operation, maintenance, lease and sale; conditions and restrictions; ad valorem tax exemption; advisory committee. (a) As used in this section, "Topeka state hospital property" means all state-owned land and improvements in the city of Topeka, Kansas, which is in the area bounded by west Sixth street on the south, MacVicar avenue on the east, Interstate 70 on the north, and Oakley avenue on the west, including the adjacent state-owned land west of Oakley avenue, excluding the state printing plant land designated by the secretary of administration.

(b) The secretary of administration shall have custody and control of the Topeka state hospital property and may operate and maintain the property. The secretary of administration may make expenditures for the following:

(1) Goods and services relating to the use, sale, lease or other disposition of the Topeka state hospital property;

(2) marketing the use, sale, lease or other disposition of the Topeka state hospital property; and

(3) operating and maintaining the Topeka state hospital property, including security, repair and capital improvements.

(c) The secretary of administration may:

(1) Enter into agreements to lease all, or any portion, of the Topeka state hospital property for a period not to exceed five years;

(2) enter into agreements to lease all, or any portion, of the Topeka state hospital property for a period longer than five years after review and consultation with the joint committee on state building construction;

(3) enter into agreements and fix or alter charges for the use of the Topeka state hospital property by state agencies and others in any amounts that the secretary of administration determines to be beneficial or necessary; and

(4) enter into agreements to sell all or any portion of the Topeka state hospital property, subject to approval of the state finance council. The approval of the sale of all, or any portion, of the Topeka state hospital property is hereby characterized as a matter of legislative delegation and subject to the guidelines prescribed in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 75-3711c, and amendments thereto. Approval by the state finance council may be given when the legislature is in session.

(d) If that portion of the Topeka state hospital campus which includes the division of services for the blind is sold or otherwise becomes unavailable for its current use, ample time shall be allowed for the division of services for the blind to acquire replacement facilities of equal or better usefulness for services to the blind. If the Kansas industries for the blind must be closed as a part of the sale of Topeka state hospital property, the Kansas industries for the blind shall not be closed until suitable alternatives, including similar wages and benefits, for persons employed by Kansas industries for the blind have been arranged.

(e) The Topeka state hospital property and any portion thereof shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation as long as such property is owned by the state of Kansas and such property is:

(1) Used by the state of Kansas or any of its agencies;

(2) vacant;

(3) leased by an entity exempt from the payment of ad valorem taxation; or

(4) used for a purpose that is exempt from the payment of ad valorem taxation.

(f) The provisions of K.S.A. 79-201 et seq., and amendments thereto, requiring the requesting and filing of property tax exemptions shall not apply to the exemption provided by this section.

(g) (1) There is hereby created the Topeka state hospital property advisory committee which shall be composed of the following members:

(A) One member shall be a member of the house of representatives whose representative district includes a portion of Shawnee county and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and such member shall serve for a term ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature in next ensuing odd-numbered year;

(B) one member shall be a member of the house of representatives whose representative district includes a portion of Shawnee county and who is appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives and such member shall serve for a term ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature in next ensuing odd-numbered year;

(C) one member shall be a member of the senate whose senate district includes a portion of Shawnee county and who is appointed by the president of the senate and such member shall serve for a term ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature next ensuing odd-numbered year;

(D) one member shall be a member of the senate whose senate district includes a portion of Shawnee county and who is appointed by the minority leader of the senate and such member shall serve for a term ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature in the next ensuing odd-numbered year;

(E) one member shall be the mayor of the city of Topeka, or designee; and

(F) at least one member but not more than three members shall be appointed by the secretary of administration from among those persons who are not officers or employees of any state or local governmental agency and each such member shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary of administration.

(2) The Topeka state hospital property advisory committee shall organize at its first meeting which shall be called by the secretary of administration by electing a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members. The advisory committee shall meet on call of the chairperson and shall meet at least once each calendar quarter.

(3) Members of the Topeka state hospital property advisory committee shall serve without compensation.

(4) The Topeka state hospital property advisory committee shall meet and shall advise and consult with the secretary of administration and other representatives of the department of administration with regard to current and proposed uses and other dispositions of the Topeka state hospital property. The secretary of administration shall present formal and informal proposals for new or different uses or other dispositions of the Topeka state hospital property and shall solicit comments from the advisory committee thereon. The advisory committee shall study and shall provide a forum for the expression and discussion of concerns and recommendations from residents of Shawnee county relating to current and proposed uses and other dispositions of the Topeka state hospital property.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the discretion of the secretary in the disposition of Topeka state hospital property.

(6) The Topeka state hospital property advisory committee shall terminate when the Topeka state hospital property passes entirely from state ownership or on December 31, 2002, whichever is sooner.

(h) This section shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.

History: L. 1999, ch. 142, § 4; May 20.