SB61 • 2026

Requiring an electric public utility to pay a landowner's attorney fees when a party appeals the appraisers' award and the jury renders a verdict that is greater than the appraisers' award in an eminent domain action.

Land

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Last action: 2026-04-10
Official status: Died in Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requiring an electric public utility to pay a landowner's attorney fees when a party appeals the appraisers' award and the jury renders a verdict that is greater than the appraisers' award in an eminent domain action.

What This Bill Does

Requiring an electric public utility to pay a landowner's attorney fees when a party appeals the appraisers' award and the jury renders a verdict that is greater than the appraisers' award in an eminent domain action.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-10 Senate
Died in Committee
2025-01-30 Senate
Hearing: Thursday, January 30, 2025, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S event
2025-01-29 Senate
Hearing: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S event
2025-01-23 Senate
Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
2025-01-22 Senate
Introduced

Official Summary Text

Requiring an electric public utility to pay a landowner's attorney fees when a party appeals the appraisers' award and the jury renders a verdict that is greater than the appraisers' award in an eminent domain action.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Session of 2025
SENATE BILL No. 61
By Committee on Judiciary
1-22
AN ACT concerning electric public utilities; relating to eminent domain;
requiring an electric public utility to pay a landowner's attorney fees
when a party appeals the award of the court appointed appraisers and
the landowner prevails; amending K.S.A. 26-509 and repealing the
existing section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. K.S.A. 26-509 is hereby amended to read as follows: 26-
509. (a) In an action on appeal the court shall assign the case for trial to a
jury, or to a master in accordance with K.S.A. 60-253, or acts amendatory
thereof or supplemental and amendments thereto. Except as provided in
subsection (b), whenever the plaintiff condemner shall appeal the award of
court appointed appraisers , and the jury renders a verdict for the
landowners landowner in an amount greater than said such appraisers'
award, the court may allow as court costs an amount to be paid to the
landowner's attorney as attorney fees.
(b) If the plaintiff condemner is an electric public utility, whenever
such plaintiff condemner or landowner shall appeal the award of court
appointed appraisers and the jury or master renders a verdict for the
landowner in an amount greater than such appraisers' award, the court
shall allow as court costs an amount to be paid to the landowner's
attorney as attorney fees.
Sec. 2. K.S.A. 26-509 is hereby repealed.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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