K.S.A. § 12-17,169 — KS Code / Chapter 12 / Article 17 / Section 12-17,169
12-17,169 - Special obligation bonds and full faith and credit tax increment bonds; rural redevelopment project, alternative financing; major professional sports franchise project, financing by city or county or Kansas development finance authority; procedure for issuance; limitations; payment; exempt from taxation; refunding of bonds; status reports; information for economic development incentive program database.
Status: in_force

12-17,169. Special obligation bonds and full faith and credit tax increment bonds; rural redevelopment project, alternative financing; major professional sports franchise project, financing by city or county or Kansas development finance authority; procedure for issuance; limitations; payment; exempt from taxation; refunding of bonds; status reports; information for economic development incentive program database. (a) (1) Any city or county shall have the power to issue special obligation bonds in one or more series to finance the undertaking of any STAR bond project in accordance with the provisions of this act. Rural redevelopment projects, as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162, and amendments thereto, may also be financed without the issuance of special obligation bonds up to an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 for each project. Such special obligation bonds or rural redevelopment project costs shall be made payable, both as to principal and interest:

(A) From revenues of the city or county derived from or held in connection with the undertaking and carrying out of any STAR bond project or projects under this act including historic theater sales tax increments;

(B) from any private sources, contributions or other financial assistance from the state or federal government;

(C) from a pledge of 100% of the tax increment revenue received by the city from any local sales and use taxes, including the city's share of any county sales tax, which are collected from taxpayers doing business within that portion of the city's STAR bond project district established pursuant to K.S.A. 12-17,165, and amendments thereto, occupied by a STAR bond project, except for amounts committed to other uses by election of voters or pledged to bond repayment prior to the approval of the STAR bond project;

(D) at the option of the county in a city STAR bond project district, from a pledge of all of the tax increment revenues received by the county from any local sales and use taxes which are collected from taxpayers doing business within that portion of the city's STAR bond project district established pursuant to K.S.A. 12-17,165, and amendments thereto, except for amounts committed to other uses by election of voters or pledged to bond repayment prior to the approval of a STAR bond project;

(E) in a county STAR bond project district, from a pledge of 100% of the tax increment revenue received by the county from any county sales and use tax, but excluding any portions of such taxes that are allocated to the cities in such county pursuant to K.S.A. 12-192, and amendments thereto, which are collected from taxpayers doing business within that portion of the county's STAR bond project district established pursuant to K.S.A. 12-17,165, and amendments thereto, occupied by a STAR bond project;

(F) from a pledge of all or a portion of the tax increment revenue received from any state sales taxes which are collected from taxpayers doing business within that portion of the city's or county's STAR bond project district occupied by a STAR bond project, except that for any STAR bond project district established and approved by the secretary on or after January 1, 2017, such tax increment shall not include any sales tax revenue from retail automobile dealers, and except that for any STAR bond project district established after July 1, 2021, with existing sales tax revenue at the time the district was established, such pledge shall not exceed 90% of the new tax increment revenue that is in excess of the base existing sales tax revenue received from any state sales taxes;

(G) at the option of the city or county and with approval of the secretary, from all or a portion of the transient guest tax of such city or county;

(H) at the option of the city or county and with approval of the secretary: (i) From a pledge of all or a portion of increased revenue received by the city or county from franchise fees collected from utilities and other businesses using public right-of-way within the STAR bond project district; or (ii) from a pledge of all or a portion of the revenue received by a city or county from local sales taxes or local transient guest and local use taxes; or

(I) by any combination of these methods.

The city or county may pledge such revenue to the repayment of such special obligation bonds prior to, simultaneously with, or subsequent to the issuance of such special obligation bonds.

(2) (A) Special obligation bonds issued by a city or county to finance a STAR bond project as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162(aa)(2), and amendments thereto, that has been approved by the secretary in accordance with K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 12-17,181, and amendments thereto, shall be made payable, both as to principal and interest, from a pledge of:

(i) Any method or combination of the methods described in paragraph (1), except that tax increment revenue from sales taxes shall include sales tax revenue from all retail sales of any business located within the district and up to 100% of the new state sales tax increment revenue that is in excess of the base sales tax revenue, as set in the secretary's discretion, received from any state sales taxes. The city or county shall have discretion to set the base sales tax revenue for local sales and use taxes as approved by the secretary;

(ii) tax increment revenue from up to 100% of the taxes imposed on the sale of alcoholic liquor, as defined in K.S.A. 79-41a01, and amendments thereto, collected from sales within the district pursuant to K.S.A. 79-4101 and 79-41a02, and amendments thereto; and

(iii) if approved by the secretary, moneys from the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund of the department of commerce.

(B) As authorized by the secretary, the Kansas development finance authority shall have the power to issue special obligation bonds in one or more series to finance the undertaking of a STAR bond project as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162(aa)(2), and amendments thereto, that has been established by a city or county and approved by the secretary of commerce pursuant to K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 12-17,181, and amendments thereto, or undertaken independently by the secretary pursuant to K.S.A. 12-17,164, and amendments thereto, with or without the participation of the city or county. Such special obligation bonds shall not be general obligations of the state. Any such bonds and interest thereon shall be an obligation only of the Kansas development finance authority and shall not constitute a debt of the state of Kansas within the meaning of section 6 or 7 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas and shall not pledge the full faith and credit or the taxing power of the state of Kansas. Such special obligation bonds shall be made payable, both as to principal and interest, solely from:

(i) Tax increment revenue as determined in the secretary's discretion, from up to 100% of state sales taxes, including state sales tax revenue from all retail sales of any business located within the district;

(ii) tax increment revenue from up to 100% of the taxes imposed on the sale of alcoholic liquor as defined in K.S.A. 79-41a01, and amendments thereto, from sales within the district pursuant to K.S.A. 79-4101 and 79-41a02, and amendments thereto;

(iii) if approved by the city or county, revenue from any of the other methods or combination of methods as provided in subparagraph (A)(i); and

(iv) if approved by the secretary, moneys from the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund of the department of commerce.

(C) For purposes of this paragraph, "district" means the STAR bond project district as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162(cc)(2), and amendments thereto. Revenues may be collected pursuant to this paragraph from noncontiguous parcels of real estate and areas not being developed by a STAR bond project as defined in subsection (aa)(2) within such STAR bond project district.

(D) Any revenues that have been pledged to pay one or more STAR bonds previously issued pursuant to this act shall be used first to satisfy any remaining obligations of such bonds.

(3) Bonds issued under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2)(A) shall not be general obligations of the city or the county, nor in any event shall they give rise to a charge against its general credit or taxing powers, or be payable out of any funds or properties other than any of those set forth in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2)(A) and such bonds shall so state on their face.

(4) Bonds issued under the provisions of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2)(A) shall be special obligations of the city or county and are declared to be negotiable instruments. Such bonds shall be executed by the mayor and clerk of the city or the chairperson of the board of county commissioners and the county clerk and sealed with the corporate seal of the city or county. All details pertaining to the issuance of such special obligation bonds and terms and conditions thereof shall be determined by ordinance of the city or by resolution of the county.

All special obligation bonds issued pursuant to this act and all income or interest therefrom shall be exempt from all state taxes. Such special obligation bonds shall contain none of the recitals set forth in K.S.A. 10-112, and amendments thereto. Such special obligation bonds shall, however, contain the following recitals: (i) The authority under which such special obligation bonds are issued; (ii) such bonds are in conformity with the provisions, restrictions and limitations thereof; and (iii) that such special obligation bonds and the interest thereon are to be paid from the money and revenue received as provided in subsection (a)(1) and (a)(2).

(5) Any city or county issuing special obligation bonds under the provisions of this act may refund all or part of such issue pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-116a, and amendments thereto. If and as approved by the secretary of commerce, the Kansas development finance authority may refund all or part of any issue of special obligation bonds issued for a project as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162(aa)(2), and amendments thereto, by the Kansas development finance authority under the provisions of this act pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 74-8912, and amendments thereto, and this act.

(b) (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b)(2), any city shall have the power to issue full faith and credit tax increment bonds to finance the undertaking, establishment or redevelopment of any major motorsports complex, as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162, and amendments thereto. Such full faith and credit tax increment bonds shall be made payable, both as to principal and interest: (A) From the revenue sources identified in subsection (a)(1) or by any combination of these sources; and (B) subject to the provisions of subsection (b)(2), from a pledge of the city's full faith and credit to use its ad valorem taxing authority for repayment thereof in the event all other authorized sources of revenue are not sufficient.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (b)(3), before the governing body of any city proposes to issue full faith and credit tax increment bonds as authorized by this subsection, the feasibility study required by K.S.A. 12-17,166(b), and amendments thereto, shall demonstrate that the benefits derived from the project will exceed the cost and that the income therefrom will be sufficient to pay the costs of the project. No full faith and credit tax increment bonds shall be issued unless the governing body states in the resolution required by K.S.A. 12-17,166(e), and amendments thereto, that it may issue such bonds to finance the proposed STAR bond project. The governing body may issue the bonds unless within 60 days following the conclusion of the public hearing on the proposed STAR bond project plan a protest petition signed by 3% of the qualified voters of the city is filed with the city clerk in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 25-3601 et seq., and amendments thereto. If a sufficient petition is filed, no full faith and credit tax increment bonds shall be issued until the issuance of the bonds is approved by a majority of the voters voting at an election thereon. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided by the general bond law. The failure of the voters to approve the issuance of full faith and credit tax increment bonds shall not prevent the city from issuing special obligation bonds in accordance with this section. No such election shall be held in the event the board of county commissioners or the board of education determines, as provided in K.S.A. 12-17,165, and amendments thereto, that the proposed STAR bond project district will have an adverse effect on the county or school district.

(3) As an alternative to subsection (b)(2), any city which adopts a STAR bond project plan for a major motorsports complex, but does not state its intent to issue full faith and credit tax increment bonds in the resolution required by K.S.A. 12-17,166(e), and amendments thereto, and has not acquired property in the STAR bond project area may issue full faith and credit tax increment bonds if the governing body of the city adopts a resolution stating its intent to issue the bonds and the issuance of the bonds is approved by a majority of the voters voting at an election thereon. Such election shall be called and held in the manner provided by the general bond law. The failure of the voters to approve the issuance of full faith and credit tax increment bonds shall not prevent the city from issuing special obligation bonds pursuant to subsection (a)(1). Any project plan adopted by a city prior to the effective date of this act in accordance with K.S.A. 12-1772, and amendments thereto, shall not be invalidated by any requirements of this act.

(4) During the progress of any major motorsports complex project in which the project costs will be financed, in whole or in part, with the proceeds of full faith and credit tax increment bonds, the city may issue temporary notes in the manner provided in K.S.A. 10-123, and amendments thereto, to pay the project costs for the major motorsports complex project. Such temporary notes shall not be issued and the city shall not acquire property in the STAR bond project area until the requirements of subsection (b)(2) or (b)(3), whichever is applicable, have been met.

(5) Full faith and credit tax increment bonds issued under this subsection shall be general obligations of the city and are declared to be negotiable instruments. Such bonds shall be issued in accordance with the general bond law. All such bonds and all income or interest therefrom shall be exempt from all state taxes. The amount of the full faith and credit tax increment bonds issued and outstanding which exceeds 3% of the assessed valuation of the city shall be within the bonded debt limit applicable to such city.

(6) Any city issuing full faith and credit tax increment bonds under the provisions of this subsection may refund all or part of such issue pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-116a, and amendments thereto.

(c) (1) For each project established by a city or county financed with special obligation bonds payable from the revenues described in subsection (a)(1) and (a)(2), the city or county shall prepare and submit to the secretary by October 1 of each year, a report describing the status of any projects within such STAR bond project area, any expenditures of the proceeds of special obligation bonds that have occurred since the last annual report and any expenditures of the proceeds of such bonds expected to occur in the future, including the amount of sales tax revenue, how such revenue has been spent, the projected amount of such revenue, the anticipated use of such revenue and the names of the owners, partners, officers or principals of any developer and of any associated business partners of any developer that are involved in the STAR bond project. The department of commerce shall compile this information and submit a report annually to the governor and the legislature by February 1 of each year.

(2) (A) In addition to the report referenced in paragraph (1), the department of commerce, in cooperation with the department of revenue, shall submit a report to the senate commerce committee and the house commerce, labor and economic development committee by January 31 of each session. The report shall include the following information for the last three calendar years and the most current year-to-date information available with respect to each STAR bond district:

(i) The gross annual sales, gross annual sales projected pursuant to the STAR bond project plan and feasibility study, gross annual sales required to meet bond debt service requirements and other expenses, amount of sales tax collected and the amount of any "base" sales taxes being allocated to the district;

(ii) the total amount of bond payments and other expenses incurred;

(iii) the total amount of bonds issued and the balance of the bonds, by district and by project in the district;

(iv) the remaining cash balance in the project to pay future debt service and other expenses;

(v) any new income producing properties being brought into a district and the base revenue going to the state general fund and incremental sales tax increases going to the district with respect to such properties;

(vi) the amount of bonds issued to repay private investors in the project with calculations showing the private and state share of indebtedness;

(vii) the percentage of local effort sales tax actually committed to the district compared to the state's share of sales tax percentage committed to the district;

(viii) the number of out-of-state visitors to a project and description of the data gathered pursuant to the visitor tracking plan, including, but not limited to, residence zip code data, a discussion of the visitor attraction properties of projects in the districts, and a comparison of the number of out-of-state visitors with the number of in-state visitors; and

(ix) if any information or data is not available, an explanation as to why it is not available.

(B) Either the senate commerce committee or the house committee on commerce, labor and economic development may amend the information required in the report with additional requests and clarification on a going forward basis.

(3) Cities, counties and developers shall provide all information requested by the secretary for the secretary's database as provided by K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 74-50,227, and amendments thereto. If the city or county has a website, a conspicuous link directly to the information pertaining to the city or county's STAR bond project on the secretary's database shall be placed on the city's or county's website. A separate link shall be provided for each STAR bond project of the city or county.

(d) The reports pursuant to subsection (c)(1) and (2) shall include a description of all state, federal and local tax incentives that apply within the STAR bond district or to any business located in the district.

(e) (1) A city or county may use the proceeds of special obligation bonds or any uncommitted funds derived from sources set forth in this section to pay the bond project costs as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162, and amendments thereto, to implement the STAR bond project plan.

(2) As authorized by the secretary, the Kansas development finance authority may issue and use the proceeds of special obligation bonds to pay the bond project costs as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162, and amendments thereto, to implement a STAR bond project plan for a project as defined in K.S.A. 12-17,162(aa)(2), and amendments thereto.

(f) With respect to a STAR bond project district established prior to January 1, 2003, for which, prior to January 1, 2003, the secretary made a finding as provided in subsection (a) that a STAR bond project would create a major tourism area for the state, such special obligation bonds shall be payable both as to principal and interest, from a pledge of all of the revenue from any transient guest, state and local sales and use taxes collected from taxpayers as provided in subsection (a) whether or not revenues from such taxes are received by the city.