4/1/03-A measure that will give owner-operators more control over their trucks’ registration has become law in Kansas.
SB130, which was supported by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, was signed into law by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius March 26 after it was approved by the House. The lower chamber voted 114-9 for the bill March 19; the bill passed the Senate earlier by a vote of 40-0.
Kansas law previously required owner-operators leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register their vehicles in the carrier’s name. SB130 changes the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by “the lessee or the lessor.”

3/13/03-The Kansas House Transportation Committee has voted in favor of a bill that would give owner-operators more control over their trucks' registration. The bill, which has already passed the Senate 40-0, now goes to the full House for a vote.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name. SB130, which was suggested and supported by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor."
For bill status, call (785) 296-2149.

3/6/03-A hearing is scheduled before a House Committee on a bill backed by OOIDA that will give owner-operators more control over their trucks' registration.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name. SB130 would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor."
The Transportation Committee hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in room 519-S at the state capitol in Topeka.
The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 40-0 on Feb. 25, and it moved to the House Feb. 26, where it was assigned to the Transportation Committee.

2/26/03-The Senate has given its approval to a bill backed by OOIDA that would give owner-operators more control over their trucks' registration.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name. SB130 would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor."
The Senate approved the bill 40-0 Feb. 25. It was introduced into the House Feb. 26 and will be moved into a House committee Feb. 27.
Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and assistant majority leader, added an amendment to the bill that could move its effective date up to as early as April 1.
The amendment was suggested by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Gary Green of OOIDA's Business Services division said. It was targeted at Kansas truckers who were registered in Oklahoma. Those truckers recently received a reprieve when Oklahoma extended its registrations, which had expired March 1, to April 1.

2/20/03-Kansas officials are working to move up the effective date of a bill that would give owner-operators more of a say in truck registration.
Normally, the bill, if it were signed into law, would become effective July 1, as all new Kansas laws do. However, Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, chairman of the Transportation Committee and assistant majority leader, said he planned to add an amendment to SB130 that could move its effective date up to as early as April 1.
It was targeted at Kansas truckers who were registered in Oklahoma.
Because of recent IRP rulings, those truckers could not renew their Oklahoma tags. However, those tags run out in March, and under Kansas' current rules, owner-operators returning to Kansas base plates would then have to register their trucks under the carriers they were leased to.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name.
The measure would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor," in essence allowing owner-operators and carriers to settle the matter themselves. The amendment will allow Kansas owner-operators to base plate at home in their own names before their current registrations run out.
Donovan told Land Line the bill was scheduled to be debated before the full Senate Feb. 25. Action in the House is expected soon afterward.
"I've already talked to the chairman of House Transportation, alerted him to the problem and why we need to act on it quickly," he said. "He'll have a hearing at his earliest possibility."
The senator expects the bill to pass the Senate by a nearly unanimous vote, and to garner a similar victory in the House.
"I expect it to pass without objection," Donovan said.
"It's something that we needed to do, and we can move fairly quickly when we have to," he said. "I see this as a pretty important thing for a select group of people, and we need to give them all the relief we can."
The law as it stands now is an exception to the rules of the International Registration Plan, or IRP, concerning vehicle registration, and the IRP governing board is currently examining its wording. Some sources have indicated sanctions are expected if the current law isn't changed.
For bill status, call (785) 296-2149.

2/18/03-A bill that would change registration rules for trucks in the state is on the Senate floor.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name. SB130 would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor."
The law as it stands now is an exception to the rules of the International Registration Plan concerning vehicle registration. The IRP governing board is currently examining its wording. Some sources have indicated sanctions are expected if the current law isn't changed.
For bill status, call (785) 296-2149.

2/6/03-The Senate is considering a bill that changes registration rules for trucks in the state.
Kansas law now requires an owner-operator leased to a carrier for 30 days or more to register his vehicle in the carrier's name. SB130, originally proposed by the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, would change the language of that law to allow trucks to be registered by "the lessee or the lessor."
OOIDA officials had traveled to the state capitol in Topeka, KS, to ask for changes in the bill. The bill's new language would allow carriers and owner-operators to negotiate to determine where and under whom a truck would be registered, according to Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
"There should be no carrier involvement," Spencer said. "Any agreement should be between the owner-operator and the carrier, not a matter to be legislated."
The law as it stands now is an exception to the rules of the International Registration Plan concerning vehicle registration, and the IRP governing board is currently examining its wording. Some sources have indicated sanctions are expected if the current law isn't changed.
Initially, the Kansas Motor Carriers Association asked the state for a bill that would allow the registration to be determined by the motor carrier's preference, sparking opposition by OOIDA.
SB130 is in the Senate Transportation Committee. For bill status, call (785) 296-2149.