MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

House Bill No. 2028

An Act concerning wildlife; relating to hunting and fishing and hunting and fishing licenses; requiring the Kansas department of wildlife and parks to offer discounted resident senior combination hunting and fishing passes to residents of this state who are 65 years of age or older; increasing the maximum age to qualify for Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses and removing the expiration date for such licenses; prohibiting nonresidents from hunting migratory waterfowl during certain times and places; increasing fees for migratory waterfowl stamps; amending K.S.A. 32-939 and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 32-988 and 32-9,101 and repealing the existing sections; reviving and amending K.S.A. 32-9,100 and repealing the revived section; also repealing K.S.A. 32-9,100, as amended by section 64 of chapter 7 of the 2023 Session Laws of Kansas.

Message to the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

While this bill touches on a variety of hunting and fishing issues, I am particularly concerned with how this bill severely limits non-Kansas residents from hunting waterfowl on public lands. More specifically, this prohibition could have a detrimental impact on the prosperity of our communities and businesses by denying the many positive outcomes from the economic activity generated by non-residents coming into our state for hunting purposes.

I will not support a bill that could harm the economic vitality of rural Kansas communities across the state.

Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2028.

Laura Kelly, Governor

Dated April 9, 2025.