SESSION OF 2023
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 132
As Amended by House Committee on
Transportation

Brief*
SB 132, as amended, would authorize a Buffalo Soldier
license plate for use on a passenger vehicle or a truck
registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less, for
issuance on or after January 1, 2024.
The bill would allow the Richard Allen Cultural Center
and Museum to authorize the organization’s logo to be affixed
on these license plates. The bill would require a person
desiring this license plate to make a logo use royalty
payment, of which a portion would be dedicated to the
construction of the reimagined Frontier Army Museum outside
of Fort Leavenworth.
The bill would require the vehicle owner or lessee to
apply for the new plate at least 60 days prior to their renewal
of registration date, on a form provided by the Director of
Vehicles (Director), Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR),
after making a logo use royalty payment of between $25 and
$100 to the Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum or the
county treasurer. Payment of the regular license fee would be
required.
The registration or license plate would not be
transferable to any other person. The bill would authorize the
Director to transfer the plate from a leased vehicle to a
purchased vehicle.

____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 The bill would require the Richard Allen Cultural Center
and Museum to provide to county treasurers an email
address for applicant inquiries and, with the approval of the
Director, to design the plate.
The bill would provide introductory clauses with
information about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and
efforts to tell their story.
Under continuing law, Buffalo Soldier license plates will
not be issued unless there is a guarantee of an initial
issuance of least 250 license plates, and the Richard Allen
Cultural Center and Museum would be required to submit a
nonrefundable amount not to exceed $5,000 to defray costs
of the Division of Vehicles (Division), KDOR, for developing
the distinctive license plate. Continuing law also requires the
Division to produce a distinctive license plate for a motorcycle
upon request to the Division.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.

Background
The bill was introduced by Senators Pittman, Faust-
Goudeau, and Haley.

Senate Committee on Transportation
In the Senate Committee hearing, proponent testimony
was provided by Senator Pittman and representatives of the
Alexander/Madison Chapter of Buffalo Soldiers and the
Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum. A private citizen
provided written-only proponent testimony. The proponents
stated that African Americans serving as Buffalo Soldiers in
the U.S. Army, including those assigned to Fort Leavenworth,
made significant contributions to settlement of the American
frontier. Proponents also described the work of the Richard

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Allen Cultural Center and Museum, housed in the former
home of a Buffalo Soldier, and noted the installation of the
Buffalo Solider Monument at Fort Leavenworth in 1992.
No other testimony was provided.

House Committee on Transportation
In the House Committee hearing, Senator Pittman and
representatives of the Alexander/Madison Chapter of Buffalo
Soldiers and the Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum
provided proponent testimony similar to that described
above.
No other testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill to change its
effective date to be upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, KDOR estimates
enactment of the bill would increase FY 2024 revenues by
$10,000, of which $9,813 would be remitted to the State
Highway Fund and $188 would be retained by county
treasurers. KDOR estimates the bill would increase revenues
to the Distinctive License Plate Fund by $5,000 from the
sponsor, to defray the cost to develop the new license plate.
KDOR estimates enactment of the bill would increase
expenditures by $4,250 in FY 2024 for costs related to
designing and manufacturing the new plate. Any fiscal effect
associated with enactment of the bill is not reflected in The
FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report.
Distinctive license plate; Buffalo Soldier; Leavenworth


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