Reno County Seeks Guaranteed Seat on State Fair Board
HB 2779 would require at least one board member from the county that hosts the fairgrounds
TOPEKA — A new bill introduced Thursday would guarantee Reno County — home to the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson — at least one seat on the Kansas State Fair board, addressing what supporters see as a common-sense gap in current law.
HB 2779, referred from the Committee on Federal and State Affairs, was read by title on the House floor. While the bill's specific sponsors were not identified in Thursday's journal, the measure reflects a longstanding concern among Hutchinson-area lawmakers and residents that the community most directly affected by the fair's operations should have a formal voice in its governance. The Kansas State Fair is one of the state's signature cultural and agricultural events, drawing visitors from across the region each September.
The push for geographic representation on state boards is a recurring theme in Kansas politics, particularly in a state where tensions between urban and rural interests often shape policy debates. Whether the bill gains traction will depend in part on whether lawmakers from other regions view it as a reasonable safeguard or an unwelcome precedent for mandating residency requirements on appointive bodies.