Interstate Opt-Out Loses in Kansas

After repeated attempts by some state lawmakers to opt out of interstate branching, the effort appears to be dead for this year.

A state Senate committee last week failed to vote by a large enough margin for the legislation's latest incarnation.

"At this stage in the session, there's simply no realistic chance that the issue will be revisited," said Kansas Bankers Association senior vice president Jim Maag.

The opt-out measure, along with a separate provision to require banks to disclose job cutbacks in merger announcements, had been added to a banking bill by the state House of Representatives. But the bill failed to get a two-thirds majority Friday to move out of a Senate committee.

An earlier opt-out bill had been deferred by legislators. Before the latest effort began, opt-out language had been added to a bill on brake inspections.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER