INTERLOCAL COOPERATION

K.S.A. ch. 12, art. 29

in effect

K.S.A. 12-2901 Purpose of act.

12-2901. Purpose of act. It is the purpose of this act to permit local governmental units to make the most efficient use of their powers by enabling them to cooperate with other localities, persons, associations and corporations on a basis of mutual advantage and thereby to provide services and facilities in a manner and pursuant to forms of governmental organization that will accord best with geographic, economic, population and other factors influencing the needs and development of local communities. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 1; March 25. Law Review and Bar Journal References: "Annexation in Kansas," Robert W. Parnacott, 70 J.K.B.A. No. 10, 28 (2001). Attorney General's Opinions: County may not require sheriff to enforce city ordinances pursuant to interlocal agreement. 81-205. Joint ownership recreation district established by interlocal agreement. 81-212. Interlocal cooperation; use of school district moneys to construct a building for school district and city purposes. 82-90. Cities of the first and second class are excluded from townships. 82-242. Interlocal agreement; countywide ambulance service. 82-245. Interlocal agreements; sewage disposal works; costs; methods of assessment. 82-276. Interlocal agreement to construct building for school district, city and county purposes. 83-19. Disaster emergency preparedness; interjurisdictional agreements. 83-53. Cemeteries; establishment or acquisition in cities; interlocal agreements. 83-150. County road unit system; adoption. 85-57. Classification and designation of roads in a noncounty road system. 85-172. Interlocal agreements; failure to file; status. 88-37. Maintenance of township road; agreement with county; termination, duties and liabilities; Kansas tort claims act. 90-113. Interlocal cooperation agreements; separate legal entities; municipalities; school districts. 91-4. Interlocal agreements; prosecution of city DUI violation ordinance by county attorney. 91-26. Tax levies for funds to improve township roads. 91-30. Legislative post audit; open public records; duty of confidentiality; mortgage credit certificate program records. 91-158. Prohibition against certain local and private prisons. 94-27. Interlocal agreements; area solid waste utility; members' participation in Kansas deferred compensation plan. 94-30. An authority organized pursuant to K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq. is not a municipality. 97-42. County contracts with out of state public agency for housing misdemeanants and juvenile offenders; conditions. 97-50. Interlocal cooperation agreements of unified school districts; voting authority of representatives of participating districts. 97-80. Education service centers may provide goods and services to schools and other governmental entities, including customers not members of service center. 2002-10. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Whether interlocal municipal agency responsible for securing natural gas for cities is municipality under KTCA examined. Kansas Mun. Gas Agency v. Vesta Energy Co., Inc., 840 F. Supp. 814, 824 (1993).

K.S.A. 12-2902 Short title.

12-2902. Short title. This act may be cited as the interlocal cooperation act. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 2; March 25.

K.S.A. 12-2903 Definitions.

12-2903. Definitions. As used in the interlocal cooperation act: (a) "Public agency" means: (1) Any county, township, city, school district, library district, road district, drainage district, sewer district, water district or fire district; (2) any entity created pursuant to K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq. or chapter 72 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto; (3) any other municipal corporation, quasi-municipal corporation or political subdivision of this state or of any other state which is not specified in paragraphs (1) and (2); (4) any state officer; and (5) any agency or instrumentality of this state or any other state or of the United States. (b) "State" means a state of the United States and the District of Columbia. (c) "Private agency" means an individual, firm, association or corporation. (d) "State officer" shall mean the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer and insurance commissioner of the state of Kansas. (e) "Native American Indian tribes" shall mean federally-recognized Native American Indian tribes. (f) "Gaming compact" shall mean a gaming compact as defined by K.S.A. 46-2301 , and amendments thereto. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 3; L. 1968, ch. 221, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 126, § 1; May 23. Attorney General's Opinions: Joint township recreation district established by interlocal agreement. 81-212. Interlocal agreements; sewage disposal works; costs; methods of assessment. 82-276.

K.S.A. 12-2904 Interlocal agreements by public agencies; specifications; approval of attorney general, exceptions.

12-2904. Interlocal agreements by public agencies; specifications; approval of attorney general, exceptions. (a) Subject to the limitations of subsection (g), any power or powers, privileges or authority exercised or capable of exercise by a public agency of this state including but not limited to those functions relating to economic development, public improvements, public utilities, police protection, public security, public safety and emergency preparedness, including but not limited to, intelligence, antiterrorism and disaster recovery, libraries, data processing services, educational services, building and related inspection services, flood control and storm water drainage, weather modification, sewage disposal, refuse disposal, park and recreational programs and facilities, ambulance service, fire protection, the Kansas tort claims act or claims for civil rights violations, may be exercised and enjoyed jointly with any other public agency of this state or with any private agency, and jointly with any public agency of any other state or of the United States to the extent that the laws of such other state or of the United States permit such joint exercise or enjoyment. Any agency of the state government when acting jointly with any public or private agency may exercise and enjoy all of the powers, privileges and authority conferred by this act upon a public agency. (b) Any public agency may enter into agreements with one or more public or private agencies for joint or cooperative action pursuant to the provisions of this act. Appropriate action by ordinance, resolution or otherwise pursuant to law of the governing bodies of the participating public agencies shall be necessary before any such agreement may enter into force. (c) Any public agency may enter into agreements with Native American Indian tribes for joint or cooperative actions. Such agreements shall be considered to be an interlocal agreement and shall be subject to the procedures and limitations of the interlocal cooperation act. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed as authorizing a public agency to enter into a gaming compact pursuant to the interlocal cooperation act. (d) Any such agreement shall specify the following: (1) Its duration. (2) The precise organization, composition and nature of any separate legal or administrative entity created thereby together with the powers delegated thereto. (3) Its purpose or purposes. (4) The manner of financing the joint or cooperative undertaking and of establishing and maintaining a budget therefor. (5) The permissible method or methods to be employed in accomplishing the partial or complete termination of the agreement and for disposing of property upon such partial or complete termination. (6) Any other necessary and proper matters. (e) In addition to the requirements of subsection (d), if the agreement does not establish a separate legal entity to conduct the joint or cooperative undertaking, the agreement also shall contain the following: (1) Provision for an administrator or a joint board or one of the participating public agencies to be responsible for administering the joint or cooperative undertaking. In the case of a joint board public agencies party to the agreement shall be represented. (2) The manner of acquiring, holding and disposing of real and personal property used in the joint or cooperative undertaking. (f) No agreement made pursuant to this act shall relieve any public agency of any obligation or responsibility imposed upon it by law except that to the extent of actual and timely performance thereof by a joint board or other legal or administrative entity created by an agreement made hereunder, such performance may be offered in satisfaction of the obligation or responsibility. (g) Every agreement made hereunder, except: (1) Agreements between two or more public agencies establishing a council or other organization of local governments for the study of common problems of an area or region and for the promotion of intergovernmental cooperation; and (2) agreements entered into regarding joint or cooperative action that are subject to the oversight and regulation of a Kansas regulatory agency, prior to and as a condition precedent to its entry into force, shall be submitted to the attorney general who shall determine whether the agreement is in proper form and compatible with the laws of this state. The attorney general shall approve any agreement submitted hereunder unless the attorney general shall find that it does not meet the conditions set forth herein and shall detail in writing addressed to the governing bodies of the public and private agencies concerned the specific respects in which the proposed agreement fails to meet the requirements of law. Failure to disapprove an agreement submitted hereunder within 90 days of its submission shall constitute approval thereof. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 4; L. 1968, ch. 221, § 2; L. 1972, ch. 48, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 74, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 75, § 1; L. 1979, ch. 55, § 1; L. 1979, ch. 56, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 83, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 126, § 2; L. 2004, ch. 148, § 1; L. 2017, ch. 38, § 2; July 1. Cross References to Related Sections: Conditions relating to the provisions of educational services by boards of education, see 72-8230. Law Review and Bar Journal References: "The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975: In Need of an Advocate," Wayne R. Tate, 19 W.L.J. 312, 328 (1980). Attorney General's Opinions: Interlocal cooperation; agreement between county and watershed district for water project. 81-41. County may not require sheriff to enforce city ordinances pursuant to interlocal agreement. 81-205. Joint township recreation district established by interlocal agreement. 81-212. Establishment of joint fund for future repair of building constructed under an interlocal cooperation project. 81-233. Interlocal cooperation; use of school district moneys to construct a building for school district and city purposes. 82-90. Donation of moneys by township to library district. 82-180. Reapportionment of senatorial districts; census; interlocal cooperation. 83-33. Cemeteries; establishment or acquisition in cities; interlocal agreements. 83-150. Establishment of township funds; transfer of money between funds. 84-22. Federal jurisdiction; federal property; investigation of alleged child abuse on Fort Leavenworth reservation. 85-14. Classification and designation of roads in a noncounty road system. 85-172. Interlocal cooperation; powers of watershed district. 87-85. (see 87-99.) Interlocal cooperation agreements between school district. 89-43. Interlocal agreement and filing of articles of incorporation and other instruments; exceptions. 90-3. Maintenance of township road; agreement with county; termination, duties and liabilities; Kansas tort claims act. 90-113. Absent a contract, a drainage district is not authorized to compel payment for sewer services provided to a municipality. 93-115. Investment of public moneys by governmental subdivisions; use of interlocal cooperation agreements. 95-38. County waste disposal; "tipping" fees; use of proceeds; delegation of authority to regional entity. 95-87. An authority organized pursuant to K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq. is not a municipality. 97-42. Interlocal cooperation agreements of unified school districts; voting authority of representatives of participating districts. 97-80. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Professional negotiation is duty of cooperative organized hereunder; negotiability of items determined; duty of trial court to determine mandatory subjects. Tri-County Educators' Association v. Tri-County Special Education Cooperative, 225 Kan. 781, 594 P.2d 207. 2. Contract between city and county creating administrative unit to operate manpower programs; capacity to sue and be sued. Murphy v. City of Topeka, 6 Kan. App. 2d 488, 490, 630 P.2d 186 (1981). 3. No agreement hereunder relieves district of responsibility under K.S.A. 74-5210 et seq. except when new entity actually and timely performs obligation of K.S.A. 74-5210 et seq. Sells v. U.S.D. No. 429, 6 Kan. App. 2d 968, 970, 971, 637 P.2d 422 (1981). Reversed: Sells v. U.S.D. No. 429, 231 Kan. 247, 248, 249, 644 P.2d 379 (1982). 4. Interlocal special education cooperative not required to employ teachers whose contracts are nonrenewed by member school districts as a result of formation of the interlocal. NEA-Valley Center v. U.S.D. No. 262, 231 Kan. 353, 355, 357, 644 P.2d 381 (1982). 5. Interlocal agreement governing the operation of a fire district that allowed termination of the agreement and asset allocation was not void as against public policy. Delaware Twp. v. City of Lansing, Kan., 316 Kan. 86, 512 P.3d 1154 (2022).

K.S.A. 12-2904a Same; powers and duration of separate legal entities created thereby; certain functions prohibited.

12-2904a. Same; powers and duration of separate legal entities created thereby; certain functions prohibited. (a) Any interlocal agreement entered into under the provisions of K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq., and amendments thereto, may authorize the creation of a separate legal entity to conduct the joint or cooperative action provided for in the agreement. Such separate legal entity shall constitute a body corporate and politic, and shall have, in addition to any other powers reasonably necessary to the exercise of its function under the agreement, the following powers to: (1) Sue and be sued in its corporate name; (2) take and hold any property, real or personal, in fee simple or otherwise; (3) sell, lease, lend or otherwise transfer any property or interest in property owned by it; (4) make contracts; and (5) have and use a corporate seal. Any such separate legal entity shall not constitute a municipality within the meaning of K.S.A. 10-1101 , and amendments thereto, or a political subdivision of the state under any provision of the law of this state establishing limits on bonded indebtedness. (b) In addition to its other powers, any separate legal entity referred to in this section shall be authorized, subject to any limitations imposed by contract, to issue bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness, in its own name, on behalf of the public agencies that are or become parties to the agreement creating the separate legal entity for those purposes for which such public agencies are authorized pursuant to the constitution and laws of this state to issue bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness. Such bonds, notes or other indebtedness may be payable from or secured by any property, interest or income of the separate legal entity, from whatever source derived, but shall not constitute a charge against or indebtedness of any public agency on behalf of which such bonds, notes or other indebtedness are issued. In issuing such bonds, notes or other indebtedness, the separate legal entity shall act as the constituted authority of the public agencies on behalf of which such bonds, notes or other indebtedness are issued, and the interest on such bonds, notes or other indebtedness shall be exempt from taxation under the laws of this state. Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize any separate legal entity to issue or sell bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness, or use the proceeds thereof, to purchase, condemn, or otherwise acquire a utility plant or distribution system owned or operated by a regulated public utility as defined by K.S.A. 66-104 and amendments thereto. (c) The duration of any separate legal entity referred to in this section may be perpetual or as otherwise provided in the agreement under which it was created; however, any property owned or held by such separate legal entity shall become the property of the public agencies that are parties to such agreement, according to the terms of that agreement or as otherwise determined according to equitable principles, if and when at any time no bond, note or other indebtedness of the authority is not currently outstanding and unpaid. No property of such separate legal entity shall inure to the benefit of any private individual, corporation or association other than for fair value received. (d) No such separate legal entity shall operate or administer any arrangement or program under which any two or more municipalities, as defined in K.S.A. 75-6102 , and amendments thereto, have agreed to pool their liabilities incurred as a result of negligent or wrongful act or omission of their employees or any other liabilities or losses incurred by such municipalities regardless of the cause thereof. L. 1987, ch. 60, § 8; May 28. Attorney General's Opinions: Interlocal agreement and filing of articles of incorporation and other instruments; exceptions. 90-3. Interlocal agreements; area solid waste utility; members' participation in Kansas deferred compensation plan. 94-30. An authority organized pursuant to K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq. is not a municipality. 97-42.

K.S.A. 12-2905 Same; filing; status; damage or liability actions.

12-2905. Same; filing; status; damage or liability actions. Prior to its entry into force, an agreement made pursuant to this act shall be filed with the register of deeds of the county where such political subdivision or agency of the state government is located and with the secretary of state. In the event that an agreement entered into pursuant to this act is between or among one or more public agencies of this state and one or more public agencies of another state or of the United States, said agreement shall have the status of an interstate compact, but in any case or controversy involving performance or interpretation thereof or liability thereunder, the public agencies party thereto shall be real parties in interest and the state may maintain an action to recoup or otherwise make itself whole for any damages or liability which it may incur by reason of being joined as a party therein. Such action shall be maintainable against any public or private agency or agencies whose default, failure of performance, or other conduct caused or contributed to the incurring of damage or liability by the state. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 5; March 25. Attorney General's Opinions: Interlocal cooperation; agreement between county and watershed district for water project. 81-41. Interlocal agreements; failure to file; status. 88-37. Interlocal agreement and filing of articles of incorporation and other instruments; exceptions. 90-3. Absent a contract, a drainage district is not authorized to compel payment for sewer services provided to a municipality. 93-115.

K.S.A. 12-2906 Same; additional approval of certain agreements; insurance-pooling agreements.

12-2906. Same; additional approval of certain agreements; insurance-pooling agreements. In the event that an agreement made pursuant to this act shall deal in whole or in part with the provisions of services or facilities with regard to which an officer or agency of the state government has constitutional or statutory powers of control, the agreement shall, as a condition precedent to its entry into force, be submitted to the state officer or agency having such power of control and shall be approved or disapproved by the state officer or agency as to all matters within such officer's or agency's jurisdiction in the same manner and subject to the same requirements governing the action of the attorney general pursuant to K.S.A. 12-2904 (f), and amendments thereto. This requirement of submission and approval shall be in addition to and not in substitution for the requirement of submission to and approval by the attorney general. Any agreement to participate in a group-funded pool or any other insurance-pooling arrangement shall be subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 12-2616 to 12-2629 . L. 1957, ch. 100, § 6; L. 1987, ch. 74, § 15; May 28.

K.S.A. 12-2907 Same; funds; property, personnel and service.

12-2907. Same; funds; property, personnel and service. Any public agency entering into an agreement pursuant to this act may appropriate funds and may sell, lease, give, or otherwise supply the administrative joint board or other legal administrative entity created to operate the joint or cooperative undertaking by providing such personnel or services therefor as may be within its legal power to furnish: Provided, That the board of county commissioners of any county having a population of not less than forty-two thousand (42,000) nor more than fifty-eight thousand (58,000) with a total assessed taxable tangible valuation of more than eighty million dollars ($80,000,000) may use the money heretofore or hereafter collected from tax levies made under the authority of K.S.A. 19-1569 and 19-1570 , or acts amendatory thereof to pay the county's share of the cost to provide for the acquisition of building sites and parking areas, design, construction, furnishing, and equipping of a combined unit of courthouse, city hall, jail and parking facilities in cooperation with the city which is the county seat of such county. L. 1957, ch. 100, § 7; L. 1961, ch. 76, § 1; June 30. Attorney General's Opinions: Interlocal cooperation; agreement between county and watershed district for water project. 81-41.

K.S.A. 12-2908 Contracts between certain municipalities.

12-2908. Contracts between certain municipalities. (a) When used in this act, "municipality" means a city, county, township, school district, library district, road district, water district, drainage district, sewer district, fire district, park and recreation district, recreation commission, any other political or taxing subdivision of the state or instrumentality thereof, or any other authority, commission, agency, quasi-municipal corporation created under the laws of the state. (b) Any municipality may contract with any municipality to perform any governmental service, activity or undertaking which each contracting municipality is authorized by law to perform. The contract shall be authorized by the governing body of the municipality and shall state the purpose of the contract and the powers and duties of the parties thereunder. (c) A contract entered into pursuant to this section shall not be regarded as an interlocal agreement under the provisions of K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq., and amendments thereto. L. 1982, ch. 58, § 1; L. 1983, ch. 69, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 75, § 1; L. 2017, ch. 38, § 1; July 1. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. K.S.A. 12-101 and 12-2908 do not overrule the common-law principle that an elected governing body may not bind its successors to governmental policy decisions. City of Olathe v. City of Spring Hill, 316 Kan. 64, 71–72, 512 P.3d 723 (2022).

K.S.A. 12-2909 Same; enforcement of city ordinances by sheriff; sheriff's approval.

12-2909. Same; enforcement of city ordinances by sheriff; sheriff's approval. (a) The board of county commissioners of any county and the governing body of any city located within the county may enter into a contract providing for the enforcement of the city's ordinances by the sheriff of the county or other officers of the sheriff's department. Any contract entered into pursuant to this section shall be submitted to and approved by the county sheriff. Failure of the sheriff to approve a contract within 30 days of its submission shall constitute disapproval thereof. All monetary consideration paid by a city to a county as part of the contract shall be expended by the county solely for law enforcement purposes. The sheriff and any officers of the sheriff's department assigned responsibility for enforcing a city's ordinances under the contract shall be designated therein and shall have all the powers of any other police officer of the city by virtue of the existence of the contract. (b) A contract entered into pursuant to this section shall not be regarded as an interlocal agreement under the provisions of K.S.A. 12-2901 et seq., and amendments thereto. L. 1983, ch. 69, § 2; May 12. Attorney General's Opinions: Interlocal agreements; prosecution of city DUI violation ordinance by county attorney. 91-26.

K.S.A. 12-2910 Interlocal agreements; community colleges; validation of agreements.

12-2910. Interlocal agreements; community colleges; validation of agreements. Any interlocal agreement entered into by the board of trustees of a community college in accordance with the provisions of the interlocal cooperation act prior to the effective date of this act is hereby authorized and validated and shall be deemed to have been entered into under the authority of law. L. 2002, ch. 126, § 3; May 23.

Source: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (ksrevisor.gov)URL: https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/ksa_ch12.htmlFetched: 10/20/2026