$2 increase in vehicle registration fee would pay for more Kansas troopers

The state would add $2 to vehicle registration fees to help pay for 75 additional Kansas Highway Patrol troopers under a proposal heard Thursday in a House committee.

Col. Mark Bruce, Kansas Highway Patrol superintendent, told lawmakers the new funding is needed to address low staffing at the patrol.

The patrol has about 400 troopers, but about 500 is considered full staffing, he said. The staffing problem means dozens of counties have no trooper or only one assigned to them.

The trooper shortage has resulted in a drop in DUI and speeding arrests and longer response times, Bruce said. The patrol needs to be ready to respond to public safety emergencies such as active shooters and violent demonstrations, he said.

“From my perspective it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when,” he said.

Besides the 75 new officers to be added over the next three years, he said, the fee would provide continued funding for an annual recruit class of 15.

The $2 fee would be added to the current registration fee, which for most vehicles is $35 or $45, depending on vehicle weight.

Several law enforcement organizations voiced support for the plan at the House Transportation Committee hearing. The Kansas Farm Bureau submitted written testimony opposing the funding of public safety activities with vehicle registration fees.

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "$2 increase in vehicle registration fee would pay for more Kansas troopers."