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§ 1. Corporate powers. The Legislature shall pass no special act conferring corporate powers. Corporations may be created under general laws; but all such laws may be amended or repealed.

History: Adopted by convention, July 29, 1859; ratified by electors, October 4, 1859; L. 1861, p. 63; January 29, 1861.

Law Review and Bar Journal References:

Constitutional aspect of home rule discussed in "City Home Rule in Kansas," Wright W. Crummett, 9 W.L.J. 1, 4 (1969).

CASE ANNOTATIONS

1. General act changing corporate limits when certain conditions exist, valid. Town Co. v. City of Smith Center, 6 Kan. App. 252, 257, 51 P. 801.

2. Ferry franchise granted by territorial Legislature, contract Legislature cannot impair. The Territory v. Reyburn, 1 Kan. (Dassler's Ed.) 551.

3. This article merely regulates exercise of general legislative power conferred. Hines v. The City of Leavenworth, 3 Kan. 186, 187.

4. This article restricts power conferred by article 2, section 1. Atchison v. Bartholow, 4 Kan. 124, 143.

5. Special act attempting to extend corporate limits of city unconstitutional. City of Wyandotte v. Wood, 5 Kan. 603, 607.

6. Corporation has no legal existence outside the state where created. Land Grant Railway v. Comm'rs of Coffey County, 6 Kan. 245, 255.

7. Act permitting single city to aid manufacturing enterprise held invalid. National Bank v. City of Iola, 9 Kan. 689, 696.

8. Act authorizing single city to macadamize, assess costs, etc., invalid. Gilmore v. Norton, 10 Kan. 491, 504.

9. Power of Legislature to change stockholder's liability considered. The State, ex rel., v. County of Nemaha, 10 Kan. 569, 580.

10. School district is only quasi corporation; this article not applicable. Beach v. Leahy, Treasurer, 11 Kan. 23, 31.

11. Corporation lawfully organized to build bridge across Missouri river. Hunt v. K. & M. Bridge Company, 11 Kan. 412.

12. This article has no application to counties as counties. The State, ex rel., v. Comm'rs of Pawnee Co., 12 Kan. 426, 439.

13. Special act incorporating four cities of the second class unconstitutional. City of Council Grove, 20 Kan. 619.

14. Corporations organized under special territorial acts cannot be continued indefinitely. The State, ex rel., v. Lawrence Bridge Co., 22 Kan. 438, 456, 457.

15. Kansas medical society, corporation for all time, unless act repealed. The State, ex rel., v. Stormont, 24 Kan. 686, 695.

16. Consolidation of railroad companies does not release township from subscription. A. C. & P. Rld. Co. v. Comm'rs of Phillips Co., 25 Kan. 261, 272.

17. Special act excluding property from corporate limits of city void. Gray v. Crockett, 30 Kan. 138, 145, 1 P. 50.

18. Section construed with kindred section relating to property privileges. Atchison Street Rly. Co. v. Mo. Pac. Rly. Co., 31 Kan. 660, 666, 3 P. 284.

19. Act conferring corporate powers, applying to only three cities, void. City of Topeka v. Gillett, 32 Kan. 431, 435, 4 P. 800.

20. Corporate powers or rights obtained since constitution subject to modification. The State v. Mo. Pac. Rly. Co., 33 Kan. 176, 189, 5 P. 772.

21. Special act conferring corporate powers on school district not prohibited. Knowles v. Board of Education, 33 Kan. 692, 699, 7 P. 561.

22. Grant of franchise to corporation by city strictly construed. City of Wyandotte v. Corrigan, 35 Kan. 21, 10 P. 99.

23. General law may change or abrogate provisions of corporate charter. Endowment and Benevolent Association v. The State, 35 Kan. 253, 263, 10 P. 872.

24. Act curing irregularities, applying only to cities, first class, valid. Mason v. Spencer, County Clerk, 35 Kan. 512, 518, 11 P. 402.

25. Section cited in considering right to open streets. City of Wichita v. Burleigh, 36 Kan. 34, 40, 12 P. 332.

26. Metropolitan police act (ch. 100, L. 1887), not a special act. The State, ex rel., v. Hunter, 38 Kan. 578, 589, 17 P. 177.

27. City taxes levied on land annexed under special act void. Ritchie v. Mulvane, 39 Kan. 241, 249, 17 P. 830.

28. Curative act applying to taxes in all cities held constitutional. Newman v. City of Emporia, 41 Kan. 583, 585, 21 P. 593.

29. Legislature may provide when probate court may declare towns incorporated. Mendenhall v. Burton, 42 Kan. 570, 573, 22 P. 558.

30. Special act incorporating Chetopa as city of second class unconstitutional. Brown v. Milliken, 42 Kan. 769, 772, 23 P. 167.

31. Act extending corporate rights of two specified railroads held void. Roberts v. M. K. & T. Rly. Co., 43 Kan. 102, 111, 22 P. 1006.

32. Curative statute applying to cities of first class held valid. Manley v. Emlen, 46 Kan. 655, 656, 664, 27 P. 844.

33. Special act authorizing county commissioners to build a bridge void. Comm'rs of Shawnee Co. v. The State, ex rel., 49 Kan. 486, 503, 31 P. 149.

34. Act permitting consolidation of cities, valid, although application limited. The State, ex rel., v. Kansas City, 50 Kan. 508, 516, 31 P. 1100.

35. Section does not apply to legislation relative to state university. The State, ex rel., v. Regents of the University, 55 Kan. 389, 396, 40 P. 656.

36. Act authorizing county commissioners to build bridge within city valid. The State, ex rel., v. Shawnee Co., 57 Kan. 267, 269, 272, 45 P. 616.

37. Act conferring corporate powers applying to Kansas City alone void. The State v. Downs, 60 Kan. 788, 57 P. 962.

38. Right to alter and amend corporate charters, when applicable, discussed. The State v. Haun, 61 Kan. 146, 165, 59 P. 340.

39. Corporations take franchise under reserved legislative power to alter laws. Leavenworth v. Water Co., 62 Kan. 643, 648, 64 P. 66.

40. One Legislature cannot bind another relative to corporate charters. Irrigation Co. v. Klein, 63 Kan. 484, 493, 65 P. 684.

41. Change in law concerning savings banks does not contravene section. West v. Bank, 66 Kan. 524, 536, 72 P. 252.

42. Validating ordinances that would be valid under new law constitutional. Leavenworth v. Water Co., 69 Kan. 82, 89, 76 P. 451.

43. Special act withdrawing tract of land from a city unconstitutional. Levitt v. Wilson, 72 Kan. 160, 162, 83 P. 397.

44. General statute authorizing special acts changing boundaries of cities void. Davenport v. Ham, 72 Kan. 179, 83 P. 398.

45. Law applicable to cities of certain population, not special law. Parker-Washington Co. v. Kansas City, 73 Kan. 722, 724, 85 P. 781.

46. Section cited; case determined on other grounds. Baughman v. Nation, 76 Kan. 668, 671, 92 P. 548.

47. This article is not a grant of powers to Legislature. Wulf v. Kansas City, 77 Kan. 358, 362, 94 P. 207.

48. This and section 5 only restraints on regulating municipal government. The State v. Keener, 78 Kan. 649, 651, 97 P. 860.

49. Special act conferring corporate power to accomplish governmental purposes valid. The State v. Lawrence, 79 Kan. 234, 100 P. 485.

50. Act empowering cities to adopt commission plan of government valid; elections void from failure of notice validated by curative act. Cole v. Dorr, 80 Kan. 251, 253, 101 P. 1016.

51. Special act conferring corporate power; doctrine of stare decisis applied. Bull v. Kelley, 83 Kan. 597, 600, 112 P. 133.

52. Act authorizing county commissioners to maintain bridges in cities valid. The State v. Franklin County, 84 Kan. 404, 406, 114 P. 247.

53. Curative acts are not within general rule regarding special legislation. Pollock v. Kansas City, 87 Kan. 205, 213, 220, 123 P. 985.

54. Act validating incorporation of cities incorporated in 1913, special, void. The State, ex rel., v. Holcomb, 95 Kan. 660, 669, 149 P. 684.

55. Privileges of corporation subject to regulation and repeal. Water Co. v. City of Wichita, 98 Kan. 256, 259, 158 P. 49.

56. Cities are corporations, counties are merely quasi corporations. Haddock v. McDonald, 98 Kan. 628, 629, 159 P. 402.

57. Act making "city manager plan" optional held valid. The State, ex rel., v. City of Wichita, 100 Kan. 399, 401, 164 P. 290.

58. Franchise held not to confer corporate power. The State, ex rel., v. Flour Mills Co. 100 Kan. 425, 429, 164 P. 1170.

59. Legality of merger of two corporations; who may bring action. Albach v. Fraternal Aid Union, 100 Kan. 511, 515, 164 P. 1065.

60. Statute conferring power upon unchangeable fixed number of corporations, special. The State, ex rel., v. City of Lawrence, 101 Kan. 225, 227, 165 P. 826.

61. Rules for determining whether act special or general considered. Patrick v. Haskell County, 105 Kan. 153, 158, 181 P. 611.

62. Section cited in considering duration of charter of educational corporation. The State, ex rel., v. Cogley, 109 Kan. 427, 429, 198 P. 939.

63. Forfeiture of charter; power of Legislature considered. Razor Co. v. Guymon, 110 Kan. 745, 747, 205 P. 635.

64. Act relating to construction of bridges held unconstitutional. Wyandotte County v. Kansas City, 112 Kan. 639, 643, 212 P. 70.

65. General law applicable to only one city, held constitutional. Metropolitan Water Co. v. Kansas City, 164 F. 738.

66. Section discussed in connection with bank guaranty law. Larabee v. Dolley, 175 F. 365, 389. Ruling of this case on constitutionality of bank guaranty law reversed by Assaria State Bank v. Dolley, 219 U.S. 121, 31 S. Ct. 189, 55 L.Ed. 123. Law upheld.

67. Section cited in considering validity of stock. Scovill v. Thayer, 105 U.S. 143, 26 L.Ed. 968.

68. Section cited in determining right to appeal from judicial questions in proceedings for incorporation. Town of Olsburg v. Pottawatomie County, 113 Kan. 501, 215 P. 451.

69. Section considered in determining right to inspect books of corporation. State, ex rel., v. Railway Co., 115 Kan. 3, 9, 221 P. 259, 262.

70. Authority to entertain petition to increase limits of city cannot be conferred upon judiciary. Ruland v. City of Augusta, 120 Kan. 42, 50, 242 P. 456. Section cited in determining same question raised as to drainage districts. State, ex rel., v. Drainage District, 123 Kan. 191, 254 P. 372.

71. Act providing for organization of wheat growers' association does not violate act. Wheat Growers' Ass'n v. Goering, 123 Kan. 508, 256 P. 119.

72. Special act to alter corporate limits of city is void. Wellman v. City of Burr Oak, 124 Kan. 780, 262 P. 607.

73. Act authorizing cities of certain population to issue tax bills does not violate this section. State, ex rel., v. Kansas City, 125 Kan. 88, 262 P. 1032.

74. Classification that includes one city may not be a special act. Baird v. City of Wichita, 128 Kan. 100, 276 P. 77.

75. Artificiality of classification may not be special. State, ex rel., v. McCombs, 129 Kan. 834, 838, 284 P. 618.

76. Statute (13-1093) held not in violation of constitution. State, ex rel., v. Kansas City, 134 Kan. 157, 164, 4 P.2d 422.

77. Cited in refusing to give retroactive force to K.S.A. 17-2015. International Mortgage Trust Co. v. Henry, 139 Kan. 154, 162, 30 P.2d 311.

78. A county is a governmental agency and not a corporation. State, ex rel., v. Wyandotte County Comm'rs, 140 Kan. 744, 748, 39 P.2d 286.

79. Special law authorizing city to acquire parking stations held invalid. Barker v. Kansas City, 149 Kan. 696, 697, 698, 701, 704, 88 P.2d 1071.

80. Section considered in holding civil service law for certain cities (13-2239 et seq.) unconstitutional. Owens v. City of Coffeyville, 151 Kan. 263, 266, 98 P.2d 415.

81. Classification of city based solely on population makes law general and valid. State, ex rel., v. City of Topeka, 168 Kan. 663, 666, 667, 215 P.2d 644.

82. City must have statutory authority to extend its boundaries. State, ex rel., v. City of Kansas City, 169 Kan. 702, 721, 222 P.2d 714.

83. Mentioned in holding urban redevelopment law (K.S.A. 17-4701 through 17-4723) unconstitutional; special legislation. Redevelopment Authority of the City of Kansas City v. State Corp. Comm., 171 Kan. 581, 583, 236 P.2d 782.

84. Act authorizing combined waterworks and sewage disposal system held valid. City of Lawrence v. Robb, 175 Kan. 495, 498, 499, 265 P.2d 317.

85. Section applies to municipal corporations. State, ex rel., v. Tucker, 176 Kan. 192, 195, 269 P.2d 447.

86. Kansas turnpike authority act (K.S.A. 68-2001 through 68-2020) does not contravene section. State, ex rel., v. Kansas Turnpike Authority, 176 Kan. 683, 700, 273 P.2d 198.

87. Urban renewal law (17-4742 et seq.) held valid. State, ex rel., v. Urban Renewal Agency of Kansas City, 179 Kan. 435, 436, 437, 296 P.2d 656.

88. Section inapplicable to quasi corporation. Water District No. 1 v. Robb, 182 Kan. 2, 13, 14, 318 P.2d 387.

89. Property at Fort Leavenworth belonging to an association that is neither a de jure nor a de facto corporation is not taxable. In re Armed Forces Cooperative Insuring Ass'n, 5 Kan. App. 2d 787, 793, 625 P.2d 11.

90. Hospital lacked standing to challenge constitutionality of statute requiring nonprofit insurer to cut health costs. St. Francis Reg. Med. Ctr. v. Blue Cross, 810 F. Supp. 1209, 1217 (1992).

91. Whether K.S.A. 40-19c06 violates prohibition against special legislation by permitting company to include nonassignability clause in policies examined. St. Francis Regional Med. v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield, 49 F.3d 1460, 1465 (1995).