(a) The term “public utility” as used in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 66-104, and amendments thereto, and the term “common carriers” as used in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 66-105, and amendments thereto, shall not include any gas gathering system, as defined in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 55-150, and amendments thereto, which provides gas gathering services, as defined in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 55-1,101, and amendments thereto.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), and Kan. Stat. Ann. 2023 Supp. 55-1,111, and amendments thereto, for those persons providing gas gathering services in such a manner that allows end use customers to obtain natural gas by direct connection to a gathering system, the commission shall have authority, upon complaint or petition or upon its own motion, to determine the reasonableness of, and regulate and supervise, any health or safety related curtailment or proposed health or safety related curtailment of natural gas that results in the loss of service to the end use customer.

(c) Any person providing gas gathering services in such a manner that allows the offering of natural gas from a gas gathering system to an end use customer shall give notice thereof to the commission and to each affected end use customer and public utility of its intent to curtail service that will result in the loss of natural gas service to the end use customer. Except in the case of an emergency, notice shall be provided at least 30 days prior to such curtailment. In the case of an emergency, service to residential dwellings or commercial offices may be curtailed immediately upon a good faith belief that an emergency exists. Notice shall be given immediately to the end user and public utility. The person curtailing service, within 24 hours of the determination of the emergency, shall report the curtailment to the state corporation commission and provide the basis for and evidence supporting the good faith belief that curtailment was necessary under the emergency provisions of this subsection. In the event that the curtailment was not based upon a good faith belief and was unnecessary, as subsequently determined by the state corporation commission, the person curtailing service shall be held responsible for the cost of the service curtailment, including any reconnection cost and temporary heating costs.

(d) Nothing contained in subsections (b) and (c) shall be construed to diminish any authority vested in the commission prior to the effective date of this act.