Kansas. Court of Industrial Relations

The Kansas Court of Industrial Relations was created in 1920 and assumed the duties of the Public Utilities Commission when that commission was abolished in the same year. In addition to regulating railways, the Court was responsible for the control of all public utilities and common carries doing business in Kansas, except municipally owned utilities and common carries situated within a city. It consisted of three judges appointed for three year terms by the governor with the consent of the senate. The duties of the Commissioner of Labor and Industry and the Industrial Welfare Commission transferred to the court in 1921. In 1921, the Public Utilities Commission was reestablished and served alongside the Court of Industrial Relations. The new commission was responsible for the the duties conferred and imposed upon the court by ch. 20 Laws of 1920, relative to public utilities and all acts relating to the former Public Utilities Commission. The Court of Industrial Relations and the reestablished Public Utilities Commission were abolished in 1925, and all the duties for both agencies were transferred to the Public Service Commission. [Wilder, Bessie. Governmental Agencies of the State of Kansas, 1861-1946. Lawrence, Ks: Bureau of Government Research, University of Kansas, 1946.]