This Senate Resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Jayhawk Theatre, which is recognized as the official State Theater of Kansas. The bill formally acknowledges the historic venue's cultural significance in Topeka and expresses appreciation for the community efforts that have preserved the landmark since it opened in 1926. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the theater and a sponsoring senator, serving as an official record of the state's recognition of this milestone.
This Kansas House resolution assigns seats for the 2026 legislative session, directing most representatives to occupy the same positions as designated in a previous resolution. The only exception is Representative Mike Storm, who is specifically assigned to seat 97 instead of his prior location. This procedural measure organizes the physical seating arrangement for the upcoming legislative year without altering any laws or policies.
This Kansas bill (SB 481) allows municipal judges to order psychiatric or psychological evaluations to determine if a defendant is mentally competent to stand trial. It sets clear procedures: judges can initiate exams through licensed professionals or approved facilities within 60 days, with costs covered by municipal funds. If found incompetent, the case is either dismissed or transferred to district court for further action under specific legal pathways. The bill directly affects defendants in municipal court cases where mental competence is in question, ensuring standardized evaluation processes.
This Kansas bill restricts negligence lawsuit recoveries for specific groups: individuals who engaged in wrongful conduct (requiring defendants to prove this by preponderance of evidence), and unauthorized immigrants in auto accident cases (requiring plaintiffs to prove legal status to claim lost wages). It also changes negligent security duties, requiring property owners to only protect against third-party harm if they knew of similar incidents within the past year, with specific compliance methods (e.g., contacting police or hiring security) creating a presumption of duty fulfillment. Courts must apportion fault among all involved parties - including victims, owners, third parties, and government entities - in negligent security cases, while prohibiting evidence about criminal penalties or financial resources during trials.
SB 448 permits healthcare providers in Kansas to prescribe treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) directly to a patient's sexual partner without requiring the partner to have a physical examination. This applies when the provider believes the partner is unlikely or unable to seek care, and only for STIs designated by health officials within 60 days of the patient's diagnosis. Providers must give partners written materials covering treatment instructions, allergy warnings, HIV testing importance, and abstinence guidance, while also counseling the patient. The bill protects providers from liability for good-faith use of this approach, excluding gross negligence.
SB 344 allows Kansas animal shelters to place sick, injured, or newborn animals needing specialized care in foster homes instead of keeping them at the shelter during their holding period. It requires shelters to display photographs of these animals at locations other than the shelter (like their website) during the required three-day holding period, making it easier for potential adopters to find them. The bill amends Kansas law to clarify that shelters may move such animals to foster care and mandates photo display to improve adoption opportunities while maintaining the standard holding period for animal recovery or owner reunification.
SB 327 eliminates a requirement that the Robert G. (Bob) Bethell joint committee on home and community based services and KanCare oversight hold its January and April meetings during the regular legislative session. The committee, which oversees Kansas' home/community care services, KanCare (state Medicaid), and related funding, will now have more scheduling flexibility for these meetings. This change affects only the committee's procedural meeting schedule, not its oversight responsibilities or policy decisions. The bill does not alter the committee's duties, membership, or reporting requirements.
SB 390 prohibits Kansas schools participating in federal meal programs (like school lunch or breakfast programs) from serving foods containing 13 specific additives, including artificial colors (red 3, yellow 5), preservatives (BHA, BVO), and others, starting with the 2027-2028 school year. It directly affects all public and nonpublic Kansas schools serving free or reduced-price meals to students in grades K-12. Schools must certify compliance during annual inspections and submit corrective action plans if violations occur, posting these plans online for one year. The law amends Kansas food safety regulations to ban these additives in school meals, focusing on transparency and accountability for school food providers.
SB 317 requires municipalities and water districts in Kansas applying for the state's Water Technical Assistance Fund or Water Projects Grant Fund to demonstrate a 25-year water supply or prove their project will extend the supply beyond 25 years. It prohibits grants for projects addressing water rights conflicts and prioritizes applications based on public health needs, resource management, population trends, funding sources, regional cooperation, and weather resiliency. Applicants must submit annual requests by September 15, and grants may be revoked if requirements aren't met. The bill directly affects entities seeking state funding for water infrastructure projects, including small municipalities (under 2,000 residents) prioritized for full grants.
SB 387 requires Kansas school districts to verify the household gross earned income of students applying for free meals through the national school lunch program (using written proof), excluding those directly certified via other programs. It also mandates that school districts cannot seek federal "community eligibility" payments - allowing schools to serve free meals to all students without individual applications - without explicit legislative approval after July 1, 2026. During legislative recesses, districts may seek temporary approval from the Legislative Coordinating Council within 14 days. This bill directly affects school districts managing meal programs and students qualifying for free meals, changing how income eligibility is confirmed and how federal funds are accessed.
SB 407 authorizes Kansas' Department of Health and Environment to adopt specific existing rules for hazardous waste monitoring and permit application fees. It formally approves two proposed rules (K.A.R. 28-31-10 and 28-31-10b) that were previously analyzed in a department economic impact statement. The bill does not change fee amounts or monitoring requirements but enables the department to implement these rules through standard administrative processes. This affects businesses and facilities handling hazardous waste that must pay related permits. The rules will take effect after publication in the Kansas Register.
SB 426, the Kansas Transparency in Consumer Legal Funding Act, requires consumer legal funding companies to provide clear, plain-language contracts to Kansas residents who use these services for personal legal claims (like injury lawsuits). Key provisions mandate written contracts with easy-to-understand terms, full disclosure of all fees and repayment amounts, a 10-day cancellation right without penalty, and specific formatting for critical information like total costs. The bill directly affects Kansas residents seeking funding for legal claims and the companies providing such funding, prohibiting deceptive practices and requiring transparent disclosures about charges. It ensures consumers know exactly what they owe before signing, with no obligation if they cancel within 10 business days of receiving funds.
