Kansas Bills

HB 2242 authorizes Kansas' governor to accept federal requests for concurrent jurisdiction over U.S.-owned military lands within Kansas. This bill directly affects Kansas state agencies and federal military installations by creating a formal process for shared legal authority over these properties. The key mechanism requires the military to submit a written request with specific details (land boundaries, scope, expansion plans), which the governor must accept in writing and record with the secretary of state. Once effective, this allows state and federal agencies to coordinate responsibilities through agreements, while preserving Kansas' existing rights to serve legal process and tax within the designated areas.

HB 2240 requires Kansas state agencies to obtain legislative approval before seeking or implementing any Medicaid waiver or program change that would expand coverage to new individuals or increase state costs. This applies specifically to federal waivers under Section 1115 or 1915 of the Social Security Act, affecting programs like Medicaid. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and mandates that agencies must get an explicit legislative act approving such changes before moving forward. It does not apply to waivers already in place before that date.

HB 2382 requires Kansas public school districts to include a mandatory 3-minute visual presentation of early fetal development - showing brain, heart, and vital organ growth - in any course covering human growth, development, or sexuality. This applies to all schools offering such courses, directly affecting students and curriculum design. The presentation must be a high-quality animation or ultrasound, selected by the school district. The bill does not alter funding, teacher training, or course content beyond this specific visual requirement.

HB 2033 expands the list of approved at-risk educational programs that Kansas school districts can fund using their at-risk education funds. It specifically adds nonprofit organizations accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) to the state-approved list. School districts must now use this updated list when selecting programs for funding, ensuring only evidence-based programs (including IMSLEC-accredited services) qualify. The bill requires the state board to maintain and publish this list online, limiting fund use to approved programs unless a provisional program is authorized.

HB 2062 requires Kansas courts to calculate child support for unborn children starting from conception, including direct medical and pregnancy-related expenses of the mother as a factor. It creates an income tax exemption for unborn and stillborn children and mandates courts to consider retirement account values when determining support. The bill also allows payments from certain retirement accounts to cover past-due child support and removes legal exemptions protecting pension funds from child support claims. These changes apply to all child support orders involving unborn children under Kansas law.

HB 2284 requires Kansas' Department of Administration to create written policies for negotiating contracts with managed care organizations that provide Medicaid services under the Kansas Program of Medical Assistance. The bill mandates specific provisions, including prohibiting record destruction (to comply with Kansas Open Records Act), establishing a tiebreak procedure for scoring evaluations, and requiring transparency with the legislature during procurement. These policies must be implemented by July 1, 2026. The bill directly affects how the state procures Medicaid services, impacting the Department of Administration and the managed care organizations contracted to deliver these services.

HB 2217 expands the Kansas Inspector General's authority to investigate and audit all state cash, food, and health assistance programs, including Medicaid, food assistance, and children's health insurance. It grants the Inspector General new powers to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, and execute search warrants during these investigations. The bill directly affects recipients, providers, contractors, and fiscal agents involved in these programs by subjecting their activities to enhanced oversight. This change modifies existing law to strengthen accountability for state funds distributed through these critical assistance programs.

HB 2291 creates a new regulatory relief division within Kansas' Attorney General's office to manage a "regulatory sandbox" program. This program allows businesses to temporarily waive or suspend certain state rules and regulations while testing new products or services, directly affecting innovators and startups seeking to launch without full regulatory compliance. The division will administer applications, assess risks to public health and safety, and collaborate with businesses and state agencies. An 11-member advisory committee - including business representatives, agency officials, and legislative members - will help identify rules suitable for temporary suspension and guide program implementation.

HB 2261 amends Kansas law to place Kansas Highway Patrol majors, superintendents, and assistant superintendents within the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act. It requires that officers who hold these positions be returned to a rank with permanent status not lower than the rank they held when appointed to that position upon leaving it. If the desired rank is filled at the time of return, the bill mandates creating a temporary position in that rank until a vacancy occurs. This bill repeals the existing section of law governing these positions and replaces it with the new provisions.

HB 2092 modifies Kansas regulations for Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs). It sets registration expiration dates (October 15 annually, with a 2025 exception), aligns annual audit filings with registration renewals, and restricts financial guarantees for PEOs with insufficient working capital to bonds only - eliminating the use of market value to assess bond sufficiency. This directly affects PEOs operating in Kansas that must comply with these registration, audit, and financial guarantee requirements. The bill amends Kansas statutes to standardize these processes and ensure consistent oversight of PEO financial stability.

SB 78 requires all Kansas postsecondary educational institutions (including state schools, private colleges, community colleges, and independent non-profits) to regularly review and update their accreditation policies by December 31, 2025. It prohibits accrediting agencies from forcing institutions to violate Kansas state law, and allows institutions to sue such agencies for violations. The bill ensures institutions can pursue accreditation through recognized agencies without compromising state law compliance. It also mandates that institutions notify the legislature within 30 days if an accrediting agency violates this provision. This law directly affects how Kansas colleges and universities engage with external accreditation bodies.

SB 194 declares that discriminatory covenants, conditions, or restrictions on real property owned by Kansas state educational institutions - established between 1948 and 1958 - that restricted the property to single-family homes or barred ownership/tenancy based on race are void and unenforceable. This directly affects properties owned by state universities or colleges under those specific historical agreements. The bill’s key provision removes the legal validity of these racially discriminatory clauses, making them unenforceable as they violate public policy. It applies only to covenants from the 1948-1958 period and does not alter other property uses or restrictions.