Kansas Bills

passed both · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2027: Reorganizing subsections of the public assistance statute.

HB 2027 is a procedural bill that reorganizes the structure of Kansas' public assistance statute (specifically K.S.A. 39-709) without changing eligibility rules or benefits. It updates subsection numbering and cross-references to improve clarity in the existing law, such as reorganizing sections about income calculations, vehicle exemptions, and lottery winnings verification. The bill does not alter any policy requirements for applicants or recipients - eligibility criteria like income thresholds, residency, or verification processes remain unchanged. This reorganization primarily serves to modernize the statute's formatting for easier reference by state agencies and the public.

signed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SB 58: Modifying the requirements and allocations for multi-year flex accounts.

SB 58 modifies Kansas' rules for "multi-year flex accounts" related to groundwater water rights. It allows the chief engineer to create these accounts (valid for up to five years) that temporarily suspend a base water right, enabling flexible water use for farming while ensuring it doesn't harm existing rights or increase total water diverted. The bill defines key terms like "base average usage" (calculated from historical 2000-2009 irrigation data) and sets strict conditions for eligibility, such as no prior water bank deposits or pending regulatory actions. This directly affects groundwater right holders who wish to adjust their water use patterns without altering their underlying water rights.

passed both · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2106: Banning contributions from foreign nationals for the support or defeat of a proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution.

HB 2106 bans foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns supporting or opposing proposed changes to the Kansas constitution. It directly affects individuals, groups, or organizations raising funds for such constitutional amendment campaigns. The bill requires contributors to provide affidavits verifying no foreign funds were used for contributions over $500 and mandates detailed reporting of all contributions and expenditures exceeding $50 to the Kansas Secretary of State. Violations could result in daily civil penalties up to $300 per day.

signed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SB 36: Increasing the cap on the amount of moneys disbursed by the division of conservation to conservation districts and providing an increased matching basis for state moneys disbursed to conservation districts based on amounts allocated by the board of county commissioners for such districts.

SB 36 increases the annual state funding cap for Kansas conservation districts from $25,000 to $50,000 per district. It changes the state matching requirement from a 1:1 ratio to a 2:1 ratio (state funds to county funds), meaning the state will match two dollars for every one dollar counties allocate for conservation activities. This applies to districts receiving state funds for operating costs, with the total state disbursement per district capped at $50,000 annually. The bill affects conservation districts and county commissioners, who must allocate funds in their budgets to qualify for the increased state matching.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

failed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SCR 1611: Proposing a constitutional amendment to provide for direct election of supreme court justices and abolish the supreme court nominating commission.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to shift the selection of Kansas Supreme Court justices from a commission-based system to direct election by voters. It would abolish the current Supreme Court Nominating Commission and establish a new process where citizens elect justices in staggered terms beginning in 2028, while also allowing justices to run for re-election on a nonpartisan ballot. Additionally, the amendment would remove the existing ban on justices participating in political campaigns or holding party offices, permitting them to engage in political activities. The bill also outlines a new method for filling vacancies and retiring justices who are incapacitated, replacing the current appointment-only system for unexpired terms with an election process.

passed both · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HCR 5004: Proposing an amendment to section 1 of article 5 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to require individuals to be citizens of the United States, at least 18 years of age and a resident of the voting area in which such person seeks to vote in order to vote in this state.

This bill proposes an amendment to the Kansas Constitution to explicitly state that only United States citizens who are at least 18 years old and residents of their voting area are eligible to vote in the state. The key provision clarifies existing requirements by listing them as mandatory conditions for being a qualified elector, while including exceptions that allow citizens to vote absentee or in their former residence if they temporarily move within Kansas or during specific federal election periods. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters in a 2026 election, the change would formally codify current voting rules without altering the fundamental right to vote for those who meet the stated criteria.

Topics ✗ Immigration

signed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SB 104: Granting the Shawnee county board of county commissioners the discretion to create a citizens commission on local government.

SB 104 changes Kansas law to give every county's board of commissioners the discretion to create a citizens commission on local government, removing the previous requirement that such commissions only be mandatory in counties with populations between 170,000 and 200,000. The bill repeals the existing population threshold in K.S.A. 19-2670 and replaces it with a system allowing all counties to choose whether to establish the commission. If created, the commission would include county officials, city leaders, school board chairs, and 18 appointed county residents. This policy shift directly affects all 105 Kansas counties by expanding their local governance options.

signed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SB 77: Requiring state agencies to provide notice of revocation of administrative rules and regulations to the public and removing abolished and inactive state agencies from the agency review requirement.

SB 77 requires Kansas state agencies to provide public notice before revoking administrative rules, including written notice to affected businesses and local governments, and holding public hearings if requested. It also mandates agencies to get attorney general approval and submit revocation notices to a legislative committee before proceeding. The bill removes specific abolished or inactive agencies (like the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Agricultural Labor Relations Board) from the mandatory five-year review requirement for rules. This streamlines administrative processes while ensuring transparency for stakeholders impacted by rule changes.

signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2222: Requiring ignition interlock device manufacturers to pay fees to the state for the administration of the ignition interlock program.

HB 2222 requires ignition interlock device (IID) manufacturers to pay fees to the Kansas Highway Patrol for program administration. Manufacturers must pay a one-time $10 fee per device installed after July 1, 2025, plus a $5 monthly fee per device in use (with exceptions for low-income users meeting specific criteria). The collected fees fund the IID fee program fund, which covers the state’s oversight, monitoring, and administration of the ignition interlock program. This directly affects IID manufacturers by creating a new cost structure, while low-income individuals eligible for reduced fees (based on income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level or participation in certain assistance programs) pay only 50% of device costs. The bill amends Kansas law to establish these requirements and creates the dedicated fund for program expenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Transportation

signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2221: Abolishing the department of corrections alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund, creating the Kansas department for aging and disability services alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund and transferring the moneys and liabilities from such abolished fund to the Kansas department for aging and disability services alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund.

This bill (HB 2221) transfers the financial responsibilities and assets from the Department of Corrections' alcohol and drug abuse treatment fund to a newly created fund under the Department for Aging and Disability Services. It abolishes the Corrections Department fund and establishes the new fund to manage these specific treatment program finances. The bill makes no changes to policy or eligibility for treatment services - it only reassigns the existing fund's money and legal obligations to a different state agency. This is a purely administrative transfer of funds between two state departments.

signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2215: Modifying the definition of public-private partnership to increase the allowable cost-share limit for expenditures by the department of corrections on certain correctional institution construction projects.

This bill increases the maximum percentage of construction costs the Kansas Department of Corrections (DOC) can cover in public-private partnerships for correctional facility projects, raising it from 25% to 50% of total project costs. It directly affects the DOC and private entities - such as corporations, non-profits, or faith-based organizations - partnering on building or renovating correctional facilities. The key change modifies the legal definition of "public-private partnership" to allow the DOC to pay up to half the project costs, expanding opportunities for such collaborations. This adjustment simplifies the cost-sharing structure without altering project requirements or oversight.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2025

SB 13: Eliminating requirements for filings, registrations and licenses related to labor organizations, educational facility agreements, annual tax reports, river bank easements and bonded warehousemen with the secretary of state.

SB 13 eliminates multiple administrative filing and registration requirements with the Kansas Secretary of State. It removes the need for labor organizations to submit constitutions, bylaws, or annual reports (and associated fees), business agents to register, educational institutions to file facility agreements, tax authorities to submit annual reports, property owners to file river bank easements, and warehouse businesses to obtain licenses. The bill streamlines these processes by repealing specific statutes related to these filings. This directly affects labor organizations, business agents, educational institutions, tax authorities, property owners, and warehouse businesses by reducing their paperwork obligations.

Bill results