This bill allows Kansas counties to adopt local resolutions regulating activities like camping, waste disposal, and vehicle use on navigable rivers, specifically to protect public health, safety, and welfare. It also expands the criminal trespass law to include navigable rivers, making unauthorized activities on them subject to trespass penalties. The policy directly affects county governments (which gain new regulatory authority) and river users (who must comply with local rules). The changes amend Kansas law to explicitly grant counties this power, without altering state-level river management.
HB 2549 requires all health insurance plans in Kansas (including individual, group, and state employee plans) to cover diagnosis and treatment for pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS). This mandate applies to policies issued, renewed, or amended on or after January 1, 2027, directly affecting children diagnosed with these conditions and their families. The bill defines PANS as sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms in children and PANDAS as a strep-triggered variant of the condition. It also requires the state employees' health plan to cover these conditions starting in 2027 and report on coverage impact by 2027.
HB 2554 creates two new distinctive license plates in Kansas: "Pheasants Forever" and "Quail Forever," available to Kansas residents who own eligible passenger vehicles or light trucks (under 20,000 lbs gross weight) starting July 1, 2026. Owners must pay a $25-$100 annual "logo use royalty" fee to Pheasants Forever, Inc., in addition to standard registration fees, to obtain or renew the plates. The plates are non-transferable, require annual renewal with the fee payment, and include data-sharing consent for vehicle information. This bill directly affects Kansas vehicle owners seeking these specialty plates, generating revenue for the nonprofit organization through the license plate program.
SB 393 temporarily allows licensed bars, restaurants, and retailers in Kansas to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11-July 19, 2026). This overrides Kansas’ usual alcohol sales laws (like K.S.A. 41-712) for venues authorized to sell alcohol on-premises or in original packages. Local governments can opt out by passing a resolution or ordinance, reverting to standard sales hours. The change expires July 20, 2026, and applies only to the World Cup duration.
SB 316 authorizes Kansas' state bank commissioner to create a Kansas-incorporated nonprofit organization focused on providing free consumer financial education to Kansans. The nonprofit can directly offer financial literacy programs, fund other nonprofit education efforts, provide education scholarships, or invest idle funds - all funded through public donations, fines from enforcement actions (paid as donations instead of fines), and settlement funds. The nonprofit must operate without paid staff, own no property beyond educational materials, and cannot engage in political activities. It will be governed by a volunteer board appointed initially by the commissioner, with no state agency status.
SB 320 expands Kansas property tax exemptions to include commercial and industrial machinery and equipment acquired or transported into the state on or before June 30, 2006. It directly affects businesses owning qualifying equipment that was added before this date for expansion or new business creation. The bill adds two new exemption categories to existing tax law: (1) equipment acquired by 2006 for bona fide business use, and (2) equipment transported into Kansas by 2006 for business expansion or new ventures. These exemptions apply to all taxable years starting after December 31, 2025, and exclude equipment acquired solely to avoid taxes. The change aims to provide tax relief for qualifying pre-2006 business investments.
SB 394 would automatically end Kansas's mail-in voting program if a court invalidates the signature verification rules for mail-in ballots. If a final court order invalidates these rules, the secretary of state must publish a notice in the Kansas Register, after which all state mail-in voting statutes would be repealed. This would stop Kansas from allowing mail-in voting except where federal law requires it, such as for military and overseas voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The bill repeals numerous existing voting statutes related to advance voting, effective July 1, 2026, or upon publication of the court order notice.
HB 2559 changes Kansas property tax rules for land classified as agricultural. It removes the automatic presumption that leased land is agricultural use, requiring landowners to provide proof of actual agricultural use (like crop records) rather than just a lease agreement to maintain that tax classification. This affects farmers and landowners who lease property for farming but may not actively use it for agriculture. The bill modifies appeal procedures so county appraisers no longer assume leased land is agricultural by default. The change shifts the burden of proof to the property owner during tax classification appeals.
HB 2563 requires Kansas day care facilities to maintain health assessment records for enrolled children under 10 (or under 16 if residing at the facility). These assessments must be completed by specific healthcare providers - such as physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, chiropractors, or approved nurses - and include a parent-provided medical history. Facilities must annually review each child’s medical history with their parent or guardian. The bill mandates that these records be kept on file at the facility, using a standardized form from the Kansas Office of Early Childhood. This directly affects day care facilities, parents/guardians, and the listed healthcare providers who complete the assessments.
SB 395 requires campaign treasurers for candidates and those supporting/opposing constitutional amendments to report the names and addresses of small donors (contributions of $50 or less) to the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission. However, it explicitly states that these donor lists will not be included in any publicly accessible campaign finance reports. The bill amends existing Kansas campaign finance laws (K.S.A. 25-4148 and 25-4180) to create this separate reporting requirement for small donors, while keeping larger contributions ($50+) subject to standard public disclosure rules. This change directly affects campaign treasurers and small donors by creating a private database for donor information not made public.
SB 404 modifies Kansas vehicle registration rules for personalized license plates and increases fee authority for county treasurers. It changes the registration period for personalized plates from the date issued to align with standard registration cycles, and allows county treasurers to charge up to $15 (instead of $5) for vehicle registration service fees. This directly affects vehicle owners who apply for personalized plates (paying a $40 fee) and all drivers renewing registrations in counties that adopt the higher fee. The bill amends Kansas statutes 8-145d (fees) and 8-132 (plate issuance), removing current restrictions on fee amounts.
HB 2436 allows anyone providing medical assistance during an opioid overdose to use an expired emergency opioid antagonist (like naloxone) up to 10 years past its expiration date. This directly affects bystanders, first responders, and community members administering overdose reversal drugs. The bill amends Kansas law to explicitly include expired antagonists in the definition of "emergency opioid antagonist," ensuring they can be legally used in emergencies. This change increases access to life-saving treatment by removing expiration barriers during urgent situations. The law also maintains existing immunity protections for people seeking help or administering aid during overdoses.
