Kansas Bills

HB 2269 requires Kansas's four largest counties (by population) to designate at least three in-person advance voting locations for all elections. It mandates that these locations must be open for in-person voting for 20 days prior to an election. The bill directly affects voters in those counties by expanding access to early in-person voting options before election day. This amendment to election law (K.S.A. 25-1122) focuses solely on increasing advance voting availability through specific site requirements and extended hours.

HB 2026 raises the minimum age for giving consent to marriage from 16 to 18 years for all individuals, eliminating all prior exceptions that allowed minors aged 16-17 to marry with parental or court consent. This bill directly affects minors under 18 who would previously have been able to obtain marriage licenses with parental or judicial approval. The key mechanism is amending Kansas law to remove sections permitting marriage consent for those under 18, requiring all applicants to be 18 or older to provide consent without exception. The bill repeals existing provisions (K.S.A. 23-2505(c)) that allowed for parental or judicial consent for minors.

HB 2138 allows Kansas school districts to impose an annual property tax of up to two mills (0.2% of a property's taxable value) to fund school building safety, security, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. School districts must adopt a resolution for the tax, and if 10% of qualified voters petition against it within 40 days, a public vote may be held. The state will include this tax in its capital outlay aid calculation, meaning school districts receive matching state funds for these projects. This bill amends Kansas law to create a dedicated funding mechanism for school infrastructure improvements.

SB 162 requires Kansas school districts to provide up to one hour of seizure recognition and first aid training to all employees working in school buildings with students diagnosed with seizure disorders, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The training must align with nationally-recognized epilepsy guidelines and cover identifying seizures, responding appropriately, and administering seizure rescue medication. Parents must provide a written seizure action plan, medication authorization, and healthcare provider documentation before medication can be given, which schools must maintain on file. The bill also grants immunity from liability for schools implementing these requirements.

HB 2128 authorizes Kansas' Commissioner of Insurance to select and announce the specific insurance calculation methods and documents (such as risk-based capital instructions) that will apply for the next calendar year, requiring publication in the Kansas Register by December 1. The bill allows certain life insurers to follow health financial reports and incorporates key National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) standards for group capital calculations and liquidity stress testing. These changes amend multiple sections of Kansas insurance law (including those governing risk-based capital reporting) and repeal outdated provisions to modernize regulatory requirements. The bill directly affects life insurers and the state's process for monitoring their financial stability.

SB 191 limits municipal utility boards in Kansas from adding extra fees, taxes, or charges to customer bills beyond 15% of the base service cost for water, sewer, and electricity. It directly affects residential and business utility customers by capping these additional charges, which often include local taxes or administrative fees. The bill amends existing statutes to enforce this 15% cap on all "fees, taxes, payment in lieu of taxes, or other charges" beyond the core utility service fees. This policy change aims to prevent excessive billing beyond the actual cost of service, without altering how base utility rates are set.

SB 83 extends voting rights in city elections to residents living outside a city's official boundaries but subject to the city's zoning or subdivision regulations. It directly affects qualified voters in these regulated areas and requires cities to count them as city voters for all elections. The bill amends Kansas law to mandate that cities consider such territory part of the city for election purposes, including for at-large and district-based voting. This changes current practice by ensuring residents in regulated areas can vote in city elections they previously could not.

HB 2150 establishes Kansas' advisory commission on Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) affairs, directly serving AAPI communities and state agencies. The 7-member commission - appointed with balanced political representation and geographic district coverage - will gather information, coordinate state efforts on AAPI needs (including culture, education, health, and housing), and evaluate programs. It operates under the governor’s office, provides recommendations to state agencies, and can accept federal funds to support its work. The commission is advisory only, not legislative, and must meet at least four times annually.

HB 2147 requires Kansas' Department of Wildlife and Parks to offer discounted resident senior hunting and fishing passes (at 1/8 the cost of a general lifetime pass) to Kansas residents aged 65 or older. It also permanently removes expiration dates for "Kansas Kids" lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses, which previously expired in 2032. Both the senior pass fee and the kids' license fee must not exceed amounts meeting federal requirements for paid hunting or fishing licenses under 16 U.S.C. §§ 669 and 777. The bill directly affects senior residents and children who qualify for these licenses.

SB 154 requires Kansas school districts to create policies banning students from using personal electronic devices (like phones or tablets) during school hours, except for special education plans, teacher-approved educational use, or health/emergency reasons. It also mandates that schools prohibit students from accessing social media platforms on school-owned computers or devices. The bill directs school boards to establish clear disciplinary consequences for violations and defines "social media" as platforms where users share content with others. These policies directly affect all K-12 students and school staff in Kansas public schools.

HB 2244 modifies Kansas' pharmacy board composition and prohibits the board from restricting telepharmacy use. It requires the board to include three pharmacist types (community, chain pharmacy, specialty/mail-order) plus a public member, and explicitly bans rules limiting telepharmacy based on population, distance from physical pharmacies, or network adequacy. The bill defines telepharmacy as remote pharmacist services using technology for real-time patient care and counseling at registered locations. These changes directly affect pharmacists, telepharmacy providers, and patients seeking remote pharmacy services across Kansas.

HB 2368 establishes a licensing system for anesthesiologist assistants in Kansas, requiring them to obtain a state license and practice under the direct supervision of a physician anesthesiologist. To work actively, assistants must apply for a license and submit a signed request from their supervising anesthesiologist detailing their practice arrangement. The bill outlines procedures for license renewal, expiration, and reinstatement if a license lapses due to non-payment of fees. This law directly affects anesthesiologist assistants, the physicians who supervise them, and the state board of healing arts managing the licensing process.