Kansas Bills

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2385: Authorizing cities and counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question and to levy such tax if approved by the electors of a city or county, requiring resubmission of the question, if approved, to the electors every 10 years, allowing certain credits and exemptions against the tax, providing for deductions by public and private employers of the tax from employee earnings and providing that revenue from any such tax be pledged for certain purposes.

HB 2385 authorizes Kansas cities and counties to propose an earnings tax on nonresident workers (those who live outside the city or county but work within it), with a maximum rate of 1% annually. If approved by voters, the tax must be resubmitted to voters every 10 years for renewal. Revenue from the tax must be used for specific purposes: cities must allocate at least 50% to reduce property tax reliance, while counties must use it for general purposes. Employers must deduct the tax from employee paychecks, and the bill excludes deferred compensation contributions from taxation.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 188: Requiring a secured release for release prior to trial when a person is charged with certain offenses and creating a mechanism for unsecured judicial release.

SB 188 requires individuals charged with specific drug manufacturing offenses - such as those involving controlled substances, methamphetamine, or fentanyl-related substances - to post at least $50,000 in cash or surety for release before trial, rather than being released on their own recognizance. It restricts unsecured release (without bail payment) unless a judge determines the defendant is unlikely to re-offend and mandates pretrial supervision or participation in a certified drug treatment program. This bill applies exclusively to offenses defined in amended Kansas statutes (e.g., K.S.A. 21-5703) related to drug manufacturing, not other criminal cases. The changes affect defendants in these specific drug cases during pretrial proceedings, altering bail requirements under Kansas criminal procedure laws.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 215: Excluding social security payments from household income and increasing the household income and appraised value thresholds for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax homestead claims.

SB 215 modifies Kansas property tax refund eligibility for seniors (65+) and disabled veterans by excluding Social Security payments from household income calculations and raising the income threshold from $50,000 to $80,000 annually. It also increases the maximum property value threshold for eligibility from $350,000 to $595,000, with automatic annual adjustments based on cost-of-living changes and property valuation trends. These changes apply to tax years beginning in 2025 and later, replacing previous eligibility rules under Kansas law. The bill directly affects qualifying seniors and disabled veterans seeking property tax refunds by expanding access to the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2362: Requiring the department of administration to report identifying information of persons who claim Kansas lottery or gambling prize winnings in excess of $5,000 to the department of health and environment.

This bill requires the Kansas Department of Administration to report the identifying information of individuals claiming lottery or gambling prize winnings exceeding $5,000 to the Department of Health and Environment. It directly affects lottery and gambling winners who receive large prizes, mandating that their personal details be shared to verify whether they are also receiving Medicaid or related medical assistance. The key mechanism adds this reporting requirement to existing Medicaid eligibility rules, creating a new data-sharing process between state agencies to cross-check prize winners against medical assistance recipients.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 289: Requiring economic development electric rate discounts offered by public utilities to cover the incremental and variable costs to serve customers that receive such a discount.

SB 289 modifies Kansas utility law to require that electric rate discounts for qualifying industrial or commercial facilities (e.g., new factories or expansions) cover the actual incremental costs of serving those customers, rather than subsidizing the utility. It sets specific eligibility criteria, including minimum energy demand levels (200 kW to 25 MW), job creation, or capital investment thresholds, and caps annual discount rates (up to 40% for larger facilities). Starting July 2025, new discounted rates must fully cover the utility’s added costs, with utilities required to report annually on the number of discounted accounts, load changes, and economic impacts to the legislature. This directly affects utilities implementing these discounts and the businesses receiving them, ensuring discounts align with actual service costs.

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2210: Establishing a child income tax credit.

HB 2210 establishes a refundable child tax credit for Kansas resident individuals with qualifying children. It provides credits ranging from $600 to $25 per child annually, based on household income (e.g., $600 for incomes under $25,000, decreasing to $25 for incomes over $350,000). The credit is refundable, meaning excess credit amounts are paid directly to taxpayers, and the state treasurer must issue annual reports tracking participation and costs. This affects low-to-moderate-income Kansas families with children who meet specific residency and relationship criteria defined in the bill.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2173: Authorizing certain offenders to petition for relief from registration requirements under the Kansas offender registration act.

HB 2173 allows certain Kansas offenders who have met specific registration requirements to petition a court for relief from ongoing registration under the state's offender registration act. It directly affects drug offenders who registered for at least five years (or ten years for some pre-2011 cases with retroactive registration changes) and can prove rehabilitation through court evidence. Key provisions require petitioners to show no recent felony convictions, demonstrate behavioral rehabilitation, and prove that continued registration is no longer necessary for public safety. If approved, courts remove offenders from the registry and require the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to update public databases within 14 days.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 147: Modifying uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage liability limitations for bodily injury or death.

SB 147 modifies Kansas auto insurance rules for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, effective January 1, 2026. It requires insurance policies to include coverage limits matching the policyholder’s primary bodily injury liability limits, ensuring drivers can recover damages when hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. The bill clarifies that underinsured motorist coverage must pay the difference between the at-fault driver’s coverage and the policyholder’s limits, without reducing payments due to other liability limits. Policyholders can reject this coverage in writing, but rejections apply to all insured parties under the same policy. This directly affects Kansas drivers purchasing or renewing auto insurance policies for vehicles registered or garaged in Kansas.

Topics ✓ Transportation

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2198: Enacting the gun violence restraining order act to authorize the issuance of protective orders prohibiting the acquisition and possession of firearms by certain individuals.

HB 2198 creates a new court order called a "gun violence restraining order" that allows judges to prohibit certain individuals from possessing firearms if they pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others. This order can be requested by specific people, including current or former spouses, family members, individuals in a dating relationship, or those living in the same household, who must provide evidence of the risk. Courts must find "reasonable cause" to believe the person is a threat - considering past violence, threats, or other relevant facts - before issuing the order. The order prevents the restrained individual from acquiring or possessing firearms and may be issued without notifying them if immediate action is needed to prevent harm.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 290: Providing funding for the state historical society to issue a scope statement, plan the work to be accomplished and issue a request for proposals for a master plan for the Quindaro ruins archaeological park in Wyandotte county, Kansas, and implement such master plan.

SB 290 appropriates $600,000 from the state general fund for the Kansas State Historical Society to create a master plan for the Quindaro ruins archaeological park in Wyandotte County. The funds must first be used to develop a scope statement, plan the project, and issue a request for proposals for the master plan, with at least $250,000 allocated for these initial steps. Any remaining funds will be used for phase one renovations of the park. This bill directly affects the historical society and the Quindaro ruins site, focusing on planning and initial improvements without creating new laws or regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 101: Creating the drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) educator position.

SB 101 creates a new statewide "D.A.R.E. Educator" position within the Kansas Attorney General's office. This role directly affects public elementary and secondary schools across Kansas by requiring the educator to provide drug abuse prevention instruction using an attorney general-approved curriculum, specifically including content on fentanyl and opioids. The bill mandates the educator to report annually to the legislature about curriculum changes and list all public schools participating in the program. The position is funded through available appropriations and becomes effective upon publication in the statute book.

Topics ✓ Education

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 132: Establishing certain license fees and training requirements, creating a process for day care facility licensees to apply for temporary waiver of certain statutory requirements and authorizing the secretary to develop and operate pilot programs to increase child care facility availability or capacity, transferring certain child care programs to the Kansas office of early childhood and separating licensing duties between the secretary for health and environment and the executive director of early childhood.

SB 132 updates Kansas child care licensing rules by reducing fees and simplifying training requirements for day care facilities and centers. It creates a process for licensees to request temporary waivers of certain rules and transfers oversight of licensing, parent education, and child care subsidies to the new Kansas Office of Early Childhood. The bill also establishes two new funds to support background checks and licensing fees, and authorizes pilot programs to boost child care availability. These changes directly affect day care facility operators, program directors, and the state agency managing early childhood services.

Bill results