SB 253 establishes a licensing system for massage therapists in Kansas, requiring practitioners to meet specific education and examination standards to legally offer massage therapy services. It directly affects current and future massage therapists by mandating a minimum of 625 hours of training, passing a nationally recognized competency exam, and adhering to defined practice standards (excluding medical diagnoses or treatments like chiropractic care). Key provisions include creating a "massage therapist licensure act" with detailed definitions, setting up a state board to oversee licensing, and providing a grandfathering period through 2026 for existing practitioners who meet alternative criteria like prior experience or training. The bill updates Kansas' regulatory framework for massage therapy to ensure consistent professional standards and client safety.
HB 2048 eliminates the requirement for the Kansas Insurance Commissioner to submit certain reports to the governor. It also removes specific entities from the definition of "person" under Kansas insurance law, meaning those entities will no longer be subject to enforcement actions under certain provisions. The bill amends and repeals related sections of Kansas insurance law to implement these changes.
HB 2153 allows irrigation districts in Kansas with more than 35,000 acres to conduct board member elections by mail ballot instead of in-person voting. The bill authorizes the board of directors in these large districts to set the term length for elected members (ranging from two to four years). This applies to existing districts of that size, requiring them to establish voting areas and adopt mail ballot procedures. The bill also includes related provisions clarifying water infrastructure definitions and penalties, but its primary focus is on election methods and term-setting for district boards.
This bill approves the creation of a Port Authority for Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, to support local economic development. It grants the unified government of the county and city the authority to establish the organization and define its specific powers and duties under existing state laws. The resolution does not create the authority itself but instead gives official legislative permission for local leaders to set it up through their own ordinances.
SB 197 allows cities and counties in Kansas to create STAR bond projects specifically for redeveloping mall facilities, with approval from the Secretary of Commerce. It requires businesses in these districts to submit visitor data quarterly (instead of annually) and mandates public transparency by making project details available online. The bill prohibits using general state funds to repay bonds for these projects and bans eminent domain for mall redevelopment. It also extends the STAR bonds financing act deadline to July 1, 2028, and clarifies eligibility for projects like "major business facilities" requiring visitor tracking data.
HB 2162 would exempt the labor of installing materials during building repairs from Kansas sales tax. This applies to contractors performing reconstruction, restoration, remodeling, repair, or replacement work on buildings or facilities. The bill amends tax law to remove these installation services from taxable categories, meaning property owners wouldn't pay sales tax on the labor costs for these projects. It directly affects construction businesses and building owners in Kansas.
HB 2219 creates a physician assistant (PA) licensure compact, allowing PAs licensed in one participating state to practice across state lines without needing separate licenses in each state. It directly affects PAs and patients in states that join the compact, enabling PAs to provide medical services where their patients are located during care. The key mechanism requires PAs to follow the licensing rules of the state where the patient is physically present at the time of treatment, while maintaining patient safety through mutual recognition of licenses. The bill also specifically allows active-duty military personnel and their spouses to obtain practice privileges based on an unrestricted license from a participating state.
HB 2046 changes how certain travel insurance policies are classified in Kansas. It allows insurers to file travel insurance covering sickness, accidents, disability, or death during travel under the "accident and health" insurance line instead of the previous "inland marine" requirement. This applies to individual, group, or blanket policies and gives insurers flexibility in how they categorize these policies for rate and form filing. The bill directly affects insurance companies selling travel coverage with health/accident components, streamlining their regulatory filing process.
HB 2293 prohibits Kansas state agencies from purchasing drones or related services if their critical components are made in or owned by "countries of concern" (China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela) or from "foreign principals" (including governments, companies, or individuals from those countries). It applies to all state agencies and takes effect July 1, 2025, with existing non-compliant equipment allowed to remain in use until replacement is needed. Exceptions permit acquisitions only if no alternatives exist, with approval from the secretary of administration and adjutant general, and if failure to procure poses a greater security risk than the acquisition itself. The bill specifically targets drone technology supply chains while exempting contracts entered before July 1, 2025.
HB 2167 requires gun and stun gun owners in Kansas to store weapons in locked containers or with safety locks, preventing access by anyone under 18. It creates a misdemeanor penalty for basic violations (like storing unlocked firearms) and a felony for storing large-capacity firearms (over 10 rounds) where minors can access them. The law specifically targets households with children, making it illegal to leave rifles, shotguns, or machine guns accessible to minors, with exceptions for pre-1899 antique firearms. Violations could be used as evidence of reckless conduct in injury or death cases involving minors. The bill does not apply to replica antique weapons or firearms stored under the owner’s direct control.
HB 2381 establishes a state program under the Attorney General to deploy firearm detection software in public buildings and accredited nonpublic schools. It requires the software to detect visible, unholstered firearms, integrate with existing security cameras, meet federal anti-terrorism certification, and be developed in the U.S. Public entities (like schools, hospitals, and government buildings) can apply to use the software. The bill creates a dedicated fund receiving $20 million from the state general fund starting July 2025 to cover program costs, with annual reports to legislative committees on implementation.
HB 2227 prohibits the use of prone restraints (holding a juvenile face-down) on juveniles in custody at juvenile detention or correctional facilities, or during the juvenile intake and assessment process. The bill amends Kansas' juvenile justice code to explicitly ban this practice for all personnel in these settings. This law directly affects juveniles under state custody and those undergoing initial assessments in the juvenile justice system. The prohibition applies immediately to all relevant facilities and staff under the state's juvenile justice code.
