Commerce

This bill proposes to remove a specific clause from the Kansas Constitution that currently protects employees from being fired based on whether they join a labor union. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, it would eliminate the state's constitutional "right to work" provision regarding union membership. The bill directly affects workers and employers by changing the legal rules around union membership in the state. It is a procedural measure that sets up a vote for the public to decide whether to keep or remove this existing constitutional protection.

HB 2310, the "Kansas CARES Act," creates career pathways for direct support workers serving individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities. It requires new career education programs for students and professional development for current workers, mandates performance-based contracts for disability service providers, and ensures equal payment rates across all state disability waiver programs. The bill also establishes an online portal to manage waitlists and service communications, and requires the state to publish workforce data while expanding health coverage for direct support workers. These changes directly affect individuals with disabilities (by improving service choice), direct support workers (through career and health benefits), and disability service providers (through new contracting rules).

HB 2292 creates a "STAR bonds food sales tax revenue replacement fund" to compensate cities and counties with STAR bond districts established before December 31, 2022, for lost food sales tax revenue. It requires the state to transfer funds from the general fund to this replacement fund, which then pays cities/counties the amount of food sales tax revenue they would have collected at the 6.5% rate (instead of the reduced rate) for the period January 2024 through June 2025, and monthly thereafter. The bill extends the sunset date of the STAR bonds financing act to July 1, 2031, ensuring ongoing funding for these districts.

SB 495, the Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Act, requires vehicle manufacturers to provide independent repair facilities and vehicle owners with access to diagnostic tools, parts, software, and mechanical data (like vehicle diagnostics and telematics) at the same cost and terms offered to dealers. It directly affects independent repair shops (which are not affiliated with dealers/manufacturers) and Kansas vehicle owners by giving them equal access to repair information and tools previously controlled by manufacturers. The bill establishes a Motor Vehicle Repair Board under the Attorney General to manage secure data access, set standards, and investigate violations. Key provisions mandate standardized, non-authorized access to vehicle diagnostic systems for all makes/models sold in Kansas, including commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds, and require manufacturers to sell repair components to independent shops on par with dealer pricing.

SB 371 requires landlords in Kansas to offer tenants the right to purchase a rental property before listing it for sale to the public. It applies to residential properties (excluding buildings with four or more units) and mandates landlords to send tenants a written notice with key sale terms (like price and deadlines) at least 30 days before public listing. Tenants can submit a purchase offer within 30 days, and landlords must accept it if it matches the notice terms or provide a counteroffer within five days. If multiple tenants offer, landlords may choose the most favorable proposal. Violations are treated as consumer protection issues under Kansas law.