HB 2679 would establish a legal framework for the regulated sale and use of cannabis by adults 21 and older in Kansas. The bill creates licensing requirements for cannabis businesses (including growers, manufacturers, retailers, and testing facilities), mandates the clearing of past cannabis-related criminal records, and imposes an excise tax on cannabis sales. Revenue from this tax would fund child care, economic development, mental health services, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates through a new "cannabis business regulation fund." The law would replace existing cannabis laws and require businesses to follow specific safety, labeling, and operational standards.
HB 2678 would establish Kansas' first legal medical cannabis program, allowing licensed businesses to cultivate, process, and sell cannabis products for medical use to qualifying patients. It requires the state to expunge past cannabis-related criminal records and imposes an excise tax on sales, with funds directed to child care, economic development, mental health, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates. The bill creates new licensing systems for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, while exempting medical cannabis use from certain drug possession laws. It directly affects patients with qualifying medical conditions, licensed cannabis businesses, and the state's criminal justice and social service funding mechanisms.
HB 2778 removes a specific exception in Kansas law that previously allowed people over 21 or holding a provisional handgun license to carry concealed handguns on school property, at school grounds, or during school-sponsored events. This change eliminates a loophole, making concealed firearm possession on school grounds illegal for most adults under the state's criminal weapons statute. The bill amends K.S.A. 21-6301 by deleting subsection (a)(11), which had permitted this exception. It directly affects licensed gun owners who previously could legally carry concealed weapons at schools without violating state law.
HB 2159 creates a $4 million annual grant fund to help law enforcement agencies purchase emergency opioid antagonists (like naloxone) for overdose response. It removes law enforcement agencies from the state's statewide opioid antagonist protocol, exempting them from requirements such as needing a physician medical director for their program. The bill also provides legal immunity for officers who administer these drugs during emergencies. Priority for the grants will go to small agencies that have adopted policies requiring opioid antagonist use.
HB 2354 amends Kansas law to create an exception for disabled veterans who possess marijuana. It exempts Kansas residents who are disabled veterans and hold a valid medical marijuana card issued by any state from prosecution under the state's marijuana possession laws. The bill adds this specific group to the list of legal defenses for possession under K.S.A. 21-5706, meaning they cannot be charged with a misdemeanor or felony for possessing marijuana. This applies only to veterans with a disability incurred during military service, as defined by the bill, and requires a valid medical card from any state, not just Kansas.
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.
HB 2405 establishes a legal framework for regulating cannabis use by adults in Kansas. It requires businesses to obtain licenses for activities like growing, manufacturing, transporting, and selling cannabis, while imposing a tax on sales to fund a new "cannabis business regulation fund." The bill also provides exemptions from certain drug-related criminal penalties for adults possessing or using cannabis within the regulated system. This legislation replaces existing cannabis laws and amends specific Kansas statutes to create the new regulatory structure.
SB 239 amends Kansas sentencing laws to add 100 months to prison sentences for individuals convicted of distributing fentanyl when that distribution causes a child's death. It directly affects drug distributors whose actions result in a child's death through fentanyl distribution. The bill modifies Kansas sentencing guidelines (K.S.A. 21-6804 and 21-6805) to create this specific sentencing enhancement, requiring courts to add the 100-month penalty on top of the standard sentence. This change applies only to fentanyl-related distribution cases that directly cause a child's death, not to other drug offenses or adult deaths.
HB 2178 removes a restriction that previously barred Kansas residents with felony drug convictions from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill amends Kansas law (K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 39-709) to allow these individuals to qualify for SNAP if they otherwise meet income and resource requirements. This change directly affects Kansans with past felony drug convictions who were previously ineligible for food assistance despite meeting other SNAP criteria. The bill does not alter other SNAP eligibility rules but eliminates a specific barrier to accessing nutrition aid. It is currently pending in the Committee on Welfare Reform.
SB 206 expands Kansas' offender registration requirements to include individuals convicted of distributing controlled substances that cause great bodily harm or death. This bill amends the Kansas Offender Registration Act to explicitly define such individuals as "drug offenders" who must register for 15 years. It directly affects people convicted under these specific drug distribution offenses, requiring them to comply with the state's registration system. The change adds this category to existing requirements for sex offenders and violent offenders under the law.
