Rep. Kevin Schwertfeger

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to amend the Kansas Constitution to create a new "Freedom from Taxes Fund" and a temporary Citizens Freedom Review Board. The fund would be divided into three parts to pay for the elimination of motor vehicle taxes, state property taxes, and state income and privilege taxes. Additionally, the bill establishes a board with the power to review existing tax exemptions and decide whether to keep or remove them. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, these changes would legally end the specified taxes and allow the state to use the new fund to cover the resulting budget shortfalls.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution urges the Kansas Turnpike Authority to waive tolls for personal vehicles displaying special license plates that recognize military service, injury, or valor. The bill specifically targets drivers holding plates for disabled veterans, prisoners of war, Purple Hearts, Medal of Honor recipients, and other qualifying military honors. It proposes that the Turnpike Authority modify its existing cashless tolling system to automatically exempt these vehicles from fees. The resolution cites similar toll exemption laws in Oklahoma, California, and Texas as examples of other states providing such benefits to veterans.

Maddy summaryHB 2687 prohibits state and local government agencies from regulating or banning the takeoff, landing, or operation of aquatic aircraft (like seaplanes and floatplanes) on Kansas waters where vessels are permitted. It specifically blocks agencies from requiring permits, fees, or imposing restrictions on these aircraft operations. The bill directly affects aquatic aircraft operators and owners by removing regulatory barriers on state waters. This policy change ensures that such aircraft are not subject to the same permitting requirements as traditional vessels.

Maddy summaryHB 2670 requires video streaming services operating in Kansas to ensure commercial advertisements are not louder than the main video content they interrupt, effective July 1, 2026. It adopts the federal CALM Act standards (originally for TV broadcasts) to set volume limits for ads. The law applies specifically to internet-based streaming services targeting Kansas consumers, excluding cable operators, broadcasters, and ad-free platforms. It does not create private lawsuits for violations.

Maddy summaryHB 2425 prohibits the use of specific color additives in food and drugs deemed "adulterated" under Kansas law. It bans adulterated food (including items with these additives) from school meal programs but allows small sales under $5,000 to continue. For drugs containing synthetic color additives, the bill imposes civil penalties up to $500,000 per violation and classifies such violations as a felony. This directly affects food producers, schools serving meals, and drug manufacturers using the prohibited additives.

Maddy summaryHB 2423 allows hunters who hold a federal drone operator license (FAA Part 107) to use drones to locate wounded or recently deceased deer during legal hunting seasons. To qualify, hunters must have struck the deer with a legal hunting method, possess a valid hunting license, and obtain landowner permission before launching or landing drones on private property. The bill prohibits using drones to harass wildlife or pursue wildlife that was harassed by drones, and explicitly excludes drone-assisted recovery from the legal definition of "take" under Kansas wildlife law. This policy change directly affects licensed hunter-drone operators while maintaining landowner rights and wildlife protection standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2473 would require all individuals to be 18 years old or older to give consent for marriage, eliminating current exceptions that allowed 15-year-olds to marry with a judge's approval and 16- or 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. The bill also adjusts the three-day waiting period for marriage licenses to exclude Sundays, holidays, and days when the clerk's office is closed. This change would prevent minors under 18 from obtaining a marriage license under the existing exceptions. The bill was introduced on January 20, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Federal and State Affairs.

Maddy summaryHB 2422 reclassifies theft of grain as a felony by adding "property that is grain" to Kansas' felony theft categories under K.S.A. 21-5801(b)(9). It defines "grain" as 400 or more bushels of specific crops like corn, wheat, soybeans, or other grains meeting federal standards. Stealing grain meeting this threshold is now classified as a severity level 6 felony, a more serious offense than lower-level thefts. This directly affects individuals who steal significant quantities of grain from agricultural operations or storage facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 2503's title claims to repeal Kansas' mail ballot election act, but the bill text actually modifies statutes related to county extension councils (agricultural and educational programs), not election procedures. The bill rewrites sections about how county extension councils are elected, their membership requirements (e.g., representatives for agriculture, home economics, 4-H), and budget processes. It specifically removes provisions allowing mail ballots for these council elections (which were never about voter mail ballots for public elections) and replaces them with in-person election requirements. This bill directly affects county extension councils and their election processes across Kansas, not voters or general election systems. The title appears inconsistent with the actual content of the bill text.

Maddy summaryHB 2599, known as the "Kansas lemonade stand law," exempts minor-owned businesses (operated solely by individuals under 18) from paying state sales tax and local taxes, licenses, or permits on the first $10,000 of annual sales of goods. It specifically applies to small, seasonal or intermittent businesses like lemonade stands, where minors make under $10,000 yearly in gross sales. The law removes both state-level sales tax obligations and local government fees for qualifying businesses. This policy directly supports young entrepreneurs by reducing startup costs for small-scale, temporary ventures.