Rep. Samantha Poetter Parshall

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 2659 requires all election audits and recounts in Kansas to be conducted by hand-counting physical paper ballots, rather than using electronic systems. It directly affects Kansas election officials, voters, and candidates by mandating that paper ballots become the official record for audits and recounts, with hand counts overriding any electronic tallies if discrepancies arise. Key provisions include banning the use of ballot images or copies for audits, requiring voter-verified paper ballots for all elections after 2024, and prohibiting electronic poll books without handwritten signatures. The bill also specifies that audits must be performed publicly by bipartisan election boards, reviewing contested races as defined by election year type.

Maddy summaryHB 2525 prohibits Kansas county election offices from using remote ballot boxes to collect advance voting ballots. The bill defines "remote ballot box" as any ballot container not located at the county election office (e.g., off-site drop-off locations), requiring all advance ballots to be returned only through in-office ballot boxes. This directly affects county election offices and voters who use physical drop-off locations for advance ballots. Introduced on January 22, 2026, the bill is pending in the Elections Committee and would take effect upon publication in state statutes.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 2009 prohibits most abortion procedures in Kansas, allowing them only when necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency. The bill bans the distribution or provision of abortion drugs like mifepristone and creates a private civil enforcement mechanism: anyone can sue providers, pharmacies, or insurers who violate the ban and seek $10,000 in statutory damages per violation plus attorney fees. It directly affects medical professionals performing abortions, pharmacies dispensing abortion drugs, and entities covering abortion costs through insurance. The bill explicitly excludes the pregnant woman from liability and does not prohibit medical treatments for miscarriage using misoprostol.

Maddy summaryHB 2171, titled "The Abolish Abortion Kansas Act," would criminalize all abortions in Kansas by making them subject to prosecution under Alexa's Law (K.S.A. 21-5419). It removes existing exceptions allowing abortions for medical reasons or in cases where a pregnant person's life is at risk, defining "unborn child" as a living human organism from fertilization to birth. The bill amends criminal and civil statutes to treat abortion-related deaths as wrongful death under the same legal framework as deaths of born individuals, with no medical exceptions for the mother’s health. It applies prospectively from July 1, 2025, and does not affect actions taken before that date. The bill directly affects healthcare providers, patients seeking abortions, and legal proceedings involving abortion-related deaths in Kansas.

Maddy summaryHB 2010 prohibits nearly all abortion procedures in Kansas, making it a severity level 1 felony for healthcare providers to perform an abortion regardless of gestational age. It also creates a separate felony for "unlawful destruction of a fertilized embryo" during fertility treatments like artificial insemination. The law exempts procedures performed to save the life or preserve the health of an unborn child, or to remove a dead fetus following miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancy. This bill directly affects abortion providers, clinics, and patients seeking abortion care, replacing existing abortion laws with strict criminal penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 2176 requires Kansas private high schools (grades 9-12 not operated by public districts) to use a multi-factor system to adjust their student attendance for classification in activities regulated by the Kansas State High School Activities Association. The adjustment uses a multiplier combining championship history (1.15-1.3), geographic location (0-0.3), and socio-economic status (0-0.15 based on free/reduced lunch eligibility). This multiplier adjusts attendance numbers for classification but cannot change football divisions (e.g., 6-person to 8-person) and classifications are non-appealable. The law expires June 30, 2030.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Kansas to explicitly define the right to bear arms as a natural and fundamental right that includes owning ammunition, firearm accessories, and components. It requires that any government restrictions on this right must pass the strict scrutiny legal standard, which is the highest level of judicial review. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, the change would strengthen existing gun protections by clarifying the scope of items covered and the level of protection they receive.