Rep. Kristey Williams

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 Kansas House resolution expresses support for Israel and affirms the historical, biblical, and legal significance of the territories known as Judea and Samaria. The measure rejects the use of the term "West Bank," stating that it originated during a past occupation and obscures Jewish historical connections to the land. Additionally, the resolution directs state agencies to stop using "West Bank" in official documents and instead refer to the area as Judea and Samaria.

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 2427 creates a new position for a fiscal integrity auditor in Kansas, appointed by the legislative coordinating council. The auditor will have unrestricted access to all state fiscal systems (like payroll and budget software) to examine spending for waste, fraud, or mismanagement, ensuring state agencies use funds as intended by lawmakers. The auditor must submit annual reports to legislative committees detailing findings on questionable spending, off-budget activities, and recommendations for transparency and cost savings. This bill directly affects Kansas state agencies and legislative oversight processes by adding an independent fiscal review role focused on accountability.

Maddy summaryHB 2421 requires Kansas school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to prohibit students from using personal electronic devices (like phones or tablets) during school hours, with exceptions for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or medical needs approved by a licensed healthcare provider. It also bans school staff from using social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, Snapchat) to communicate directly with students for school purposes, allowing only public, one-way communications. Schools must report the average screen time for kindergarten and grades 1-4 students during a typical school day, starting September 2026, using aggregate data without personally identifiable information. The law applies to in-person schools but excludes virtual schools and does not restrict school-issued devices like tablets.

Maddy summaryHB 2428 requires Kansas public universities, community colleges, and technical colleges to revise curricula by prohibiting mandatory enrollment in DEI-CRT courses (defined as courses covering topics like systemic racism, critical race theory, or gender-based equity). It mandates that all bachelor's degree programs starting in 2027-2028 include a new general education course on American institutions, requiring study of founding documents, constitutional principles, and free speech. The bill also requires freshman orientations to cover campus free speech policies and include programming on the First Amendment. These provisions apply directly to all public postsecondary institutions in Kansas, with limited exemptions for programs explicitly focused on racial, ethnic, or gender studies.

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 summaryThis bill designates a specific segment of K-5 highway in Wyandotte County (from the junction of K-5 and N. 18th Street west to N. 38th Street) as the "Representative Marvin S. Robinson II Memorial Highway." It also redesignates a portion of Interstate 635 (from the Kansas-Missouri border south to its junction with K-5 highway) as the "Harry Darby Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Kansas Secretary of Transportation to install highway signs marking both routes, following standard procedures. This is a procedural memorial designation with no substantive policy changes to transportation law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution expresses support for federal funding and authorization of a program designed to research and develop affordable, domestically made drones for public safety use. It specifically encourages the U.S. Department of Commerce to fund projects that create small, uncrewed aerial systems in the United States to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturers. The document also endorses the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025, which restricts the federal government and its grant recipients from purchasing or operating DJI drones. Additionally, the resolution supports a provision requiring the Department of Defense to assess and potentially ban DJI drones within a year due to security concerns.

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.