Topeka Buzz 🐝
Monday, January 12, 2026

Table of Contents

• Top Stories of the Day

  • Welcome back to Topeka Buzz (and BillBee)!

    • 🐝🐝🐝 SCR 1616: Limits annual property assessed v …

    • 🐝🐝 HB 2426: Define gender as sex at birth; reiss …

    • 🐝🐝 SB 302: Schools ban student phones during ins …

  • Other New Bills Introduced

    • 🐝🐝 Medium Impact

      • Agriculture

      • Business & Commerce

      • Criminal Justice

      • Education

      • Elections & Government

      • Energy & Environment

      • Healthcare

      • Infrastructure

      • Natural Resources

      • Taxation

    • 🐝 Low Impact

      • Business & Commerce

      • Civil Rights

      • Criminal Justice

      • Housing

      • Natural Resources

      • Taxation

Top Stories of the Day

Welcome back to Topeka Buzz (and BillBee)!

Newer Capitol Bee subscribers, take note: this newsletter takes on a different rhythm and tone during the Kansas legislative session. Your inbox has been relatively quiet from us the past several months, as we’ve been preparing for this moment.

We’ve made substantial improvements to BillBee, our savvy technology that reads every bill and every fiscal note and every piece of testimony so you don’t have to. Some of the biggest improvements (for registered users):

• You can track specific bills in your account and receive email notifications when there’s important activity on them.

• Our automated AI analysis has more depth, with deep summaries for every bill covering key provisions, who’s impacted, fiscal impact, and other key factors.

• The entire system is now searchable. Hit up billbee.ai/search for phrases like “phones in schools” and see the magic!

• Pre-formatted cards for each bill, for sharing to social media.

In the near future, we’ll begin publishing committee and legislative calendars and be able to flag you when a bill gets scheduled for a committee hearing.

🐝🐝🐝 SCR 1616: Limits annual property assessed value increases to 3%

This amendment would limit how much the taxable assessed value of most real property and residential mobile homes can rise each year—generally capped at 3% (or a lower rate if lawmakers set one). It affects homeowners, mobile home owners, businesses, and local taxing units across Kansas.

The rule uses a “lesser-of” approach each year: the taxable assessed value will be whichever is lower—the uncapped valuation under current law or the capped amount. Exceptions allow bigger increases after new construction or improvements, classification changes, loss of exemptions, first listings or corrections, and some legal description changes. The cap applies to taxes on and after Jan. 1, 2027, with 2022 values used as a baseline for 2027 comparisons. The legislature can define terms and pass laws to administer the cap.

Supporters say the cap gives property owners more predictability and protection from big assessment jumps. Opponents warn it could slow growth in local tax bases, push local governments to raise mill levies or cut services, and affect school and municipal funding. The proposal would be decided by voters at a special election on Aug. 4, 2026.

This is a particularly challenging resolution when combined with the impact of the Chiefs STAR Bond district.

Read full analysis →

🐝🐝 HB 2426: Define gender as sex at birth; reissue state IDs

This bill changes how Kansas law defines “sex” and “gender,” saying both mean a person’s biological sex at birth. It affects transgender and gender-diverse Kansans, who could have earlier birth certificates or driver’s licenses declared invalid and replaced, and it changes how state and local agencies and schools record sex in some datasets.

To do this, the bill amends state statute, directs the state registrar to correct inconsistent birth certificates issued before July 1, 2026, and requires the DMV to notify people, collect surrendered licenses, and reissue corrected licenses. It also requires some public entities to record only male or female at birth for certain reporting. The bill does not specify funding; agencies would likely face added administrative costs for notices, record changes, and new documents.

Read full analysis →

🐝🐝 SB 302: Schools ban student phones during instructional time

SB302 requires Kansas public school districts and accredited nonpublic K-12 schools to adopt policies that ban student use of personal electronic communication devices during “instructional time” (from the start of the school day until dismissal on school grounds) and that prohibit employees from privately or directly communicating with students on social media for official school purposes. The law affects students, school staff, nonpublic schools, and parents; students with IEP/504 plans or physician-approved medical needs may be allowed device use when required.

Policies must require devices be turned off and stored away from the student, provide a school phone or designated device for student-to-parent contact, and include enforcement and discipline procedures. Schools may limit device use at extracurricular events. Districts and accredited nonpublic schools must certify to the State Board of Education by September 1, 2026 that they adopted the policies; virtual schools are exempt. The bill does not specify funding, so local schools would likely cover policy work, training, and enforcement costs.

Read full analysis →

Other New Bills Introduced

🐝🐝 Medium Impact

Agriculture

• HB 2425: Stops listed color additives from being used in K-12 meal programs and treats foods or drugs that contain those additives as adulterated. Raises penalties for some drug-color violations and creates a small-seller exemption.

Business & Commerce

• SB 300: Prevents Kansas state agencies, including the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, from taking control of insolvent or bankrupt technology-enabled fiduciary financial institutions. Failures would likely go to bankruptcy, private receivers, or courts.

Criminal Justice

• SB 307: SB307 requires prosecutors to offer diversion and treatment to veterans whose service-related conditions may have contributed to misdemeanors or lower-level felonies. It also lets judges more easily consider military service when reducing sentences and adds training and annual reporting.

• SB 305: The bill changes Kansas law so standard and commercial DUIs count as person crimes rather than nonperson crimes. The actions and penalties stay the same, but convictions may carry tougher long-term effects for drivers and CDL holders.

• HB 2412: The bill increases criminal penalties when the victim is under age six, moving some child endangerment cases from misdemeanors to felonies and raising sentences for aggravated cases. It affects caregivers, defendants, prosecutors, courts, and corrections.

• HB 2413: Raises penalties so theft of certain livestock or farm implements becomes a severity level 5 felony and lets authorities forfeit vehicles and other property used in those crimes. Affects producers, defendants, co-owners, and law enforcement.

• SB 306: Starting Jan. 1, 2027, courts must order people convicted of DUI—or placed on certain DUI diversion agreements—to attend a court-approved victim impact panel, usually in person. Nonprofits may charge up to $100; courts can allow approved online panels if in-person is not practicable.

Education

• HB 2431: HB 2431 creates a Student Secular Bill of Rights that bars school-sponsored prayer, religious teaching, and displays in Kansas public schools while protecting students’ private religious expression. It requires district rules and lets parents/students sue for violations.

• HB 2428: HB2428 stops public colleges from forcing students into DEI/CRT-related courses to complete degrees, limits faculty incentives tied to that content, and adds an "American institutions" gen-ed and free-speech orientation rules.

• HB 2421: Kansas schools would require students to keep personal electronic devices off and locked during the school day, allow narrow IEP/504 or medical exceptions, and bar staff from direct private social-media messages with students. Districts must report average daily screen time for grades 1–4.

• HB 2411: Lets licensed KPERS retirees be rehired by school districts 45 days after retirement and keep their pension while working, if there was no prearranged rehire. Affects retirees, districts, and KPERS finances; fiscal impact is unknown.

• HB 2409: Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, Kansas public school districts cannot begin the official school term before Labor Day. Districts may still run summer programs, staff training, enrollment, and pre-year events before Labor Day.

• HB 2415: Adds a nonvoting student representative (grades 10–12) to every local school board so students can attend open meetings, access materials, and advise the board. Reps cannot vote, join closed sessions, or be paid; first appointments due Aug 1, 2026.

Elections & Government

• HB 2427: Creates a fiscal integrity auditor, appointed by the Legislative Coordinating Council, to review state spending, access accounting systems and agency records, and report findings and potential savings to legislative leaders and budget committees.

Energy & Environment

• HB 2424: You may see new licensing and reporting for pump installers and stricter rules for water well contractors. The bill requires exams and experience, 30-day pump/well records, possible lab tests on KDHE request, and directs fees to the water program fund.

Healthcare

• HB 2429: The bill lets Kansas residents buy ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine tablets over the counter without a prescription or required pharmacist consultation, increasing access while raising safety and oversight questions.

• HB 2420: The bill would require schools to give parents direct notice and get written consent before starting targeted or individualized school-based mental health services for a student. Suicide risk screening is still allowed; districts face $5,000 per violation.

• SB 304: Kansas will use birth-record data to mail families information about 529, ABLE, and a federal child savings account. The state treasurer will receive limited birth-certificate details to send brochures and web resources; transfers must be secure.

Infrastructure

• HB 2414: Public EV charging stations would face a $0.09 per kWh road-repair tax, likely raising prices for drivers who use public chargers. Station owners must collect and remit the tax to the State Highway Fund and follow new licensing and reporting rules.

Natural Resources

• HB 2433: HB 2433 gives state regulators authority over water transfers and stops counties from requiring local permits, fees, or extra conditions for most water appropriations. Counties still control zoning and sanitary rules for home (domestic) wells.

Taxation

• HB 2432: Imposes a new excise tax on large Kansas employers equal to 100% of certain federal benefits (SNAP, school lunch, housing aid, Medicaid) received by their workers, and bars asking job applicants whether they get those benefits.

• HB 2430: Lets Kansas residents and businesses open tax-favored savings accounts to pay property and casualty insurance premiums and deductibles. Contributions get state tax subtractions up to set limits, but nonqualified withdrawals are taxed back.

• HB 2410: This bill requires the State Library Board to approve a qualifying public library taxing district’s request to leave a regional library system if the district meets filing rules, removing a prior “manifest harm” review. Petitions must be filed by May 1; libraries keep their property.

🐝 Low Impact

Business & Commerce

• HB 2418: Stops Kansas state agencies from serving as receivers for insolvent technology-enabled fiduciary financial institutions. Failures would instead be handled by bankruptcy courts, private receivers, or trustees; the change has no direct new state spending.

• SB 301: Gives the state bank commissioner power to revoke technology-enabled fiduciary financial institution charters for breaking the law or rules, but a majority of the Legislative Coordinating Council must approve the revocation on appeal before it becomes final.

• HB 2417: The state bank commissioner can order revocation of a TEFFI charter for noncompliance, but a majority of the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) must approve the final revocation. Affected institutions can appeal to the LCC.

Civil Rights

• HB 2419: Lets retired judges, prosecutors, law enforcement and other listed officials who are KPERS (state retirement system) members request that home address or home ownership details be hidden on keyword-searchable public agency websites. Agencies must act within 10 business days; restrictions last five years.

• SCR 1615: Kansas will recognize October 14 each year as “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day,” honoring Charlie Kirk, condemning his assassination, and encouraging the Governor and residents to observe the day through free speech and civil debate. The resolution is symbolic and creates no new programs or major costs.

Criminal Justice

• HB 2422: Creates a specific felony for large grain thefts: stealing 400 or more bushels of listed grains becomes a severity level 6 nonperson felony in Kansas. This affects farmers, grain elevators, defendants, and prosecutors statewide.

Housing

• HB 2416: Gives Kansas racetracks immunity from nuisance or takings lawsuits by neighbors who moved in after the track opened, unless the facility materially breaks state/local law or a permit term.

Natural Resources

• HB 2423: Permits FAA Part 107–certified hunters with a valid Kansas hunting license to fly drones to locate and recover wounded or recently deceased deer they struck during open season, if they have landowner permission. Drones must not harass wildlife.

Taxation

• SB 303: Labette County could ask voters to add a 0.125% countywide sales tax to fund local fire departments. If voters approve, the tax would be collected for five years, the county would keep the funds for fire support, and voters must approve any renewal.

Have any ideas or feedback, just let us know!