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- Topeka Buzz: February 3, 2026
Topeka Buzz: February 3, 2026
The House weather modification ("contrails") ban now has a Senate version. Also: new permit requirements (or county bans) for wind / solar / battery projects, a 2% alcohol tax, and a school levy reduction
Jason Anderson
February 03, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
Topeka Buzz 🐝
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Table of Contents
Top Stories of the Day
🐝🐝 SB 449: Prohibits Geoengineering and Weather Modification
This bill creates the Clean Air Preservation Act to ban a wide range of atmospheric experiments and interventions — like solar radiation modification, geoengineering, weather modification, and cloud seeding. It applies to individuals, companies, non-profits, and government projects and can lead to felony charges and large fines for violations.
Law enforcement must set up enforcement policies with the Kansas Air National Guard within 120 days. The Guard may be authorized to stop and escort aircraft, gather samples and photos, and document evidence. Communications facilities must hire independent radiofrequency engineers (at the owner’s cost) and meet a -75 dBm signal limit or face fines up to $50,000 per day. The bill repeals the existing Kansas weather modification law and has an unclear fiscal impact.
🐝🐝 HB 2636: Requires KCC permits; lets counties ban projects
HB 2636 creates a statewide permit system for “industrial energy facilities” — utility-scale wind, solar, and battery projects of 1 MW (or 1 MWh for storage) or more. Developers must get a Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) permit before site work or construction. The change affects developers, county governments, landowners, farmers, and KCC staff.
Starting July 1, 2026, county commissions may pass a resolution to allow or deny new projects. A protest petition signed by 5% of county electors can trigger a countywide election to ban new construction. KCC must follow notice, local hearing, and evidentiary steps and issue a permit decision within 180 days. The bill sets minimum setbacks, requires engineer-sealed decommissioning plans with financial assurance updated every five years, and funds KCC work with permit fees and penalties.
🐝🐝 HB 2620: Raises Kansas EITC to 17% of federal credit
The bill increases the Kansas earned income tax credit to equal 17% of a taxpayer’s federal EITC for tax year 2026 and all years after. It mainly helps low- and moderate-income working Kansans who qualify for the federal EITC by raising refundable state credits and increasing refunds or reducing state tax owed.
🐝🐝 HB 2630: Allow local 2% liquor tax to fund property tax cuts
HB2630 lets a county or city, with voter approval, add a 2% tax on the same alcohol and malt beverage sales already covered by the state liquor enforcement tax. That would affect local governments, property taxpayers, alcohol retailers and distributors, and consumers in places that adopt the tax.
The local government must pass a resolution or ordinance to call an election, give notice like a bond vote, and win a majority to impose (or repeal) the tax. Collection begins the first day of the calendar quarter after 60 days from the election. All revenue from this local 2% must be credited to the levying county or city and used only to reduce the next fiscal year’s property tax levy by an amount equal to the revenue. Existing special remittance rules stay in place and any leftover balance in current local enforcement funds moves to the state general fund on the bill’s effective date.
🐝🐝 HB 2631: Increases residential exemption from state school levy
The bill raises the amount of a home's appraised value exempt from the statewide school levy from $75,000 to $125,000, starting with tax year 2027. Homeowners will generally see a lower school-levy portion of their property tax bills; renters could be indirectly affected if landlords pass along savings. State revenue from the statewide school levy will likely fall and state budget planners may need to consider how to address that change.
Other New Bills Introduced
Budget & Appropriations
🐝🐝 SB 435: KPERS elects vice chair; new employers pay actuarial rates
Business & Commerce
🐝 HB 2627: Adds private hiring preference for servicemembers and spouses
Criminal Justice
🐝🐝 HB 2611: Limits OR release, raises bonds for some sex crimes
🐝🐝 SB 442: Raises felony level for intentional disease exposure
🐝🐝 HB 2610: Limits summons to misdemeanors; bars OR release after no-show
🐝🐝 HB 2613: State pays sexual assault exam fees, board sets rate
🐝 SB 447: Creates statewide domestic violence task force
🐝 HB 2612: Use longest supervision term for consecutive sentences
🐝 HB 2614: Allows limited disclosure of victim compensation records
🐝 HB 2616: Directs KHP and KBI to help with line-of-duty funerals
🐝 SB 445: Directs KHP and KBI to assist line-of-duty funerals
Education
Elections & Government
Healthcare
Housing
🐝🐝 SB 443: Limit residential evictions to specified causes
🐝🐝 SB 444: Gives cities power to inspect and abate unsafe interiors
🐝🐝 HB 2621: Exempts nonprofit-owned affordable housing from property tax
🐝🐝 HB 2619: Exempts nonprofit housing purchases from sales tax
🐝🐝 HB 2634: Sets default rental maintenance code where none exists
Infrastructure
Natural Resources
Public Safety
🐝 HB 2624: County can dissolve empty fire districts
Taxation
Uncategorized
HCR 5023: Proposing to amend the constitution of the state of Kansas to provide that property tax exemptions be approved by the electors of the state.
HR 6024: Urging the Kansas Turnpike Authority to waive tolls for vehicles displaying Kansas special license plates related to injury, loss of life or valor in active military service
HCR 5025: Proposing to amend the constitution of the state of Kansas to decrease the assessed valuation for real property used for residential purposes from 111/2% to 9%.
HCR 5026: Proposing a constitutional amendment to section 1 of the Kansas bill of rights to affirm that men and women are possessed of equal and inalienable natural rights, including the right to life from conception.
HCR 5024: Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to establish the taxable valuation of real property used for residential purposes based on the sales price for the year in which the property transferred ownership if the transfer was sold at fair market value or valued pursuant to law as fair market value in the year in which the transfer occurred for the current owner.
Committee Actions
Commerce
Bills Referred (1)
SB 429: Extend angel investor tax credit through 2031
Federal and State Affairs
Bills Reported Out (3)
Health and Human Services
Bills Re-referred (1)
HB 2436: Includes expired naloxone (up to 10 years) in immunity law
Judiciary
Bills Reported Out (1)
HB 2412 (bill be passed): Raise penalties for endangering children under six
Local Government, Transparency and Ethics
Bills Referred (1)
SB 362: State officers must publish travel locations and expenses
Public Health and Welfare
Bills Referred (2)
Transportation
Bills Referred (1)
SB 353: Establish Kansas Railroad Hall of Fame at Wichita Museum
Bills Reported Out (2)
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