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The 🐝 Rating System
Each bill is evaluated based on four key factors: Scope of Impact, Financial Impact, Urgency, and Controversy. These factors are weighted to reflect their influence on the bill's overall importance. Here's how the ratings break down:
🐝 Minimal Impact: Legislation with limited reach or lower urgency and controversy.
🐝🐝 Moderate Impact: Proposals with a broader or more notable influence, addressing issues of medium urgency or financial significance.
🐝🐝🐝 High Impact: Bills with widespread consequences, urgent needs, or significant public and political attention.
Daily Legislative Update 🐝
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Below is today’s morning update on published activities in the Kansas Legislature.
Table of Contents
Top Stories of the Day
Coercing law enforcement to collaborate with ICE?
As the tone and weight of accumulating proposed legislation continues to build, more and more bills are appearing to align state law with some of the more aggressive Trump agenda items in DC. For example, Senate Bill No. 178, introduced by the Committee on Federal and State Affairs, requires law enforcement agencies in Kansas to pursue formal agreements with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the auspices of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act. These agreements permit designated law enforcement officers within each agency to engage in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. (Earlier in the session, SCR 1602 called upon the Governor to do the same.)
The penalty for not complying: suspension of any state grant money to the law enforcement agency.
Citizen Petition Initiative
Kansas does not presently have a mechanism for citizen petitions to place constitutional amendment proposals directly on the ballot—only the legislature has that power. Eighteen other states do have citizen-initiated ballot measures, including all neighboring states. HCR 5009 would bring Kansas in line with its neighbors, with a similar threshold: signatures from at least 10% of the number of votes cast for governor.
It’s difficult to see the supermajority relinquishing its control over the amendment process, however. The minority Democratic party consistently wins enough votes in statewide races to be able to reach that threshold, particularly when organized around a specific issue (e.g. Vote No on 2).
Bills and Resolutions
UPDATE: Summaries of these bills are now published on BillBee. The links below go directly to each bill’s writeup.
House Bills on the Floor for Consideration
Final Action on Bills and Concurrent Resolutions:
HB 2037 – Restructure the Kansas Council on Travel and Tourism and adjust the allocation of tourism promotion funds.
Consent Calendar (Bills Eligible for Fast-Track Approval):
HB 2048 – Eliminates specific reporting requirements for the commissioner of insurance and amends definitions and penalties related to insurance law enforcement.
Senate Bills on the Floor for Consideration
Final Action on Bills and Concurrent Resolutions:
New Bills Introduced
House Bills
Criminal Justice & Public Safety:
🐝 HB 2224: Require police to announce before search warrants.
🐝🐝 HB 2227: Ban prone restraint on juveniles in custody.
🐝 HB 2228: Provides inmate documentation prior to release.
🐝 HB 2241: New restrictions on habeas corpus petitions and appeals process.
🐝 HB 2253: Tightens penalties for livestock theft and equipment theft.
🐝 HB 2261: Reclassifies Kansas Highway Patrol majors' employment status.
Housing & Consumer Protection:
🐝 HB 2225: Prevents landlords from restricting tenant communication services access.
Infrastructure & Utilities:
Public Safety & Regulation:
🐝 HB 2229: Amusement ride safety inspections and regulations amended.
Taxation & Fiscal Policy:
Financial Regulation & Consumer Protection:
🐝🐝 HB 2235: Amends fiduciary financial institutions regulation in Kansas.
Health & Human Services:
🐝 HB 2230: Regulates kratom product sales and safety.
🐝🐝 HB 2236: Establishes Mental Health Intervention Team Program in Kansas.
🐝🐝 HB 2240: Legislature approval required for Medicaid expansion.
🐝 HB 2243: Referral process for military children in need of care.
🐝🐝 HB 2244: Prohibits limiting telepharmacy; revises pharmacy board composition.
🐝🐝 HB 2245: Transfers state health benefits management to insurance department.
🐝🐝 HB 2246: Requires hospitals provide online pricing transparency.
🐝 HB 2247: Regulates dental insurance procedures and claim processes.
🐝🐝 HB 2248: Establishes Kansas nursing initiative grant program.
🐝 HB 2249: Grant waivers for rural emergency hospitals' nursing beds.
🐝🐝 HB 2250: Increased hospital assessment rates and expanded exemptions.
🐝🐝 HB 2251: Provisional licenses for international physicians in Kansas.
🐝🐝 HB 2252: Prohibits smoking on gaming floors in Kansas.
🐝🐝 HB 2266: Enacts interstate APRN licensure compact.
🐝🐝 HB 2267: Prohibits conversion therapy for minors by licensed professionals.
Government & Administration:
Labor & Employment:
Elections & Government:
Education:
🐝 HB 2259: Mandates school policies for electronic device use.
Transportation & Infrastructure:
🐝🐝 HB 2260: Prohibits electronic device use while driving.
Agriculture & Rural Affairs:
🐝 HB 2254: Regulations for payments between milk producers and processors.
Commerce & Trade Regulation:
🐝 HB 2255: Reforms Kansas weights and measures regulations.
Military & Veterans:
🐝 HB 2256: Awards for military spouses' community contributions.
Senate Bills
Social Issues & Reproductive Rights:
🐝🐝 SB 174: Criminalize all abortions in Kansas.
Health & Human Services:
Elections & Government:
🐝🐝 SB 177: Increases campaign contribution limits, ties to CPI.
Immigration & Law Enforcement:
🐝🐝🐝 SB 178: Mandates immigration agreements for Kansas law enforcement agencies.
Taxation, Budget & Fiscal Policy:
Criminal Justice & Legal Procedures:
Criminal Justice & Public Safety:
Environment & Business Regulation:
🐝 SB 184: Amends Kansas drycleaner environmental response act.
Labor & Employment:
🐝 SB 189: Allows injured employees healthcare provider choice.
Utilities & Consumer Protection:
🐝 SB 191: Limits extra charges on municipal utility bills.
Real Estate & Legal Procedures:
🐝 SB 192: Judicial foreclosure auctions require in-person attendance.
Civil Rights & Education:
🐝 SB 194: Void discriminatory property restrictions by race on state education property.
Immigration & Employment:
🐝🐝 SB 196: Prohibits employing unauthorized aliens in Kansas.
House Concurrent Resolutions
Government & Democracy:
🐝🐝 HCR 5009: Amend Kansas constitution to allow direct citizen initiatives.
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Session Highlights for February 4, 2025
House of Representatives
The House, presided over by Speaker Hawkins, convened at 11:00 a.m.
Roll Call:
119 members were present, with Reps. Borjon, Hill, and Schlingensiepen excused for verified illness; Rep. Woodard excused for legislative business; Reps. Ohaebosim and Penn excused by the Speaker.
Bill Actions:
Additional Notes:
Prayer Highlights: The prayer emphasized healing, wisdom, commitment, and unity among representatives.
Committee Assignment Changes:
Rep. Blake Carpenter appointed to replace Rep. Borjon on Committee on Judiciary.
Rep. Neighbor appointed to replace Rep. Ohaebosim on Committee on Transportation and Committee on General Government Budget.
Rep. Carlin appointed to replace Rep. Schlingensiepen on Committee on Local Government.
Upcoming Actions (February 5, 2025)
House of Representatives
Session Time: 11:00 AM
Committee Updates:
Appropriations (9:00 AM): Request for bill introductions. Hearing on HB 2007 concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025 and appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for various state agencies.
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget (1:30 PM): Budget recommendations by Chairperson Moser for the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Commerce, Labor and Economic Development (1:30 PM): Hearing on HB 2020 concerning supplemental appropriations.
Corrections and Juvenile Justice (1:30 PM): Meeting on call of the chair.
Health and Human Services (1:30 PM): Presentation on Children's Health by David Long, Committee Assistant.
Higher Education Budget (1:30 PM): Budget Hearing for Fort Hays State University and Pittsburg State University by Eli Redington, Committee Assistant.
Senate
Session Time: 2:30 PM
Committee Updates:
Agriculture and Natural Resources (8:30 AM): Presentation on College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension.
Federal and State Affairs (10:30 AM): Request for bill introductions and briefing on Kansas elections.
Financial Institutions and Insurance (9:30 AM): Interim committee report on the Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments and Benefits. Hearing on SB 32 concerning tax adjustments for insurance.
Government Efficiency (9:30 AM): Hearing on SB 79 directing waivers from supplemental nutrition assistance program rules.
Transportation (8:30 AM): Hearing on SB 97 granting title options for nonhighway vehicles.
Assessment and Taxation (9:30 AM): Request for bill introductions. Hearing on SB 109 providing remittance credits to retailers for sales tax collection.
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