Below is today’s morning update on published activities in the Kansas Legislature.

Kansas is doubling down on economic innovation with major legislative efforts like HB 2038 and SB 52, which establish the Kansas Film and Digital Media Production Development Act. These bills provide substantial tax incentives and exemptions for film and digital media projects, with a $10 million annual cap on tax credits. Designed to attract major productions while bolstering local industries, this initiative could significantly impact Kansas’s economic and cultural landscape by drawing in new business and creating job opportunities statewide.

Both the House and Senate are advancing measures to overhaul Kansas's insurance regulations. High-impact proposals include HB 2047 and SB 42, which introduce real-time, web-based motor vehicle insurance verification systems. These bills aim to enhance compliance, reduce uninsured motorists, and modernize administrative processes. Additionally, HB 2044 seeks to improve financial oversight of third-party administrators, mandating stricter fiduciary controls and enhanced transparency.

With measures like SB 48 and SB 49, Kansas lawmakers are aiming to reshape education accountability and transparency. SB 48 proposes stricter accreditation requirements, mandating measurable academic improvements and compliance with state standards, while SB 49 requires school districts to conduct annual needs assessments and align budgets with student achievement goals. These reforms emphasize performance, transparency, and strategic allocation of resources to improve educational outcomes statewide.

This bill expands the definition of ranching activities that qualify as agritourism to specifically include trail rides, which affects how certain agricultural lands are classified for property tax purposes. The change would allow properties offering trail rides as part of their agritourism operations to maintain their agricultural land classification, potentially affecting their property tax valuations. The modification aims to provide clarity for county appraisers and support the growing agritourism industry in Kansas. [link]

The bill proposes exempting military service members' compensation from Kansas state income tax, with the exemption capped at the pay level of a senior enlisted member. The exemption would cover all forms of military compensation including pay, bonuses, and reimbursements for active duty, reserve, and national guard personnel. The provision would take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. [link]

The bill makes two key changes to Kansas tourism administration: expanding the Council on Travel and Tourism from 17 to 20 voting members and revising the state's tourism matching grant program. The council expansion adds representatives from various tourism-related organizations, while the grant changes equalize funding allocation between private, public, and nonprofit entities by removing the 75% minimum allocation requirement for public and nonprofit entities. [link]

The proposed Kansas Film and Digital Media Production Development Act would establish a comprehensive program offering tax credits and sales tax exemptions to attract film and digital media production to Kansas. The program would provide up to $10 million annually in tax credits, with 10% reserved for Kansas-based production companies, and includes incentives of up to 30% of qualified production expenditures with additional bonuses available for meeting certain criteria. [link]

The legislation creates detailed frameworks for qualifying productions, establishing Kansas residency requirements, and ensuring economic benefits remain in-state through specific spending requirements with Kansas-based vendors. The program would be administered by the Secretary of Commerce in consultation with the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, with built-in oversight and reporting requirements to track the initiative's economic impact through 2034.

This bill modifies the Kansas Credentialing Act to establish that entities providing physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services are not classified as home health agencies when they are not reimbursed by Medicare Part A. The change aims to reduce regulatory burden on specialized therapy providers while maintaining appropriate oversight of traditional home health services. [link]

This bill modifies the timeline for the Kansas Corporation Commission's decision-making process on electric transmission line siting permits, extending the deadline from 120 to 180 days. The change affects major infrastructure projects that impact property owners and utilities across Kansas, particularly regarding eminent domain and land use rights. [link]

The extension provides additional time for thorough review of complex siting applications, which must consider proposed locations, affected landowners within 660 feet of the center line, and public hearing requirements. This change could significantly impact the timeline for critical energy infrastructure projects while potentially allowing for more comprehensive evaluation of community and environmental concerns.

This bill adds new requirements for electric utilities seeking transmission line siting permits from the Kansas Corporation Commission, mandating proof that projects were subject to competitive bidding when costs will be recovered through regional transmission organizations. The legislation aims to ensure fair pricing and lower rates for Kansas consumers through market competition. [link]

The Commission would be prohibited from issuing permits for transmission lines unless it determines through a formal order that the project underwent an open and fair competitive bidding process and selected the lowest reasonable bid. This requirement specifically targets projects that will recover costs through regional transmission organizations, potentially affecting major infrastructure investments across the state.

The legislation also requires the Commission to consider benefits to both Kansas consumers and those outside the state, as well as economic development benefits within Kansas, when making decisions about transmission line siting permits. This broader evaluation scope could help balance regional energy needs with local economic interests.

This bill modernizes Kansas title insurance regulations by changing how title agents report to the Insurance Commissioner and standardizing surety bond requirements. The legislation shifts from mandatory annual audit report submissions to making reports available upon request, while setting a uniform $100,000 surety bond requirement for all title agents regardless of county population. [link]

The bill also eliminates the previous controlled business exemption for counties with populations under 10,000, creating consistent standards statewide for title insurance operations. These changes aim to streamline regulatory oversight while maintaining consumer protections in title insurance transactions, particularly regarding financial interest disclosures and business referral practices.

The Kansas Insurance Department is seeking to strengthen its regulatory oversight with House Bill 2043, which introduces two significant changes to insurance industry practices. First, it requires insurance agents and companies to respond to commissioner inquiries within 14 calendar days, tightening the previous timeframe. Second, it modifies existing regulations to allow certain rebate pilot programs to exceed one year in duration, providing more flexibility for industry innovation. These changes aim to improve consumer protection while allowing for more comprehensive testing of new insurance products and services. [link]

The legislation also clarifies various aspects of insurance unfair trade practices, including specific provisions regarding discrimination, rebates, and consumer protection measures. By updating these regulations, the bill seeks to maintain fair competition in the insurance market while ensuring that consumers receive adequate protection and timely responses to their concerns through proper regulatory oversight.

The Kansas Insurance Department is proposing significant changes to how third-party administrators handle insurance funds with House Bill 2044. The legislation requires administrators to maintain separate fiduciary accounts for each payor, prohibiting the commingling of funds from multiple payors. It also mandates immediate disclosure to the insurance commissioner if an administrator files for bankruptcy under Chapter 9 or Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code. These changes aim to enhance financial security and transparency in the insurance industry. [link]

The bill strengthens consumer protection by ensuring that insurance premiums, collateral, and loss reimbursements are properly segregated and managed. It establishes clear guidelines for fund withdrawals and requires detailed record-keeping of all transactions. These enhanced controls will help prevent mismanagement of funds and provide better oversight of third-party administrators handling insurance-related payments.

The Kansas Insurance Department is proposing to streamline its administrative structure through House Bill 2045, which would reduce the number of board members on various insurance-related committees and modify meeting requirements. The bill affects several oversight boards, including those governing automobile insurance, workers compensation, and professional liability insurance, with changes set to take effect in 2026. The legislation aims to create more efficient governance while maintaining proper oversight of insurance matters. [link]

The bill modifies how travel insurance policies can be classified and filed in Kansas, particularly those that provide coverage for sickness, accident, disability, or death during travel. The legislation allows these policies to be filed under either accident and health insurance or inland marine insurance lines, providing insurers with greater flexibility in policy classification and administration. The change aims to streamline insurance operations while maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight. [link]

The Kansas Legislature is considering a bill to create a modern web-based system for verifying motor vehicle liability insurance coverage in real-time. The system would allow authorized personnel, including law enforcement and the Department of Revenue, to instantly verify insurance coverage status. The bill aims to streamline the verification process and reduce uninsured motorists on Kansas roads. [link]

The legislation requires insurance companies to participate in the system by establishing web services that comply with specifications set by the Insurance Commissioner. The system includes privacy protections and security measures to protect sensitive data, while granting access to authorized personnel such as law enforcement agencies, courts, and the Division of Vehicles. The bill provides flexibility for smaller insurers and includes immunity provisions for good-faith compliance efforts, with full implementation required by July 2026.

This bill modernizes the operations of the Kansas Insurance Department by removing outdated requirements, including the elimination of an annual report to the governor about insurance companies' conduct and condition. The legislation also streamlines the definition of "person" for regulatory purposes and updates various administrative procedures to improve efficiency. [link]

This bill enhances regulatory oversight of insurance agents and public adjusters by updating licensing requirements and enforcement procedures. The legislation expands the commissioner's authority to deny, suspend, or revoke licenses for various infractions, including fraudulent practices, misrepresentation, and failure to respond to inquiries. It also establishes clear criteria for evaluating license applications from individuals with prior convictions. [link]

The bill provides comprehensive guidelines for license reinstatement and introduces new requirements for maintaining professional standards in the insurance industry. It includes provisions for administrative penalties and hearing procedures, ensuring due process while strengthening consumer protection. The legislation also clarifies employment restrictions for individuals with suspended or revoked licenses and establishes waiting periods before reapplication after license denial or revocation.

This comprehensive insurance regulation bill grants the Kansas Insurance Commissioner authority to set various administrative fees within specified caps and requires their annual publication in the Kansas Register. The legislation affects multiple areas of insurance regulation, including captive insurance companies, viatical settlements, and public adjusters, while streamlining administrative processes across the insurance industry. [link]

The bill makes numerous technical amendments to existing insurance statutes, establishing a more flexible framework for fee adjustments while maintaining oversight through public notification requirements. It consolidates and clarifies various insurance-related administrative procedures, potentially improving regulatory efficiency while ensuring transparency in fee structures through mandatory December 1st publications for the following calendar year.

This bill establishes new requirements for closing campaign accounts when elected officials leave office. Under the legislation, officials who choose not to seek re-election or who are defeated must terminate their campaign accounts within 90 days after the second subsequent general election for their office. Campaign treasurers must properly dispose of any remaining funds and file termination reports as required by existing law. [link]

The measure aims to prevent dormant campaign accounts from remaining open indefinitely (or being repurposed towards a later campaign run for the same or different office) and ensures proper closure of campaign financial activities. It provides clear timelines for account termination and reinforces existing requirements for the disposition of residual campaign funds, promoting transparency and accountability in campaign finance.

This significant legislation proposes to amend the Healthcare Provider Insurance Availability Act by expanding the definition of healthcare providers to include advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who have prescriptive authority. This change would ensure APRNs have access to the same professional liability insurance coverage and protections currently available to other healthcare providers in Kansas, potentially improving healthcare access and delivery across the state. [link]

The bill specifically addresses APRNs who have been issued a license and have authority to prescribe drugs under Kansas law, integrating them into the existing healthcare provider insurance framework. This update reflects the evolving role of APRNs in healthcare delivery and acknowledges their increasing responsibilities in patient care, while ensuring appropriate liability coverage for their practice.

This comprehensive legislation creates the Kansas Real Time Motor Vehicle Insurance Verification Act, establishing a modern web-based system for verifying motor vehicle liability insurance coverage. The bill requires insurance companies to participate in a new verification system that will allow real-time confirmation of insurance status, helping to reduce uninsured vehicles on Kansas roads while streamlining the verification process for law enforcement and state agencies. [link]

The system will be implemented by the Insurance Commissioner's office, with full operations required by July 1, 2026, following a nine-month testing period. The legislation includes important privacy protections, making all information and data provided to the system confidential and privileged, exempt from the open records act, and inadmissible in private civil actions.

The bill provides flexibility for smaller insurers and commercial vehicles, with alternative verification methods available for companies insuring fewer than 1,000 vehicles in Kansas. Additionally, it includes provisions protecting insurers from penalties during system maintenance or unexpected outages, while ensuring system security and data privacy compliance.

This legislation makes significant changes to Kansas' concealed carry laws, including establishing a clearer pathway for transitioning from provisional to standard licenses, requiring surrender of licenses upon suspension or revocation, and enhancing privacy protections for off-duty law enforcement officers carrying concealed weapons in buildings. [link]

The bill specifically prohibits collecting personal information from off-duty law enforcement officers entering buildings while armed and prevents requiring them to wear identifying items. It also updates cross-references in the Personal and Family Protection Act regarding eligibility requirements and clarifies procedures for license suspension and revocation.

This legislation broadens access to the Kansas Promise Scholarship program by expanding the definition of eligible postsecondary educational institutions to include additional schools with promise-eligible programs. The bill maintains the program's focus on high-wage, high-demand, or critical-need fields while ensuring proper oversight and accreditation requirements. [link]

The bill sets clear parameters for scholarship awards, limiting them to students from families with household incomes of $100,000 or less for families of one or two, $150,000 for families of three, with adjustments for larger families. It also maintains the maximum lifetime benefit of either 68 credit hours or $20,000 per student, whichever comes first, and preserves the annual program funding cap of $10 million.

This bill proposes significant changes to how virtual schools in Kansas calculate their graduation rates for accreditation purposes. The legislation would exclude students who transfer to homeschooling or nonaccredited private schools from the virtual schools' graduation rate calculations, while maintaining focus on students who had sufficient credits to graduate with their original cohort. The bill also explicitly prohibits virtual schools from offering financial incentives to attract students. [link]

The proposed changes reflect ongoing debates about accountability in virtual education and how to fairly measure student outcomes in different educational settings. While the bill maintains oversight of virtual schools under the state board, it acknowledges the unique challenges in tracking and reporting student progress when students transition between different educational environments. The measure also emphasizes maintaining educational integrity by preventing financial recruitment of students, demonstrating a commitment to focusing on educational outcomes rather than enrollment numbers.

This groundbreaking legislation would establish the Blind Information Access Act, requiring the state librarian to contract with an organization to provide on-demand information access services to Kansans who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind, or print disabled. The services would include access to digital content through audio, electronic text, and braille-reading technologies, covering local to international publications and emergency alerts. [link]

The bill creates a sustainable funding mechanism by establishing the Blind Information Access Fund, supported through monthly transfers from the Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF). The state librarian would annually estimate costs and submit reports to both the legislature and state corporation commission, ensuring transparency and accountability in the program's implementation.

This initiative represents a significant step forward in digital accessibility, ensuring that Kansans with visual impairments have equitable access to information resources. The comprehensive approach includes Kansas-specific publications, breaking news, and emergency weather alerts, making it a vital service for public safety and civic participation among visually impaired residents.

This significant legislation aims to increase transparency and public engagement in school board operations across Kansas. The bill requires school districts to publicly list board members' names and email addresses on their websites and creates a statewide database of this information. It also mandates time for public comment at all board meetings, including virtual ones, and explicitly authorizes board members to add items to meeting agendas and engage in discussions with the public. [link]

The bill further strengthens local oversight by ensuring board members have access to school properties during school hours or community activities, and clarifies the board's authority to contract with not-for-profit organizations for services. These changes represent a substantial shift toward more open and accessible school governance, potentially increasing community involvement in educational decision-making while maintaining appropriate oversight structures.

This significant legislation would fundamentally transform Kansas's school district accreditation system by requiring concrete evidence of academic improvement for schools to maintain their accreditation status. Beginning July 1, 2026, schools must demonstrate material improvement in student performance year-over-year, specifically showing reduced numbers of students scoring at level 1 and increased numbers scoring above level 2 on state assessments. [link]

The bill implements strict compliance requirements with federal and state regulations, making accreditation contingent on meeting these standards. Schools found non-compliant would face public notification requirements and potential loss of accreditation if issues aren't resolved by the following school year's end. This represents a significant shift toward stronger accountability measures in public education.

The legislation also mandates that underperforming districts' superintendents appear before legislative committees to explain their challenges and improvement plans. Furthermore, it establishes a clear framework for curriculum standards and assessment requirements, while maintaining local district authority over specific curriculum choices that meet these standards. This comprehensive approach to educational accountability marks a substantial change in how Kansas evaluates and maintains school district quality.

This bill strengthens oversight of school district operations by mandating annual educational needs assessments with input from board members, teachers, school site councils, and administrators. The legislation requires school boards to directly engage with state assessment data and explicitly document how budget decisions address student achievement barriers. These changes aim to create a more transparent and data-driven approach to educational resource allocation. [link]

The bill establishes specific requirements for school boards to review and document state assessment results, particularly focusing on students performing below proficiency levels. It mandates that boards identify barriers to student achievement and develop concrete budget actions to address these challenges, including estimates of how long it will take for all students to achieve grade-level proficiency.

This legislation also introduces new transparency measures by requiring school districts to publish comprehensive assessment findings on their websites and clearly identify all budget allocations and reallocations between funds. These requirements represent a significant shift toward greater accountability in educational spending and strategic planning for student success.

This bill standardizes the interest rate at 5% for all state scholarship programs that include repayment obligations and centralizes administration under the Board of Regents. The legislation aims to create consistency across various educational scholarship programs while authorizing the board to recover collection costs and charge administrative fees. The changes would affect multiple scholarship programs including ROTC service scholarships, nursing service scholarships, and the Kansas Promise Scholarship program. [link]

Under the new framework, the Board of Regents will have expanded authority to manage scholarship repayment obligations, including the ability to engage collection agencies and recover associated costs. The bill also shifts certain administrative responsibilities from individual educational institutions to the Board of Regents, particularly for the adult learner grant program.

This comprehensive legislation aims to attract major data center investments to Kansas by offering sales tax exemptions for construction, equipment, and operational costs. The bill requires qualifying firms to invest a minimum of $250 million and create at least 20 new jobs within two years of beginning operations. The exemptions would cover essential data center equipment, including servers, power systems, and cooling infrastructure. [link]

The legislation establishes three tiers of benefits based on investment levels: 15-year exemptions for $250 million investments, 30-year exemptions for $500 million investments, and 60-year exemptions for investments of $1 billion or more. This graduated structure aims to incentivize larger, long-term commitments to the state while ensuring meaningful economic impact through job creation and capital investment.

The bill includes robust oversight measures, requiring certification from the Secretary of Commerce and regular compliance reviews. It also contains provisions for clawbacks if companies fail to meet their commitments, demonstrating a balance between attracting investment and protecting taxpayer interests.

SB 52 proposes a comprehensive plan to establish Kansas as a hub for film and digital media production. The bill introduces a framework for income tax credits and sales tax exemptions for projects meeting eligibility requirements, with a focus on encouraging Kansas-based vendors and workers. The program has a $10 million annual cap on tax credits and seeks to prioritize rural and economically disadvantaged areas for projects.

Key features include tax incentives for production companies, support for workforce development, and promotion of Kansas through embedded marketing in projects. Projects must meet expenditure thresholds and demonstrate significant economic impact to qualify. The initiative aims to attract multimarket productions while fostering local industry growth. [link]

This bill revises the structure and operations of county law library boards, particularly changing how attorney members are appointed in certain counties. The legislation shifts appointment authority to chief judges of judicial districts and allows boards to authorize chief judges to use certain fees for enhancing district court functions. The changes primarily affect Johnson, Sedgwick, and Douglas counties, while establishing different rules for other counties' law library boards. [link]

This comprehensive bill aims to regulate third-party litigation funding agreements in Kansas by establishing new disclosure requirements and limitations on discovery. The legislation requires reporting of third-party agreements to the judicial council and creates a committee to study their impact. The bill particularly focuses on protecting sensitive agreement information while ensuring appropriate oversight of litigation funding practices. [link]

The bill includes significant provisions to protect against undue prejudice in cases involving third-party agreements, particularly in matters of political, ideological, or social nature. It establishes specific exemptions for nonprofit organizations and actions brought in the public interest, while also implementing protections against foreign influence in litigation funding.

The legislation creates a comprehensive framework for monitoring and studying third-party agreements, requiring the judicial council to establish a committee by July 2028 to study these agreements and report findings to key stakeholders. This monitoring system aims to provide better understanding of how third-party funding affects Kansas's legal system while maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information through exemptions from the open records act.

SR 1704 formalizes the rules governing the Kansas Senate for the 2025–2028 legislative terms. These rules detail meeting schedules, quorum requirements, committee structures, and procedures for handling bills, resolutions, and votes. The resolution also addresses the roles and responsibilities of Senate officers and employees, the use of electronic devices during sessions, and public access to Senate proceedings. While procedural in nature, these rules are essential for ensuring the orderly conduct of Senate business. [link]

The calendar shows an active legislative agenda with significant focus on budget matters, economic development, and regulatory reforms across multiple sectors of state government.

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