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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, January 29, 2025
Below is today’s morning update on published activities in the Kansas Legislature.
Table of Contents
Top Stories of the Day
Preparing for bills to leave committee
We’re several weeks into the 2025 legislative session now, and the aggressive pace set by the Republican supermajority continues. Several controversial bills have already heard testimony in committees, and are being passed out of committee to return to the House or Senate for a vote.
On today’s calendar, HB 2027 was passed in the Committee on Welfare Reform. This bill adds work requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), food assistance, and child care subsidies (with some limited exceptions). These are federal funds, not state funds, so the bill doesn’t have a direct budgetary impact, but their effect on families requiring these safety net services is clear.
Also on the calendar is HB 2020, with mandates the DMV compile and submit quarterly reports of noncitizen driver’s licenses to the Secretary of State. These reports would include detailed identifying information including social security numbers, dates of birth, phone and address. The goal is to allow the Secretary of State to cross-reference these lists with voter registration rolls to remove noncitizens erroneously registered to vote.
DataHive bill tracker under construction 🚧
As you click through the links in these updates into the DataHive bill tracker, you might occasionally see some odd-looking data or encounter a feature that’s not working quite right. Don’t worry! We’re making daily updates to the app. We made a conscious choice to “build in public” (some might say it’s more like building an airplane while in-flight), which means we can release improvements to you very quickly.
If you have something you’d like this resource to be able to do, please let us know! There are a lot of different types of documents on the KSLeg website, so we have to pick and choose which types of information to work with next.
Bills and Resolutions
UPDATE: Summaries of these bills are now published on DataHive. The links below go directly to each bill’s writeup.
New Bills Introduced
House Bills
Government & Elections
Education & Youth
🐝 HB 2102: Advance enrollment for military children in Kansas schools.
🐝🐝 HB 2103: Valid absences include learning experiences, agricultural activities.
🐝 HB 2104: Standardizes firearm safety education in Kansas schools.
🐝 HB 2120: Authorizes sale of university properties in Nebraska and Kansas.
🐝🐝 HB 2129: Transfers teachers to 2009 retirement system plan.
🐝🐝 HB 2136: Expands tax credits for low income student scholarships.
🐝🐝 HB 2137: Authorize school bus stop signal arm cameras installation.
🐝 HB 2138: Authorize school districts for safety-related tax levy.
Tax & Business
🐝🐝 HB 2126: Sales tax exemption for nonprofit purchases for community service activities.
🐝 HB 2125: Authorizes Pawnee County sales tax for healthcare and public safety.
🐝 HB 2117: Business entities must comply with updated filing requirements.
🐝🐝 HB 2119: Ends Kansas affordable housing tax credit July 2025.
🐝🐝 HB 2123: Increase minimum wage for tipped employees.
🐝 HB 2130: Allows biweekly or monthly pensions for Kansas retirees.
🐝 HB 2133: Property tax exemption for firefighters' vehicles.
Judiciary & Criminal Justice
🐝 HB 2110: Restructures state management of 911 funds and services.
🐝🐝 HB 2115: Municipalities can restrict concealed handguns in municipal buildings.
🐝 HB 2127: Allows local firearm sales regulation in public buildings.
🐝🐝 HB 2131: Mandate disclosure of jailhouse witness testimony details.
🐝🐝 HB 2132: Alters child neglect, limiting removals for financial issues.
Infrastructure, Agriculture & Environment
🐝🐝 HB 2107: Establishes rules for utility-caused fire damage claims.
🐝🐝 HB 2108: Regulate rural large energy facilities via conduct code.
🐝🐝 HB 2109: Allows police equipment on utility poles and exempts utility liability.
🐝 HB 2105: Designates portions of highways as POW MIA memorials.
🐝 HB 2111: Expands Kansas CREP acreage and adjusts eligibility criteria.
🐝 HB 2112: Revises certification process for water system operators.
🐝🐝 HB 2113: Funding for water conservation and infrastructure projects.
🐝 HB 2114: Regulates water obstruction permit requirements and fees.
🐝🐝 HB 2135: Regulates industrial hemp cultivation in Kansas.
🐝🐝 HB 2121: Increases electric vehicle annual license fees for highway funds.
🐝 HB 2122: Alters registration fee payment rules for trucks.
🐝 HB 2124: Designate highway as CPL Monte Wayne Forrest memorial.
Senate Bills
Government & Elections
Education & Youth
🐝🐝 SB 87: Expands low income student scholarship eligibility and tax credits.
Tax & Business
🐝🐝 SB 90: Provides property tax exemptions for certain homeowners.
Judiciary & Criminal Justice
Infrastructure, Agriculture & Environment
Resolutions
Senate Resolutions
🐝🐝 SR 1706: Condemns pardons for Capitol attackers.
House Concurrent Resolutions
🐝🐝 HCR 5007: Lowering voting age in Kansas to 16 years.
Senate Concurrent Resolutions
🐝 SCR 1606: Approves Wyandotte County's port authority creation.
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House of Representatives
Session Highlights for January 28, 2025
The House, presided over by Speaker Hawkins, introduced a range of legislative measures across education, utilities, campaign finance, taxation, and public safety.
Session convened at 11:00 a.m.
Roll Call:
114 members were present.
Excused Absences:
Verified illness: Reps. Collins, Droge, Helgerson, Mosley, Neelly, Osman, Schmoe, Stogsdill, Weigel.
Excused by the Speaker: Reps. Haskins, Resman.
Notable Bills Introduced:
HB 2102: Advance enrollment for military students.
HB 2103: School absences for agriculture activities.
HB 2104: Firearm safety education in schools.
HB 2105: Designating POW/MIA Memorial Highway.
HB 2106: Ban foreign nationals from campaign finance.
HB 2107: Utility liability for wildfire damages.
HB 2108: Energy facility regulations in rural areas.
HB 2109: Law enforcement use of utility poles.
HB 2110: Kansas 911 Act administrative changes.
HB 2111: Expanding Kansas conservation program acreage.
HB 2112: Water system operator certification changes.
HB 2113: Conservation funding and water project grants.
HB 2114: Increasing dam and levee permit fees.
HB 2115: Municipal concealed carry restrictions.
HB 2116: Contract rules for municipalities.
HB 2117: Business trust dissolution requirements.
HB 2118: Consumer protection for government document fees.
HB 2119: Ending Kansas affordable housing tax credit.
HB 2120: Sale of Kansas State University property.
HB 2121: Increasing electric vehicle registration fees.
HB 2122: Adjustments to truck registration fees.
HB 2123: Increasing minimum wage for tipped workers.
HB 2124: Designating CPL Monte Forrest highway.
HB 2125: Pawnee County sales tax for healthcare.
HB 2126: Sales tax exemption for legal services.
HB 2127: Local firearm sales regulations.
HB 2128: Insurance regulatory changes.
HB 2129: Public employee retirement plan modifications.
HB 2130: Retirement benefits payment frequency.
HB 2131: Jailhouse witness testimony disclosure rules.
HB 2132: Defining child neglect and removal rules.
HB 2133: Property tax exemption for firefighters.
HB 2134: Limiting public records request fees.
HB 2135: Industrial hemp regulatory clarifications.
HB 2136: Expanding school tax credit scholarships.
HB 2137: School bus safety and camera enforcement.
HB 2138: Local school safety and ADA tax levy.
Concurrent Resolutions Introduced:
HCR 5008: Legislative oversight of executive regulations.
Bill Actions:
HB 2020: Amended and recommended for passage by the Committee on Elections.
HB 2004: Recommended for passage and placed on the consent calendar by the Committee on Taxation.
Committee Actions:
Federal and State Affairs: HB 2094 referred.
Health and Human Services: HB 2100 referred.
Local Government: HB 2099 referred.
Taxation: HB 2096, HB 2097, HB 2098 referred.
Water: HB 2095 referred.
Welfare Reform: HB 2101 referred.
Additional Notes:
Prayer Highlights: Guest chaplain Pastor Con Howerton led a prayer emphasizing wisdom, service, and integrity.
Committee Assignment Changes:
Rep. Essex replaced Rep. Francis on Appropriations (Jan. 31, 2025).
Rep. Woodard replaced Rep. Stogsdill on Taxation (Jan. 28, 2025).
Resolution Signed: HR 6004 reported correctly enrolled and signed.
Senate Journal Summary for January 28, 2025
The Senate, presided over by President Ty Masterson, convened at 2:30 p.m.
Roll Call:
37 senators were present.
Senators J.R. Claeys, Kloos, and Shane were excused.
Notable Bills Introduced:
SB 85: Public assistance eligibility data review.
SB 86: Establishing intercity passenger rail program.
SB 87: Expanding school tax credit eligibility.
SB 88: Ombudsman training in memory care.
SB 89: Poultry disease control program fees.
SB 90: Property tax exemption for homes.
SB 91: Wrongful conviction compensation updates.
SB 92: Extending electric transmission permit timeline.
SB 93: Electing state corporation commissioners.
SB 94: Child support restitution for victims.
SB 95: Wyandotte County port authority approval.
SB 96: Criminal penalties for civil rights violations.
Notable Resolutions Introduced:
SCR 1606: Approving Wyandotte County port authority.
SR 1706: Condemning pardons for January 6 attackers.
Bill Actions:
SB 10: Amended by committee; a floor amendment failed.
SB 35: Amended by committee and further amended on the floor.
Committee Actions:
SB 8: Recommended as noncontroversial and placed on the consent calendar.
Reports:
SR 1704: Reported correctly enrolled and signed.
Additional Notes:
The session included a prayer focused on protecting and supporting young people.
Upcoming House and Senate Actions
(January 28, 2025)
House
Session Time: 11:00 AM
Committee Updates:
Appropriations (9:00 AM): Budget reports from the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget, Higher Education Budget (Board of Regents), and K-12 Education Budget (Kansas State School for the Blind, Kansas State School for the Deaf).
Federal and State Affairs (9:00 AM): Hearing on HB 2052, which updates the personal and family protection act regarding concealed handgun licenses and off-duty law enforcement officer identification.
Financial Institutions and Pensions (9:00 AM): Overview and update on KPERS from Executive Director Alan Conroy.
Legislative Modernization (9:00 AM): Briefing on House Substitute SB 291 and discussion on committee rules.
Local Government (9:00 AM): Hearing on HB 2025, which repeals the three-mile extraterritorial planning and zoning authority for cities.
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget (1:30 PM): Budget hearings for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Commerce, Labor and Economic Development (1:30 PM, Room Change to 218-N): Hearing on HB 2035, amending the definition of land devoted to agricultural use for property tax purposes.
Corrections and Juvenile Justice (1:30 PM): Guest speakers from the Kansas Highway Patrol, including Colonel Erik Smith.
Education (1:30 PM, Room Change to 346-S): Presentation on Kansas Teacher of the Year.
Health and Human Services (1:30 PM): Final action on HB 2071, the "Help Not Harm Act," which restricts state funds for gender transition-related care and imposes penalties on healthcare providers.
Child Welfare and Foster Care (1:30 PM): Hearing on HB 2075, requiring permanency hearings for children in state custody within nine months of removal from home.
Judiciary (3:30 PM): Hearing on HB 2062, providing for child support orders for unborn children from the date of conception.
Insurance (3:30 PM): Hearings on multiple bills, including HB 2047, which establishes an online insurance verification system for motor vehicle liability insurance.
Senate
Session Time: 2:30 PM
Committee Updates:
Agriculture and Natural Resources (8:45 AM): Confirmation hearing for Christopher Kennedy, Secretary of Wildlife and Parks. Possible final action on previously heard bills.
Public Health and Welfare (8:30 AM): Final action on SB 63 – "Help Not Harm Act," restricting state funds for gender transition care and prohibiting providers from offering such care to minors.
Transportation (8:30 AM): Hearing on SB 17 – Exempting haulers of grain and agricultural goods from vehicle weight limitations.
Assessment and Taxation (9:30 AM): Hearing on SB 25 – Establishing insurance savings accounts. Briefing on property tax valuations.
Government Efficiency (9:30 AM): Hearing on SB 13 – Eliminating various registration and licensing requirements.
Local Government, Transparency, and Ethics (9:30 AM): Presentation on municipal electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities in Kansas.
Federal and State Affairs (10:30 AM): Confirmation hearing for Col. Carlin Williams as Brigadier General of the Kansas National Guard.
Judiciary (10:30 AM): Hearing on SB 71 – Increasing penalties for buying sexual relations, requiring offender education/treatment.
Ways and Means (10:30 AM): Briefing on HB 2007 reporting requirements.
Commerce (1:30 PM): Overview of housing tax credits.
Education (1:30 PM, Room 346-S): Joint meeting with House Education Committee. Presentation on 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Utilities (1:30 PM): Updates on Kansas Municipal Utilities and broadband access from the Department of Commerce.
This structured summary provides key insights into today's Kansas Senate activities.
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