Providing an exception for Kansas department of wildlife and parks records regarding the location of any species that is threatened, endangered or in need of conservation from the disclosure requirements of the Kansas open records act.
HB 2505 amends Kansas' open records law to exempt location data for threatened, endangered, or conservation-needed species from public disclosure. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks would no longer be required to release such location information upon public request. This exemption would be added to the existing protections under K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 45-221, specifically covering records related to species conservation. The bill directly affects public access to sensitive wildlife location data while aiming to protect conservation efforts.
Bill status
died
4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Governor
Introduced Jan 21, 2026
Last action Apr 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
As Amended by Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
→
As Amended by House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
·
1 edit
MINOR
The House Committee amended the bill to add a new exemption for emergency and security information that could jeopardize public safety if disclosed. This expands the list of records that public agencies can legally withhold from public inspection, prioritizing public safety over general transparency in specific high-risk situations.
Scope change
The bill's scope of exempt records was expanded to include emergency and security procedures.
REQUIREMENT
Added a new exemption (subsection 12) allowing agencies to close records containing emergency or security information if disclosure would jeopardize public safety.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
21
Key actions
14
Committee
10
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference Committee Report agree to disagree adopted; Rep. Ken Rahjes, Rep. Lance W. Neelly and Rep. Linda Featherston appointed as second conferees
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference Committee Report agree to disagree adopted; Sen. Virgil Peck, Sen. Craig Bowser and Sen. Marci Francisco appointed as second conferees
upper
Mar 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Sen. Craig Bowser is appointed to replace Sen. Larry Alley on the Conference Committee
upper
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Rep. Ken Rahjes, Rep. Lance W. Neelly, and Rep. Linda Featherston are appointed to replace Rep. Tom Kessler, Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, and Rep. Heather Meyer on the Conference Committee
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
Motion to accede adopted; Sen. Virgil Peck, Sen. Larry Alley and Sen. Marci Francisco appointed as conferees
upper
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Rep. Tom Kessler, Rep. Rebecca Schmoe and Rep. Heather Meyer
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 39, Nay 1
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
upper
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
Withdrawn from Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
Referred to Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs
upper
Feb 24, 2026
Introduced
Received and Introduced
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 124, Nay 0, Absent 1
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Committee
Referred to House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Introduced
Introduced
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Will Carpenter
RRepublican
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