Requiring school districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current school board members, authorizing local school board members to add new items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public and access school property, authorizing members of the public to address school boards at board meetings and authorizing payment of annual dues to any not-for-profit organization that provides services to member school districts.
SB 47 requires Kansas school districts to publicly post the names and email addresses of current school board members on their websites and the state education department's database. It allows school board members to add discussion items to meetings, interact with the public during meetings, and access school property during events. The bill also mandates that all regular school board meetings include a public comment period where community members can address the board. Additionally, it authorizes school districts to pay annual dues to nonprofit organizations that provide services to school districts. This bill directly affects school districts, board members, and the public by increasing transparency and public engagement in school governance.
Bill status
died
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 21, 2025
Last action Apr 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}
→
As Amended by House Committee on Education
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended by the House Committee to add new procedural rules for school board meetings, specifically requiring a dedicated time slot for public comments on all regularly scheduled meetings. Additionally, the amendment clarifies that these public comments are subject to procedural limits set by the presiding officer, giving school boards more control over meeting conduct.
Scope change
The scope of the bill was expanded to include explicit requirements for public engagement during regular school board meetings, whereas the previous version did not mandate this specific structure.
REQUIREMENT
Mandates that every regularly scheduled school board meeting must include a specific time for public comments.
Requires that all public comments, questions, and discussions be subject to procedural limits established by the presiding officer.
Reformatted the section regarding board members' ability to add discussion items and ask questions to integrate them more clearly with the new public comment requirements.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
16
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
Withdrawn from Calendar, Rereferred to House Committee on Education
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Education
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Committee
Referred to House Committee on Education
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Introduced
Received and Introduced
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 21, Nay 19
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as further amended
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Pat Pettey
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Sen. Doug Shane was adopted
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Doug Shane
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Education
upper
Jan 22, 2025
Committee
Referred to Senate Committee on Education
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Introduced
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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