Kansas Bills | MyRepTracker

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 433: Prohibiting certain conduct and improper collection of veterans benefits fees and requiring mandatory counseling concerning the benefit claims process.

SB 433 prohibits individuals or companies from charging fees for assisting veterans with claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, or Kansas Veterans Services. It requires the Kansas Veterans Services office to provide free counseling on the claims process to potential claimants (excluding those seeking burial, healthcare, or education benefits), and makes any assistance contract void if counseling isn’t completed. The bill also bans contracts from requiring veterans to share login credentials or waive consumer protection rights, and treats violations as unconscionable under Kansas consumer law. This directly affects veterans navigating benefit claims and service providers offering such assistance.

Topics ✓ Veterans

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2671: Establishing the Kansas community harmed by AI technology act, mandating user accounts and age verification for AI chatbot access, classifying users by age, requiring parental consent for minors, blocking explicit content, protecting age information confidentiality, monitoring for suicidal ideation, informing users of AI interaction, requiring compliance guidance by 2027, outlining enforcement under consumer protection laws and providing safe harbor for compliant entities.

HB 2671, the Kansas Community Harmed by AI Technology Act, requires AI chatbots in Kansas that simulate emotional or therapeutic interactions (called "companion AI chatbots") to verify user age using commercial methods. It mandates parental consent for minors under 18, blocks minors from accessing content involving suicidal ideation or explicit material, and requires clear pop-up notifications informing users they are interacting with AI. Covered entities must protect age data confidentiality, monitor for suicidal ideation in minor interactions, and provide crisis resources. Compliance guidance from the attorney general is due by December 2026, with enforcement under Kansas consumer protection laws. The bill directly affects AI chatbot companies operating in Kansas and minors using these services.

Topics ✓ Technology

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2670: Prohibiting video streaming services from transmitting commercial advertisements with the audio louder than that of the main video streaming content in which such advertisement is placed.

HB 2670 requires video streaming services operating in Kansas to ensure commercial advertisements are not louder than the main video content they interrupt, effective July 1, 2026. It adopts the federal CALM Act standards (originally for TV broadcasts) to set volume limits for ads. The law applies specifically to internet-based streaming services targeting Kansas consumers, excluding cable operators, broadcasters, and ad-free platforms. It does not create private lawsuits for violations.

Topics ✓ Technology

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2659: Requiring that all election audits and recounts be conducted using a hand count of paper ballots.

HB 2659 requires all election audits and recounts in Kansas to be conducted by hand-counting physical paper ballots, rather than using electronic systems. It directly affects Kansas election officials, voters, and candidates by mandating that paper ballots become the official record for audits and recounts, with hand counts overriding any electronic tallies if discrepancies arise. Key provisions include banning the use of ballot images or copies for audits, requiring voter-verified paper ballots for all elections after 2024, and prohibiting electronic poll books without handwritten signatures. The bill also specifies that audits must be performed publicly by bipartisan election boards, reviewing contested races as defined by election year type.

Topics ✗ Technology

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 452: Including federal law enforcement officers in the definition of law enforcement officer that is used in certain crimes and traffic provisions and clarifying that enforcement of a federal law is covered under the tort claims act.

SB 452 amends Kansas statutes to clarify that federal law enforcement officers are included in definitions used for traffic laws, crimes like interference with law enforcement, and public building access. It ensures federal officers are subject to the same traffic regulations as state/local officers and expands the "interference with law enforcement" crime to cover federal officers. The bill also clarifies that enforcing federal laws falls under the Tort Claims Act, removing ambiguity about liability coverage for federal law enforcement actions. This is a definitional update affecting how Kansas applies its laws to federal officers, not a new policy.

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 475: Requiring hospitals use a surgical smoke plume evacuation system and adopt policies for the evacuation of surgical smoke during certain surgical procedures.

SB 475 requires Kansas hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to use surgical smoke plume evacuation systems during procedures that generate smoke, such as those using lasers or electrosurgery. The law, effective January 1, 2027, mandates these facilities to adopt written policies ensuring smoke is captured at its source before it reaches patients or staff. It directly affects all licensed healthcare facilities performing smoke-producing surgeries, focusing on equipment installation and standardized protocols. The bill defines "surgical smoke" broadly to include emissions from common energy-based surgical tools. This is a safety-focused requirement with no financial or administrative provisions beyond the mandated systems and policies.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 443: Requiring cause for evictions from residential property, modifying the petition and notice requirements for eviction cases and removing the requirement to post bond before the court may grant a continuance.

SB 443 requires landlords to have a valid legal reason (such as non-payment of rent, lease violations, or property damage) to evict residential tenants, replacing the previous "no cause" standard. It mandates that eviction petitions include the rental agreement, the notice given to the tenant, and any evidence the landlord plans to use. The bill also removes the requirement for tenants to post a bond to request a court delay (continuance) in eviction cases. These changes apply to all residential eviction lawsuits in Kansas.

Topics ✓ Housing

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2712: Increasing the authority for a countywide retailers' sales tax and providing for the dedicated apportionment of special purpose tax revenues up to 2%, limiting special purpose city and countywide retailers' sales taxes to 10 years and requiring certain reporting to the department of revenue for administration of such tax.

HB 2712 amends Kansas law to allow counties to impose a new countywide retailers' sales tax for specific projects, with revenue dedicated to those projects and capped at 2% of the tax base. It limits special purpose sales taxes to a maximum 10-year duration, requiring counties to use funds only for approved projects like courthouses, jails, or infrastructure. The bill affects Kansas counties seeking to fund capital projects through this tax method, updating existing statutes to clarify voter approval processes and revenue restrictions. It does not change existing tax rates but establishes new rules for future countywide sales tax initiatives.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 447: Creating a domestic violence task force to study domestic violence across the state and make policy recommendations.

SB 447 establishes a 15-member domestic violence task force within Kansas' Attorney General's office to study state domestic violence laws and services. The task force, including survivors, advocates, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law enforcement representatives, will review enforcement gaps, develop specialized victim and offender support networks, and assess shelter availability. It must make policy recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The bill directly affects domestic violence victims and the state's legal system by creating a structured process to identify improvements in responses to domestic violence.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 466: Providing tenants with relief from use by landlords of old eviction or rental arrears records to deny housing.

SB 466 prevents landlords and consumer reporting agencies from denying housing or taking negative actions against tenants based on eviction or rental arrears records older than three years. It requires consumer reporting agencies to allow tenants to explain any such records they hold. The bill also mandates that court records of eviction actions be sealed for certain periods. Violations by landlords or agencies would be considered unfair under Kansas consumer protection law.

Topics ✓ Housing

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 444: Authorizing interior inspections of residential property without the consent of the occupant pursuant to an administrative warrant or if there is probable cause of imminent danger related to health and safety and allowing cities to abate certain interior code violations or delegate such authority to the county.

SB 444 allows cities and counties in Kansas to conduct interior inspections of residential properties without the occupant's consent when an administrative warrant is obtained or there is clear evidence of an immediate health/safety danger. It specifically enables local governments to abate interior code violations (such as unsafe building conditions) or delegate this authority to counties, directly affecting residents in properties with such violations. The bill replaces prior requirements that always needed occupant consent for interior inspections, while maintaining due process like notice and opportunities for hearings. It does not affect commercial properties or routine inspections but focuses on health/safety emergencies and code enforcement.

Topics ✓ Housing

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 485: Providing that under rental agreements governed by the residential landlord tenant act, a landlord is required to count certain income when considering a tenant or prospective tenant's qualifications for housing, providing for the sealing and expungement of court records in eviction actions related to such rental agreements and requiring mediation in such eviction cases unless the court finds that mediation would not aid the parties materially.

SB 485 requires landlords to count all lawful income (including government assistance, gifts, or pensions) when screening tenants, not just wages. It automatically seals eviction court records after filing and expunges them from public records after two years if the judgment is paid, with exceptions for ongoing cases or safety concerns. The bill also mandates mediation in eviction cases unless a court determines it wouldn’t help, and violations are treated as deceptive practices under Kansas consumer law. These changes directly affect tenants applying for housing and landlords managing rental agreements under Kansas’ Residential Landlord Tenant Act.

Topics ✓ Housing