This bill proposes to change the state constitution to lower the property tax assessment rate for residential real estate in Kansas from 11.5% to 9%. The change would directly affect homeowners and communities with mobile or manufactured homes by reducing the percentage of their property's value used to calculate taxes. If approved by voters, the new rate would apply to properties starting January 1, 2027, while other property classes like agricultural land and commercial buildings would keep their current assessment percentages.
HB 2678 would establish Kansas' first legal medical cannabis program, allowing licensed businesses to cultivate, process, and sell cannabis products for medical use to qualifying patients. It requires the state to expunge past cannabis-related criminal records and imposes an excise tax on sales, with funds directed to child care, economic development, mental health, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates. The bill creates new licensing systems for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, while exempting medical cannabis use from certain drug possession laws. It directly affects patients with qualifying medical conditions, licensed cannabis businesses, and the state's criminal justice and social service funding mechanisms.
SB 494 expands Kansas' stalking definition to include technology-based harassment, such as online monitoring or digital tracking, making it easier to prosecute digital stalking. It requires police to assess the primary aggressor in domestic violence calls and mandates prosecutors to confirm this assessment before filing charges. The bill also bans public agencies from charging domestic violence victims fees for public records and allows prior domestic violence incidents to be used as evidence in new cases. Additionally, it adds specific contact restrictions to protection orders and permits lifetime extensions of these orders for victims of domestic battery.
HB 2750 increases penalties for repeat violations of protective orders in Kansas. For a second or subsequent violation, the offense will be charged as a felony instead of a misdemeanor. This applies to violations of various protective orders, including those related to domestic violence, stalking, or criminal case conditions. The bill does not change penalties for first-time violations.
HB 2755 requires the University of Kansas to create and manage a statewide, anonymous data repository for human trafficking information. Law enforcement agencies, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and prosecutors must submit anonymized data - including offense details, victim/offender demographics, location, and case outcomes - by July 1, 2028. The repository will analyze this data to track trafficking trends, evaluate state anti-trafficking programs, and inform law enforcement and victim services strategies. The university must annually report findings to state leadership starting July 1, 2029.
HB 2721 modifies Kansas's Open Records Act by removing a requirement that public agencies maintain a publicly accessible register describing their computer facility information and how data can be accessed through existing programs. This change specifically affects all Kansas public agencies that use electronic data processing systems, such as government departments and local offices handling digital records. The bill eliminates the existing obligation for agencies to document details like their computer system configurations and data availability formats in a public register. This is a technical adjustment to the law's exception for software programs, not a change to the core disclosure rules for public records.
HB 2705 modifies Kansas law to remove the requirement for courts to automatically appoint lawyers for indigent inmates in most habeas corpus cases challenging their convictions. It directly affects poor inmates in non-capital cases (not involving death penalty convictions), shifting the decision to appoint counsel from mandatory to discretionary for courts. The bill repeals existing rules that required court-appointed counsel in these situations, except for capital murder cases where counsel must still be provided. This change simplifies the process for courts handling routine habeas petitions while maintaining the existing standard for death penalty cases.
This bill proposes to amend the Kansas Constitution to completely ban the state and all local governments from levying any property taxes. The measure would directly affect all property owners in Kansas by eliminating the legal authority to collect these taxes on real estate, personal property, and other taxable assets. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, it would remove the existing system that currently classifies and assesses different types of property at specific percentages of their value.
This bill proposes adding a new section to the Kansas Constitution that would guarantee the public's right to possess and use cannabis for medical purposes. The amendment includes a clause allowing reasonable laws and regulations to protect public health, safety, and general welfare. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters in the 2026 general election, it would legally enshrine medical cannabis rights at the state level.
This bill changes how Kansas courts calculate credit for time defendants spend in jail before sentencing. For sentences computed on or after October 20, 2023, defendants will now receive credit for pretrial incarceration time, except when that time was already counted in another case (for consecutive sentences) or when they were held in another jurisdiction without a hold. The law amends Kansas sentencing rules to remove these two specific exclusions, ensuring more accurate credit application. It directly affects individuals sentenced for criminal offenses in Kansas starting from the effective date.
HB 2680 renames Kansas' low-income student scholarship program to the "Kansas K-12 Students Scholarship Program" and expands eligibility to include students identified by scholarship organizations as having financial need, not just those meeting income thresholds (250% of federal poverty guidelines). The bill increases the annual scholarship limit to $8,000 per student and transfers program administration from the Department of Revenue to the State Treasurer. It also adds requirements for scholarship organizations, including financial reporting and bonding for larger contributions. The changes aim to broaden access to private school funding while centralizing oversight under the State Treasurer's office.
This bill allows Kansas residents with disabilities to receive one special license plate for each vehicle they own, register, and operate. Previously, only one special plate was permitted regardless of the number of vehicles. Proof of disability from a licensed medical professional is required, and no additional fee is charged beyond standard registration costs. The special plates display the international symbol of access for people with disabilities.
