Federal and State Affairs

This bill proposes adding new rules to the Kansas Constitution that would guide how the state draws boundaries for congressional, state legislative, and school board districts. The key requirements mandate that districts be as equal in population as possible, with state districts allowed a deviation of no more than 5% from the ideal population, while also prioritizing compact shapes, preserving existing communities, and avoiding the dilution of minority voting strength. Additionally, the bill restricts when these maps can be redrawn, prohibiting the legislature from doing so unless required by the state constitution or ordered by a court. If voters approve this measure in the 2026 election, it will legally bind future lawmakers to follow these specific guidelines when creating electoral maps.

SB 499 creates three new consumer protection laws in Kansas. It requires businesses with online services used by minors to assess and reduce risks of compulsive use (like addictive features), set privacy settings to the highest default for minors, and let consumers control their data. The bill also creates legal rights for people harmed by unauthorized digital replicas of their likeness and mandates transparency in chatbot interactions to prevent deceptive practices. These rules apply to businesses generating most revenue from online services likely accessed by minors, with enforcement by the attorney general.

HB 2018 ensures that active military members, their spouses, and dependents cannot be barred from serving as poll workers in Kansas elections solely due to their residency location or whether they are registered voters. The bill explicitly prohibits county election officers and the secretary of state from disqualifying these individuals based on those two factors, while maintaining other existing requirements like age limits. This change directly affects military families and active-duty personnel who wish to serve in election roles, removing a common barrier related to temporary or non-permanent residence. The law applies to all elections and takes effect upon publication in the statute book.

SB 133 creates a new crime in Kansas for "unlawful storage of a firearm," defined as storing a firearm unsecured (without a trigger lock, locked container, or other reasonable secure location) when a minor accesses it, uses it to cause injury, or causes death. It directly affects gun owners who store firearms in unsecured locations where minors could access them. Penalties range from a class C misdemeanor for minor access alone to a severity level 9 felony for causing bodily harm and a severity level 5 felony for causing death or great bodily harm. The law includes exemptions, such as if the firearm was inoperable, in the owner’s immediate control, or used by a minor in lawful self-defense.

This Senate concurrent resolution urges the U.S. Congress to double fines for breaking federal immigration laws and asks Immigration and Customs Enforcement to more aggressively prosecute companies that hire undocumented workers. The bill directly addresses employers who hire unauthorized immigrants and federal agencies responsible for immigration enforcement, citing concerns that current penalties are too weak to deter hiring practices that allegedly harm American workers. Because this is a non-binding resolution rather than a law, it expresses the Kansas Senate's formal recommendation to federal officials without creating new legal obligations or changing existing statutes. The document highlights past statistics showing that ICE has rarely used criminal prosecution against employers compared to its focus on individuals entering the country illegally.