Education

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2194: Providing a KPERS working after retirement exemption from the employer contribution rate for retirants who are employed as teachers by a school district in a position for which a certificate to teach is required.

HB 2194 exempts retired teachers employed by Kansas school districts in certificate-required teaching positions from the standard employer contribution rate under the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS). Specifically, it removes the requirement for school districts to pay KPERS employer contributions on retired teachers' earnings when they return to work as certified teachers. This applies to retirees working in covered positions without prearranged employment agreements, directly affecting retired educators who resume teaching roles in public schools. The change modifies K.S.A. 74-4914 to create this specific exemption for teaching positions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts retired teachers from KPERS contributions, reducing costs for school districts to rehire experienced educators, supporting teacher workforce stability.85% confidence

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2248: Establishing the Kansas nursing initiative grant program and authorizing the state board of regents to approve need-based or competitive grants for the expansion of nursing faculty, laboratory supplies and tools for student success at postsecondary educational institutions.

HB 2248 establishes the Kansas Nursing Initiative Grant Program, administered by the State Board of Regents, to fund nursing education expansion at eligible Kansas colleges and universities. The program provides need-based or competitive grants covering up to $100,000 for non-consumable lab equipment, adjunct clinical instructors, student success tools (like tutoring and exam prep), and support services (including childcare). To qualify, nursing programs must be nationally accredited, Kansas Board of Nursing-approved, and have licensure exam scores meeting or exceeding national averages. Grants require no institutional funding match and are awarded based on board-established criteria. This directly supports nursing schools and students by addressing faculty shortages and enhancing program accessibility.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds nursing education expansion with grants for lab equipment, instructors, and student support services at postsecondary institutions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds nursing education expansion to increase healthcare workforce capacity, directly strengthening healthcare system infrastructure through workforce development.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2069: Enacting the school psychologist compact, the dietitian compact, the cosmetology compact and the physicians assistant compact to provide interstate practice privileges.

HB 2069 establishes a compact enabling school psychologists licensed in one state to practice in other participating states without duplicative licensing requirements. This improves access to school psychological services by allowing qualified professionals to work across state lines, particularly to address workforce shortages in schools. The compact requires practitioners to follow the scope of practice laws of the state where services are provided and ensures only licensed professionals deliver these services, while preserving each state's authority to protect public health and safety.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables cross-state practice for school psychologists, addressing workforce shortages and improving access to mental health services in K-12 schools, directly expanding educational access.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables interstate practice for school psychologists, improving mental health access in schools by addressing workforce shortages.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 287: Prohibiting law enforcement agencies and officers from participating in immigration enforcement in places of religious worship, elementary and secondary schools and hospitals.

SB 287 is a Kansas bill that prohibits local police and law enforcement agencies from assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with arrests or warrants in places of religious worship, schools, or hospitals. It bans officers from participating in immigration enforcement within these locations and voids any existing agreements with ICE that would violate this rule. The law specifies that police may still enforce state laws but cannot aid federal immigration actions at these specific sites, which include churches, schools (public or private), and healthcare facilities like clinics or hospitals. Violations could lead to disciplinary action against officers. This bill directly affects Kansas law enforcement and federal immigration operations within designated protected locations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits law enforcement from aiding ICE in sensitive locations, protecting civil rights and promoting community trust, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects school access by banning immigration enforcement in schools, reducing barriers for immigrant students and families per bill's prohibition of ICE actions in educational settings.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits immigration enforcement in hospitals, protecting patient access to healthcare without fear of deportation, aligning with healthcare access protections.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits law enforcement from aiding ICE in schools, hospitals, and places of worship, limiting federal immigration enforcement cooperation in sensitive locations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2203: Including children with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder under the definition of other health impairment in the special education for exceptional children act.

HB 2203 amends Kansas special education law to include children with fetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) under the definition of "other health impairment" in the Special Education for Exceptional Children Act. This change ensures children with FASD qualify for the same special education services, including individualized education programs (IEPs), that are currently available to children with other health impairments. The bill updates K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 72-3404 to explicitly add FASD to the list of qualifying conditions, removing previous exclusion. As a result, children with FASD in Kansas will now have access to necessary educational supports previously unavailable under the law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands special education access by including FASD under health impairment, ensuring IEP eligibility for affected children per amended K.S.A. 72-3404.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds FASD to 'other health impairment' definition, expanding special education access for health-related needs under healthcare topic.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 172: Prohibiting a school from excluding a child who has been exposed to an infectious or contagious disease without an isolation or quarantine order.

SB 172 prevents Kansas schools and child care facilities from excluding students who have been exposed to infectious diseases (like measles or flu) unless a local health official issues a formal isolation or quarantine order. It directly affects children and families by ensuring schools cannot bar students based solely on potential exposure without official health authority approval. The bill requires health departments to issue such orders for any exclusion, and specifies that any exclusion must last no longer than the order’s duration. This replaces the previous rule allowing schools to exclude students based on suspected exposure without health department involvement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents schools from excluding students exposed to disease without health orders, ensuring uninterrupted educational access and protecting student attendance rights.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires health departments to issue quarantine orders for school exclusions, ensuring public health protocols govern student access rather than arbitrary policies. Strengthens public health oversight in school settings.90% confidence

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2103: Including participation in certain learning experiences and agricultural activities as a valid excuse for absence from school and authorizing school boards to make rules therefor.

HB 2103 amends Kansas school attendance law to allow students to be absent for approved agricultural science activities, FFA events, and 4-H competitions without it counting as an unexcused absence. School boards will have the authority to create specific rules defining which activities qualify as valid excuses and to limit the number of such absences permitted. This directly affects students participating in these educational activities, school staff responsible for attendance tracking, and school boards developing the new policies. The bill adds these categories to existing valid excuses while maintaining current reporting requirements for unexcused absences.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows absences for agricultural education activities without penalty, supporting student participation in approved educational programs like FFA/4-H.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2156: Establishing the education opportunity tax credit to provide an income tax credit for taxpayers with eligible dependent children who are not enrolled in public school.

HB 2156 creates an income tax credit for Kansas taxpayers with dependent children not enrolled in public school. It provides $8,000 per child for enrollment in accredited private schools (or working toward accreditation) and $4,000 for nonaccredited private schools. The credit is capped at $125 million for 2025, with annual adjustments based on prior-year usage, and prioritizes previous recipients if demand exceeds funding. Taxpayers must provide children's Social Security numbers, cannot claim the credit if children receive low-income scholarships, and may receive refunds for excess credit over tax liability.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill provides tax credits for private school enrollment, reducing state tax revenue that could fund public education, effectively defunding public schools through tax policy.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tax credits for private school enrollment, expanding educational access options beyond public schools through direct funding support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits School Choice

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2136: Expanding student eligibility under the tax credit for low income students scholarship program, increasing the amount of the tax credit for contributions made pursuant to such program and providing for aggregate tax credit limit increases under certain conditions.

HB 2136 expands eligibility for Kansas' tax credit scholarship program by removing the requirement that students must have previously attended a public school. It increases the tax credit amount for donations to the program and adds new limits on total credits. The bill directly affects low-income students (including those in foster care, military families, or with first-responder parents) and donors who contribute to scholarship organizations. This change allows more students to access private school scholarships through tax-credit donations, without the prior public school enrollment barrier.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax credit amount for donations to scholarship program benefiting low-income students, promoting tax-advantaged funding for education access.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands eligibility for low-income students in private school scholarships via increased tax credits, broadening educational access and funding through tax incentives.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits School Choice Student Financial Aid

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 246: Requiring all applicants for teaching licenses and certificates and employees of a school district or public innovative district to submit to a criminal history record check and creating the criminal history record check reimbursement fund for certain state and criminal history record checks conducted by the Kansas department for aging and disability services.

SB 246 requires all teaching license applicants and school employees with student contact in Kansas to undergo state and national criminal background checks. Applicants must pay for checks upfront, while school districts can cover costs for employees or require employees to pay fees. Checks must be conducted every five years (starting July 2025 for new hires, and from July 2025 for existing staff), with employees reporting certain convictions within 30 days. A new reimbursement fund will cover costs for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services conducting these checks.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires criminal background checks for educators to protect student safety, aligning with protective measures in education policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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