HB 2602 establishes a portable benefit plan system for independent contractors in Kansas, directly affecting contractors (e.g., app-based workers) and hiring companies. The bill requires third-party providers (like banks or investment firms) to offer plans covering health, retirement, disability, or life insurance, with contributions allowed from contractors, hiring parties, or voluntary withholdings from contractor pay. Kansas income tax law would allow a subtraction modification for these contributions, reducing taxable income. The bill is currently in committee review (introduced January 2026, referred to Insurance Committee) and does not change employment classification rules.
SB 311 eliminates Kansas state income tax on specific types of overtime pay earned by workers. It modifies Kansas tax law to exclude "certain qualified overtime compensation" from taxable income when calculating state adjusted gross income. This means eligible workers will not pay state income tax on qualifying overtime earnings, directly affecting Kansas residents who receive this type of compensation. The bill amends K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 79-32,117 to add this exclusion as a subtraction modification.
HB 2598, the Kansas Paid Family Leave Act, creates a state-run program providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave for eligible workers in Kansas to bond with a new child (birth, adoption, or foster placement), care for a family member with a serious health condition, recover from their own serious health condition, or address military family needs. It covers most full- and part-time employees who worked 26 weeks (20+ hours/week) or 175 days (less than 20 hours/week) in the prior year, plus self-employed individuals who opt into the program. Benefits will equal 67% of an employee's average weekly wage (capped at $1,000/week starting in 2028), funded through payroll deductions of employee premiums beginning January 2027. The program launches for eligible workers on July 1, 2027, with benefits paid from the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund.
SB 406 directs Kansas' governor to approve short-term workforce training programs for federal Pell grant eligibility, as defined by federal law (Public Law 119-21). It requires the State Workforce Development Board to establish a clear process for programs to apply for approval, appeal denials, and coordinate with other state/federal workforce programs to avoid duplicate funding. The bill mandates the Board to align state and federal funding to support these programs while ensuring all actions comply with existing federal Pell grant rules. This affects workforce training programs seeking federal Pell grant access, not individual students or employers.
SB 282 creates the Kansas Retirement Investment and Savings Plan (KRISP), a new defined contribution retirement plan for most Kansas public employees hired on or after July 1, 2027. It establishes individual investment accounts for members, includes optional Roth-style savings contributions, and requires participation in a deferred compensation plan unless employees opt out. The plan applies to new hires and existing employees who choose to switch, but excludes current members of the police/fire retirement system, judges' system, and those already enrolled in the existing defined benefit plan before July 2027. KRISP operates alongside, but separately from, Kansas' current retirement systems and becomes effective January 1, 2028.
SB 202 transfers all current and future teachers in Kansas from the KPERS 3 retirement plan (established in 2015) to the older KPERS 2 plan (established in 2009). It affects all teachers, including those currently enrolled in KPERS 3, with the transfer automatic on January 1, 2026, and new teachers hired on or after July 1, 2025, starting directly in KPERS 2. The bill ensures teachers retain all prior service credit and benefits under the new plan, with no reduction in benefits compared to their previous plan, and employer contributions will offset the administrative costs of the transfer.
HB 2006 changes retirement eligibility for Kansas Department of Corrections security officers. Starting July 1, 2025, these officers will join the state's police and fire retirement system (KP&F) instead of the general public employees system (KPERS). The bill allows officers to buy back prior service time in KPERS to count toward KP&F benefits, with a 7.15% employee contribution rate on salary. This applies to current and future security officers employed by corrections, affecting their retirement calculations and contributions.
SB 19 prohibits discrimination against individuals who refuse certain medical treatments (such as vaccines, drugs, or gene therapies) based on conscience. It bans employers, schools, healthcare providers, and others from taking adverse actions like firing, denying services, or imposing fees due to such refusals. Individuals facing discrimination can sue for triple damages or $10,000, plus legal fees. The bill also revokes the health secretary’s authority to order quarantines and imposes penalties for violations.
HB 2237 increases the annual limit for state employee awards - including hiring, recruitment, and retention bonuses - from $3,500 to $10,000 per employee. It removes the secretary of administration’s authority to create program rules and instead requires an annual report to specific legislative committees about how these awards are used. This bill directly affects all state agencies and employees across Kansas’s executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The key changes simplify oversight by shifting from administrative rule-making to legislative transparency while raising the award cap.
HB 2008 modifies Kansas' retirement system definition of "security officer" to include specific juvenile corrections officer positions. It expands eligibility under the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) to cover roles like juvenile corrections officer I (A), I (B), II, and III, as defined in the state job classification plan. This change ensures these officers qualify for the same retirement benefits, employer contribution rates, and retirement date calculations as other security officers in the corrections department. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and amends K.S.A. 74-4914a and 74-4914e.
