SB 380 requires retail electric suppliers in Kansas to offer fair, reasonable, and equal rates to businesses providing electric vehicle (EV) charging services. It specifically prohibits suppliers from including costs for their own public fast-charging stations (50kW+ DC) in electricity rates charged to customers. The bill applies to suppliers operating public fast-charging stations but exempts stations built before July 1, 2026, or those used solely for the supplier's own vehicles. This ensures EV charging businesses face no artificial cost disadvantages from utility-owned stations. The law takes effect after its publication in the statute book.
HB 2571 requires cities and counties in Kansas to create written cost-sharing agreements for maintaining roads that border two different municipalities. It directly affects local governments responsible for roads shared across jurisdictional boundaries. The bill mandates agreements covering road construction, maintenance, drainage, signage, utilities, and other standard services, and prohibits major improvements without agreement approval. This replaces the previous law to ensure clear responsibility for shared road upkeep.
HB 2604 updates Kansas' commercial driver's license (CDL) rules by clarifying how vehicle weight determines license classes. It adds "gross vehicle weight" (the total weight of a vehicle plus its load) to the definitions for classifying commercial vehicles, replacing ambiguous references to "weight rating." This directly affects commercial drivers and licensing officials who must now use actual loaded weight - rather than manufacturer specifications - to assign CDL classes (A, B, or C). The bill creates clear definitions for "gross vehicle weight" and "air mile" to standardize these classifications under Kansas law.
SB 325 prohibits covering Kansas vehicle license plates with any clear, opaque, or plastic-like material that affects visibility or reflectivity, or with frames that obstruct the plate. It directly affects all Kansas vehicle owners who currently use such coverings or frames on their license plates. The bill requires plates to be securely fastened, clearly visible from a safe distance, and free from foreign materials that could obscure the registration number, state, or expiration details. This replaces existing Kansas law (K.S.A. 8-133 and 8-15,110) with updated visibility standards for license plate display.
HB 2414 imposes a $0.09 per kilowatt-hour tax on electricity provided at public electric vehicle charging stations, regardless of whether the electricity is charged for or free. The tax applies to all public charging stations (excluding those at primary residences) and funds road repair and construction through the state highway fund. Charging station owners must collect and remit the tax to the state, with penalties for non-compliance including fines of $25 per kilowatt-hour or up to one year in jail. This policy directly affects public charging station operators and shifts road maintenance funding to align with electric vehicle usage patterns.
SB 62 creates a new criminal offense in Kansas called "engaging in a street stunt," defined as operating two or more vehicles in a group while repeatedly violating traffic laws (like speeding, improper lane changes, or reckless driving) in a way that disrupts traffic flow, forces other drivers to stop or take evasive action for safety, damages property, or causes injury. Penalties include a Class A misdemeanor for first-time offenses involving traffic disruption, and felonies for causing damage or injury, with harsher penalties for repeat violations. The bill also amends existing law to include this new crime as a reason for additional charges when drivers flee or attempt to elude police. This law directly affects Kansas drivers who engage in such stunts, making them subject to these new criminal penalties.
HB 2004 would authorize Seward County to impose a countywide sales tax on retail purchases, subject to voter approval through an election. The tax revenue would specifically finance roadway and bridge construction, maintenance, and improvements within the county. The bill amends Kansas law (K.S.A. 12-187, 12-189, and 12-192) to add Seward County to the list of counties permitted to use this tax for infrastructure projects. The measure passed committee in March 2025 and is awaiting full legislative consideration.
SB 167 prohibits Kansas electric utilities from passing EV charging station construction, operation, or maintenance costs to ratepayers (regular electricity customers). Instead, it requires utilities to establish separate rate schedules for private EV charging station operators, based on actual electricity consumption (kilowatt-hours) rather than demand. Utilities must operate EV charging services through a distinct business unit and offer terms equally to private operators as they would to other third parties. This takes effect by October 2025, with utilities required to file new rate schedules with the state commission or publish them publicly. The bill does not affect make-ready infrastructure or utilities' own fleet charging.
HB 2012 provides a $0.05 per gallon tax credit for retail fuel dealers and distributors selling ethanol blends containing 15% to 85% ethanol at Kansas retail service stations or directly to end users. The credit applies to tax years 2026 through 2031, with a yearly cap of $5 million total across all businesses. Unused credits can be carried forward for up to five years, but the credit cannot be refunded. This bill directly affects businesses selling ethanol-blended fuels in Kansas, including gas stations and fuel distributors.
SB 147 modifies Kansas auto insurance rules for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, effective January 1, 2026. It requires insurance policies to include coverage limits matching the policyholder’s primary bodily injury liability limits, ensuring drivers can recover damages when hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. The bill clarifies that underinsured motorist coverage must pay the difference between the at-fault driver’s coverage and the policyholder’s limits, without reducing payments due to other liability limits. Policyholders can reject this coverage in writing, but rejections apply to all insured parties under the same policy. This directly affects Kansas drivers purchasing or renewing auto insurance policies for vehicles registered or garaged in Kansas.
