Kansas lawmakers passed into law several pieces of legislation over the vetoes of Governor Laura Kelly in a customary rush to end the 2025-26 legislative session.
Among the new laws soon to be on the books:
HB 2004 – Requiring state cooperation with federal government requests for data on possible fraud in the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) better known as food stamps, and Medicaid.
HB 2333 – The Kansas Intellectual Rights and Knowledge (KIRK) Act, named in honor of Charlie Kirk, the slain founder of Turning Point USA. It guarantees freedom of speech for all student associations, regardless of their political leanings.
HB 2329 – Juvenile justice reform bill. It holds repeat and violent offenders accountable and gives courts additional resources to respond to serious cases.
HB 2372 – Allows state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal authorities, provides legal protections for officers acting in good faith, and protects first responders while they are performing their duties.
HB 2437 – Strengthens voter registration in Kansas, focuses on maintaining accurate voter rolls. Also known as the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) Kansas Act, patterned after the federal SAVE Act which Congress failed to pass.
HB 2603 – Forbids municipalities from requiring a permit or imposing restrictions on businesses’ battery-charged security fencing.
HB 2727 and HB 2729 and allows plaintiffs claiming violation of the Kansas Women’s Right to Know Act to lessen the damage requested to avoid procedural hurdles and requires women seeking abortions be given informed consent documents to complete.
HB 2731 – Seeks to reduce fraud in state public assistance by data-matching recipients of food or medical assistance with other state agencies to determine a change in circumstances for recipients.
SB 30 – Streamlines occupational licensing requirements in order to increases opportunities in various fields requiring licenses such as plumbers and electricians.
SB 391 – Also known as the Landlord Bill, the legislation prohibits city or county governments from forcing landlords to rent to an applicant whose financial resources do not indicate they will be able to pay the rent.
