Capitol roundup: What happened to 60 bills and issues this session

Well, the 2024 legislative session is about out of the way with several major issues left to be decided such as the education budget and whether Gov. Laura Kelly will sign the latest tax plan approved by the Legislature.

With so much work already done, here’s a look at the 60 major pieces of legislation that have been debated, passed or killed this year so far along with some key votes.

We think we got to all of the big stuff, and this list will likely grow by the time we redo it next month when the Legislature clocks out for the year.

If there’s anything you think we missed, drop us a line.

• Abortion ban: There was an attempt in the Kansas Senate to pull out of  committee a bill that would have banned abortion except when necessary to preserve the life of a woman in a medical emergency. It failed on a 7-26 vote.
• Abortion reporting requirements:  Passed. The bill requires abortion clinics to ask women to pick one of 11 reasons why they are seeking the procedure. The bill passed the House on an 81-39 to vote. The Senate approved the bill on a 27-13 vote. The bill was vetoed by the governor.
• Airport funding: Enacted. The legislation increases grant funding for the state’s 109 public airports to $15 million from $5 million a year. The Senate passed the bill 34-5 and the House passed it 117-4. Signed by the governor.
• Artificial intelligence/elections: Failed. A bill that would have required campaigns to disclose when “synthetic media” is used to manipulate images, video or audio died in House and Senate committees. The proposal also would have banned using AI to impersonate an election official for the purpose of deceiving someone on how to vote. Six states have passed laws addressing what has been described as the “wild west” of campaigning.
• Back to school sales tax holiday: Failed. A provision added to a Senate bill that would have a created back-to-school sales tax holiday, similar to ones in Missouri and Oklahoma, didn’t make it this session. The bill could return if the tax conference resumes meeting during the wrap-up session.
• Book ratings: Failed. A bill that would have established a rating system for library material including books, magazines as well as audio and video recordings, had a hearing in the education committee. The bill did not get out of committee.
• Cell phones in school: Failed. Kansas lawmakers considered a bill banning students from using cellphones during normal school hours. The bill had a hearing but didn’t get out of the Education Committee.
• Child advocate office: Enacted. Bill establishes the new office of the child advocate in state law. The child advocate would be appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The child advocate would serve a term of five years or until a successor has been appointed and confirmed. The office would handle complaints that the Department for Children and Families or its contractors provided inadequate protection or care of children. The bill passed 117-3 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate. Signed by the governor.
• Civil asset forfeiture: Enacted. The Legislature overhauled the state civil forfeiture laws. The bill was signed by the governor.
  
• Child support at conception: A bill allowing courts to hold fathers responsible for paying the cost of child support from the moment of conception didn’t make it through the process before the Legislature’s regular session ended. The House approved the bill 82-38, but the legislation didn’t get action in the Senate before the regular legislative session came to an end. Could still be approved in wrap-up session later this month.
• Conservation funding: Failed. A proposal calling for the state to put more than $50 million into conservation didn’t get out of committee. Backed by a broad coalition, the bill would have directed money from lottery proceeds, sports wagering and sales taxes on sporting goods to fund conservation programs for farming and grazing lands, wildlife, and parks and recreation.
• Cell phones for young drivers: A bill barring anyone under 18 from using a handheld mobile phone while driving was passed by the House but was not acted on in the Senate. The House voted 98-21 for the bill, which could still be acted on during the wrap-up session at the end of the month. The bill also would ban drivers of all ages from using handheld mobile phones while going through construction zones when workers are present and through a school zone at designated hours of the day. The fine would be $65, although warning tickets would be issued until July 1, 2025.
• Data centers: Failed. A bill exempting data centers from state and local sales taxes for at least 30 years and possibly indefinitely did not get acted on in the full House and Senate and will not survive this session. The proposed tax incentives advanced out of committees in the House and Senate but idled.
• Divesting from “countries of concern.” Enacted. A bill requiring the state to divest from “countries of concern,” including the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela, was sent to the governor. The bill passed 30-8 in the Senate and 118-5 in the House. Bill became law without governor’s signature.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion: Enacted. The Kansas Legislature approved a bill barring universities, community colleges and technical colleges from requiring statements about diversity, equity or inclusion as a condition of admission, financial aid or hiring. The bill was approved in the House on an 81-40 vote. It was approved 28-11 in the Senate. The bill became law without the governor’s signature.
• Early childhood office: The bill establishes the Kansas Office of Early Childhood. The office would be under the supervision of the executive director, who would be appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The bill passed 110-10 in the House but was not acted on in the Senate before the Legislature’s regular session ended. It could still be acted on during the wrap-up session. The bill would require the director to prepare and implement plans for a comprehensive service delivery system for children and families. The director would transition a number of programs, including  day care facility licensing, youth out-of-school-time programs, school-age programs, and early youth care programs, to the office.
• Encouraging suicide: Enacted. A bill making it easier for prosecutors to make a case against anyone who encourages someone to commit suicide went to the governor. The bill passed the House 107-12 and 32-4 in the Senate. The bill makes it explicitly illegal to knowingly encourage another person to commit or attempt to commit suicide. Encouraging suicide would be a severity level five person felony if the person attempts to commit suicide, and a severity level four person felony if the person commits suicide. Signed by the governor.
• Enrollment and school funding:  Enacted. The Legislature approved a compromise plan that changes the calculus for school funding in a way that benefits growing school districts, but without suddenly hurting districts with declining student populations. The bill allows school districts to calculate their enrollment based on the current year, the immediately preceding year or an average of the previous two years, whichever is greater. The change would last for only one year before reverting to using the current year enrollment or the previous year’s enrollment. The bill was approved 120-3 in the House and 35-4 in the Senate. It was signed by the governor.
• Feminine hygiene products/diapers: Failed. A provision added to a Senate bill that would have created sales tax exemptions for women’s hygiene products as well as diapers for children and adults did not advance. The bill could return if the tax conference resumes meeting during the wrap-up session.
• Fire marshal body cameras: Failed. A Senate committee passed a bill prohibiting employees of the State Fire Marshal’s Office from wearing a body camera during on-site inspections at a licensed care facility. The bill was aimed at protecting the privacy rights of Kansans in hospitals, nursing homes, facilities for those with developmental disabilities and day care centers. The bill passed out of the Senate health committee but didn’t advance further.
• Evergy: Enacted. The Legislature approved a bill that Evergy says will help it attract investor capital needed to meet the demands of new economic development. The House voted unanimously to approve a bill that makes changes in the regulatory framework that will generate revenue for Evergy to make certain investments in the grid to accommodate new development. It was approved 33-2 in the Senate. It was signed into law by the governor.
• Executions: Attorney General Kris Kobach’s bill to expand the methods of execution did not advance this year. A House committee held a hearing on the bill, which broadened the methods for execution to include a suffocating gas, which was just used for the first time in Alabama this year. However, the bill did not advance. The bill would have added hypoxia – a medical term for insufficient oxygen – to lethal injection as a form of execution in Kansas.
• Father Emil Kapaun: Enacted. Legislation directing the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial honoring Kapaun on the grounds of the state Capitol passed the Legislature and was signed into law. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate and was signed by the governor.
• Federal election money:  Vetoed. The Legislature sent Gov. Laura Kelly a bill that bars any government agency from accepting or spending federal money for “election-related” activities unless approved by Congress or the Legislature. The House voted 83-40 to pass the bill that would expand a 2021 state law that already bans election officials from accepting private grant money to administer elections. The Senate voted 26-13 to approve the bill, which Democratic critics said was rooted in conspiracy theories about the president trying to use federal money to influence elections. The governor vetoed the bill. It could be overriden.
  
• Federal enforcement of gun laws. Failed. Bill that would have kept state and local authorities from helping the federal government enforce gun laws failed to get out of a House committee after a hearing.
• Firearms constitutional amendment: Failed. Resolution would have strengthened gun rights to protect ammunition as well as firearm accessories and components. Bill received a hearing but did not advance out of committee.
• Foreign land ownership: A bill banning foreign interests from “countries of concern” from owning or acquiring land within 100 miles of a military base located in Kansas or an adjacent state ran into a roadblock. The bill only mustered 19 votes on the Senate floor, two votes short of the 21 needed for passage. The bill was sent back to a conference committee. Six Republicans were absent and didn’t vote. The House has already voted 84-36 to approve the bill.
• Food assistance snacks. Failed. Bill directing Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration to seek a federal waiver to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods for food assistance was stricken from the calendar at turnaround.
• Gay marriage: The House rejected an effort to pull a bill from committee that would have removed a provision in state law that required marriage to be between two parties of the opposite sex. The proposal was turned down 43-61.
• Gender affirming care: Vetoed. The Kansas Legislature approved a bill that bans gender-affirming care for Kansas children. The bill bans health care providers from treating a child’s gender dysphoria with puberty blockers, hormone treatments and surgery. The House voted 82-39 to approve the bill with two Republicans absent. The Senate approved the bill 27-13. The bill was vetoed by the governor. It could be overridden by the Legislature
• Good samaritan law: The House passed a bill that would give immunity to people who seek medical help for someone experiencing a drug overdose. The bill hasn’t yet been acted on by the Senate. The bill would give someone who might be using drugs the ability to help someone else whose suffers a drug overdose without fear of prosecution. The immunity would only apply to simple possession of the drug or certain drug paraphernalia. The Kansas House unanimously passed the bill, which is now the subject of conference committee negotiations.
• Hand counting ballots: Failed. An amendment added to an election bill in the Senate would have required election officials to hand count paper ballots and banned electronic election machines. The amendment passed on a 17-15 vote, but the bill later died.
• Health secretary powers limits: A bill that limited the power of the state health secretary to prevent the spread of contagious disease passed in the Senate but was not acted on in the House. The Senate voted 23-17 to pass the Constitutional Right to Health Freedom Act. The bill restricted the power of the health secretary to only recommend ways to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious and contagious diseases. Under the current law, the secretary could take action to prevent infectious diseases. Opponents said the bill put public health at risk. Supporters said health officials should leave health-policy decisions to elected leaders.
• Heritage areas: Failed. A Senate committee passed a bill requiring the Legislature to approve any national heritage area or national historic trail that is extended beyond federal land in Kansas. It wasn’t acted on by the full chamber. The bill also would require the Legislature to approve any state funds that would be used to match federal money for National Heritage Areas, National Historic Trails or any similarly designated areas.
• Home based business: Failed. A bill limiting local governments’ ability to regulate home-based businesses died in committee. The bill would have prohibited local governments from banning a “no-impact” home-based business but would provide latitude for some local regulations. The bill defined a “no-impact home business” as one where lawful goods or services are produced or sold on residential property by the owner or tenant.
• Israel resolution. Passed in the House and Senate. Resolution expressed support for Israel following the Hamas attack. Resolution passed in the House on a 106-14 vote and in the Senate on a 34-6 vote.
• Initiative petitions: Failed. A bill that would have expanded residents’ ability to force cities to enact laws through initiative petitions died in committee. The Federal and State Affairs Committee decided against moving the bill, which would have allowed residents to petition for administrative changes. The bill came about because of a zoning controversy in Prairie Village where a judge ruled against an initiative petition last year. The proposal drew fierce opposition from cities, which said the bill could open the door for initiative petitions that could control the day-to-day functions of government.
• In vitro fertilization: Failed. There was an attempt in the Senate to pull out of a committee a bill that would have protected access to IVF after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. The effort failed on a 12-27 vote.
• Legislative pay: Efforts to block a proposed pay raise for legislators failed. There was an attempt in the Senate to withdraw a resolution from committee that would have blocked a pay raise for state lawmakers  The Senate voted 21-3 to pull the resolution from committee, three votes short of the 24 needed to move it out of committee. Ultimately, the Legislature didn’t act on the resolution, meaning the pay raises will start next year as originally recommended by an independent panel created by the Legislature.
• Mandatory reporters: A bill that would have added clergy to the list of professionals required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to authorities made it out of committee but didn’t advance further. The bill provides an exception when reporting would violate the penitential communication privilege. The House Judiciary Committee passed the bill out with some concern about whether clergy at some smaller, nondenominational churches would have sufficient training to know what should be reported to authorities.
• Marijuana: Failed. The Kansas House considered an amendment that would have taken a step toward legalizing marijuana by removing it from the drug schedule. It was part of a debate on a larger bill that added 35 new substances to the schedule, including 23 fentanyl-related controlled substances. The amendment was defeated 41-80.
• Medicaid expansion: Failed. The House health committee voted down an attempt to move a bill out of committee that would have expanded Medicaid. The House health committee and a joint Senate panel of the Ways and Means and health committees held hearings on Medicaid expansion for the first time in years. The bill didn’t advance.
• Medicaid inspector general investigations: Failed. Attorney General Kris Kobach sought to give the Medicaid inspector general in his office an expanded authority to investigate fraud in the state’s welfare programs. The Senate passed the bill on a 22-18 vote. It was not acted on in the House and died.
• Medical marijuana: Failed. A Senate committee tabled the latest variation of an attempt to legalize medical marijuana, this one portrayed as more restrictive and conservative than previous versions. Senators didn’t see the bill as very limiting.
• Parks and Wildlife Commission – Senate confirmation of appointees: Failed. A bill that would have required Senate confirmation of appointments to the commission passed the Senate on a 24-16 vote but later died.
• Parks and Wildlife Commission makeup: Failed. A bill that overhauled how appointments are made to the state’s Parks and Wildlife Commission passed out of a House committee but didn’t advance further. The Federal and State Affairs Committee passed out a bill curtailing the number of appointments the governor can make to the commission. The governor now appoints all seven members of the commission, with no more than four members from any one political party. The bill would have given the governor four appointments, with another appointed by the speaker of the House, another by the Senate president and one by the attorney general.
• Pornography:  Enacted. House and Senate approved a new way to make it tougher for anyone in Kansas under 18 to view pornography online with a new age-verification requirement. The House voted 92-31 to approve the legislation. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate. It was sent to the governor, who let the legislation become law without her signature.
• Pregnancy center tax credits: Vetoed. A bill extending $10 million in tax credits for donations to pregnancy crisis centers cleared the Legislature. The Senate voted 29-10 to pass the bill. The vote was 83-38 in the House. The bill provides a 70% tax credit for contributions made to the centers. The total amount of the tax credits would be capped at $10 million a year, with no more than $5 million per year in credits claimed for contributions to any single organization. The governor vetoed the bill. The Legislature could still override the veto.
• School choice: Failed. A bill that gave tax credits to Kansas students who attended accredited private schools or home schools passed out of a Senate committee but was not acted on by the full chamber. The bill would have provided a maximum of $75 million in tax credits in the first year of the program. The amount of available credits could have grown depending on the popularity of the program, which supporters said was important for giving parents choice on where their children are schooled. Another bill establishing education savings accounts for less affluent students did not move this year. Under that bill, each student would have received up to 95% of the base aid that would have been allocated for them to attend a public school.
• Sugaring: Vetoed. Legislature passed a bill to remove the practice of sugaring from the regulations of the state Cosmetology Board. The bill could settle a legal dispute involving a Hays woman, who filed a lawsuit in Shawnee County District Court arguing that state regulations requiring her to get a license to practice sugaring are unconstitutionally burdensome. The bill passed 71-52 in the House and 38-1 in the Senate. There was concern expressed that if the skin is not handled with proper care during the process, it could lead to tearing and infection. Bill was vetoed. The Legislature can still override the governor’s veto of the bill.
• Third-party litigation: A bill that would make third-party financing of lawsuits more open to litigants came to a halt in the Kansas Senate before the Legislature adjourned until later this month. The Senate didn’t act on a bill that would allow parties in court cases to obtain discovery of these kinds of agreements that are generally made out of public view. The House already voted 83-39 to approve the legislation earlier in the session but would still have to vote on a conference committee report after the Senate. The Senate could deal with the bill and the conference committee report when the Legislature returns for its wrap-up session at the end of the month.
• Treasurer, insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor vacancies: Failed. A bill requiring the Senate to confirm the governor’s appointments to fill vacancies for treasurer, insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor got out of a Senate committee but wasn’t acted on by the full chamber. The Senate passed over the bill March 25, and it was never acted on.
• Unsolicited ballot applications: Failed. A bill barring county election officials from mailing out unsolicited ballot applications to voters passed out of a Senate committee but wasn’t acted on by the full chamber. Supporters said the bill was an attempt to keep local election officials from spending money to send out pre-populated ballot applications they see as unnecessary. Opponents see it as an attempt to make voting harder while limiting local election officials’ ability to address capacity issues at the polling place.
• U.S. senator replacement: Failed. A bill requiring the governor to fill vacancies for U.S. Senate from the same party as the person who vacated the position was moved out of committee. It was not acted on by the Senate. The chamber passed over the bill on March 25 but didn’t return to the legislation.
• Rules and regulations: Vetoed. A bill giving lawmakers oversight of pricey rules and regulations adopted by state agencies cleared the Legislature. It requires the Legislature to ratify rules if the anticipated compliance costs passed on to businesses, local governments or individuals exceed $1 million for the first five years of implementation. The bill passed 27-13 in the Senate and 82-36 in the House. The bill was vetoed. The Legislature can still override the bill.
  
• Texas resolution. Passed in the House and Senate. Resolution expressed support for the state of Texas in defending its southern border against the “invasion of illegal immigrants.” The resolution passed 80-40 in the House. The Senate passed a similar but different resolution in support of the Texas governor’s efforts to stop illegal immigration. The Senate resolution passed on a 26-11 vote.
• Three-day grace period for voting: Failed to get out of the Senate. A bill ending a state law that created a three-day grace period for mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to arrive at election offices was set aside in the Senate. The bill was returned to a conference committee, which is not expected to meet on the bill. The chair of the House elections committee said he doesn’t plan to meet on the bill. The bill, which would have added two days to the start of voting, passed the House 73-48.
  
• Vaccines: Failed. A bill restricting employers and schools from enforcing vaccine requirements didn’t get a vote in a Senate committee after a hearing. It would have limited how employers and schools can respond to someone who refuses to be vaccinated based on their “conscience.”
• Veto override of flat tax bill: Failed. The Kansas House came up short of overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a Republican tax plan that would have moved the state to a single rate tax structure. The House voted 81-42 to override the veto, three votes short of the 84 needed to overcome the veto after Republicans lost support from five conservative and moderate lawmakers who voted against the override.
• Workers’ compensation reform: Enacted. The Kansas Legislature unanimously approved legislation that raises the caps on workers’ compensation claims while limiting administrative costs for employers. The bill was the product of about a year of negotiations on a law that was last changed in 2011, leaving the state with among the lowest caps on workers’ compensation claims in the country. The governor signed the legislation.