TOPEKA
March 30, 2026
HOUSE FLOOR ACTION
Last week was Conference Committee Week for the Kansas House of Representatives. This means the House was voting on whether to accept changes to bills made by conference commitees. Over fifty conferenced bills were voted out favorably, with topics ranging from independent contractor income taxes to the classifications of controlled substances.
Detailed below is a sample of eight conferenced bills worked last week.
· First is Senate Bill (SB) 20, the Kansas Consumer Prescripion Protection and Accountability Act. This bill would add new regulations for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), create new auditing procedures for PBMs, outline reporting conditions, and enable compliance and financial examinations of PBMs. SB 20’s Conference Committee Report (CCR) was voted out favorably by the House last Monday; I voted yes.
· Second is House Bill (HB) 2573. This legislation alters requirements for both licensure and licensure reciprocity for Certified Public Accountants in Kansas. HB 2573’s CCR was voted out favorably by the House last Tuesday, I voted yes, and it now goes to the Governor for signing.
· Third is SB 403. This bill enables the Department of Revenue to issue distinctive license plates with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever designs, aligns state commercial license conviction definitions with federal law, and makes it illegal to obstruct the view of a vehicle’s license plate. The House voted out SB 403’s CCR favorably last Tuesday; I voted yes.
· Fourth is SB 321. This piece of legislation would rename several bridges and stretches of state highway in honor of deceased members of the legislature, military, and law enforcement. Those individuals being Robert M. Tomlinson, Don Snyder, Sam Smith, Michael E. Gerber, and Brandon Gaede. SB 321’s CCR was voted out favorably by the House last Tuesday; I voted yes.
· Fifth is SB 353. This bill would establish the Kansas Railroad Hall of Fame. This hall of fame would be located at the Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita and be managed by a selection committee, with members appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers Union, and the Kansas Railroad Association. The House voted out SB 353’s CCR favorably last Tuesday; I voted yes.
· Sixth is HB 2124. This legislation would amend state law regarding municipalities in two areas. First, it would permit local authorities with jurisdiction over residential districts to lower the maximum speed limits from thirty miles per hour (mph) to twenty-five mph without performing an engineering and traffic investigation. Second, it would authorize municipalities to permit golf carts to be driven on sidewalks, under particular conditions. HB 2124’s CCR was voted out favorably by both chambers last Wednesday and it now goes to the Governor for signing.
· Seventh is HB 2700. This bill would create requirements for original equipment manufacturers and legal authorization for consumers regarding mainteance and repair of certain digital electronic equipment, with a whole value equal to at least $50. These new maintenance and repair requirements would only apply to digital electronic equipment sold after July 1, 2027, with other exemptions. The House voted out HB 2700’s CCR favorably on Thursday and it now goes to the Governor for signing.
· Last is HB 2114. This piece of legislation would adjust state law on dams and water obstruction. The bill would increase permit fees for dam construction, require the Chief Engineer of the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) to permantly display an inundation map of all permitted dams on the KDA’s website, and make two new engineer classifications eligible to be dam inspectors. HB 2114’s CCR was voted out favorably by the House on Friday, I voted yes, and itnow goes to the Governor for signing.
BUDGET PROCESS UPDATE and COFFEE DATES
On Thursday the Conference Committee Report for HB 2513, the state’s budget bill this session, was voted out favorably by both chambers and now goes to the governor for signing. This followed the finale of the conference committee meeting on Tuesday, after four days of tense yet productive negotiations.
This budget, the product of months of committee work and considerable negotiation by both chambers, moves Kansas in a better direction by funding the State’s constitutional obligations to citizens, reforming spending oversight, and spending fewer tax dollars than the previous year, by nearly $190 million. As the carrier of the CCR, I voted to pass the budget.
Looking to the future, three legislative coffees have been scheduled for April, on the 18th and 21st. The first on the 18th will start at 9:00 a.m. in Sylvan Grove at the Feedlot Cafe, the second will start at 1:00 p.m. in Russell at the Expresso Cafe, and the last, on the 21st, will start at 9:00 a.m. in Ellsworth at Hattie Jo’s.
It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.