SENATE HIGHLIGHTS
Feb. 25, 2025
Last Thursday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2025 Legislative session.
It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 40 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Tuesday and Wednesday, the Legislature broke until February 25 to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week.
By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year.
When the Senate returns on Tuesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our recess at the end of March. We will then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment.
The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major item we must complete prior to adjournment is passing the budget.
SENATE BILLS TO DATE
As of Thursday, February 20, 277 bills have been introduced in the Kansas Senate. Seventy-eight Senate bills have been sent to the House with 63 bills just last week. One Senate bill has become law (SB63). The Senate has confirmed 13 individuals since the session began on January 13.
SENATE FLOOR ACTION- WEEK 5
SB 84 would expand the criminal use of a financial card to include gift cards. The bill would provide that conduct involving a gift card would be classified and penalized in the same manner as conduct involving a financial card. It would be unlawful to use a gift card without the owner’s consent, possess or retain a gift card without authorization, or alter or tamper with a gift card. SB 84 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 5 would prohibit the use of funds provided by the United States government for the conduct of elections and election-related activities unless approved by the legislature. SB 5 passed with a vote of 33-6. I voted yes.
SB 7 increase the bonding cap on general obligation bonds issued by townships for the reconstruction, repair, and equipment of township buildings in any township with a population of more than 5,000 and would increase the bonding cap for bond issues of a township fire department. SB 7 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 8 requires the driver of a vehicle approaching a stopped vehicle displaying hazard warning signal lamps, road flares, or caution signals to proceed with caution and change lanes away from the stopped vehicle. If it is not safe or possible to change lanes away from the stopped vehicle, the bill would require the driver to proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle and maintain a safe speed for the road, weather, and traffic conditions. SB 8 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 9 would extend the time for land surveyors to file certain public land survey reports with the Secretary of the State Historical Society from 30 days to 90 days. SB 9 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 36 amends the law concerning conservation districts. The bill would change the date from September 1 to November 1 by which conservation districts are required to submit a certification to the Division of Conservation of the amount of moneys required for conservation district activities each year, and would increase the cap on the amount of funding that would be allocated by the Division to the conservation districts from $25,000 to $50,000 per district, beginning in FY 2026, subject to appropriation. The bill would also increase the State’s current matching funding from $1 to $2 state funding to $1 county funding. SB 36 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 32 would reduce insurance company premium tax rates from 2.0% to 1.98% per year for tax year 2026 and subsequent years, lowering the tax rate on certain insurance companies by 1.0 percent. Beginning January 1, 2026, the bill would remove the requirement that the 1.0 percent of insurance company premium taxes received by the Insurance Commissioner be transferred to the State Treasurer to the credit of the Insurance Department Service Regulation Fund. SB 32 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SB 125 authorized various claims against the state. SB 125 passed 39-0. I voted yes. SB 135 would make technical amendments to law concerning orders issued under the Protection from Abuse Act (PFAA) to reorganize the section to clarify how a protection order may be affected when a child-related order is issued pursuant to another legal action. SB 135 passed 39-0. I voted yes.
SENATE FLOOR ACTION-WEEK 6
On Tuesday, February 18, the Kansas Senate voted 31-9 to override the governor’s veto of SB 63, the Help Not Harm Act. The House followed and the legislation is now law. Under the bill, the law took effect immediately.
The Kansas Senate adopted three bills passed out from the newly-formed Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE: SB 77 would require an agency to provide written notice to businesses, local governments, and other known stakeholders regarding the agency’s proposed expedited revocation of a rule or regulation identified by the state agency as one that could be revoked. SB 77 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 85 would require the Secretary for Children and Families to enter into data-matching agreements with specified agencies to receive and review information from state and federal agencies for the purpose of verifying food assistance program eligibility and publish certain findings of noncompliance and fraud investigations on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ website. SB 85 passed 30-10. I voted yes.
SB 161 would prohibit state agencies from seeking or implementing any public assistance program waiver or other federal government authorization that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or would increase costs to the state. The bill would also prohibit making certain changes to services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) without approval from either the Legislature or the Legislative Coordinating Council. SB 161 passed 30-10. I voted yes.
ADDITIONAL BILLS
SB 2 would declare valid the result of the question-submitted election held May 21, 2024, approving issuance of not more than $4.6 million in general obligation bonds for USD 200 (Greeley County), for specified improvements to its facilities. SB 2 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 13 would eliminate several filing requirements with the Office of the Secretary of State and make several conforming and technical changes. SB 13 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 18 as amended, would authorize issuance of the Hunter Nation distinctive license plate on and after January 1, 2026, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. SB 18 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 20 would grant the Commissioner of Insurance the ability to decrease the number of appointed board members on certain boards that fall under her appointing authority. The bill would remove the requirements for the Committee on Surety Bonds and Insurance to meet at least once per month and that the meetings be held in the office of the Commissioner. SB 20 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 21 would amend the Third-Party Administrators Act to require third-party administrators to maintain a separate fiduciary account for each payor and prohibit co-mingling of funds, either collected or held, in a fiduciary account by the administrator on behalf of multiple payors. SB 21 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 22 as amended, would amend law related to title insurance agent audits, surety bonds, and controlled business. SB 22 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 23 would establish a response time for agents and insurers to respond to inquiries from the Kansas Insurance Department and add the failure to respond to such inquiries to the list of actions that could lead to action against an agent or insurer’s license. The bill would also allow for an extension of one-year pilot programs with approval from the Commissioner for a specific period of time determined by the Commissioner. SB 23 passed 40-0. I voted yes
SB 24 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. The bill would set the fees and fines for insurance entities and public adjusters. SB 24 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 27 would amend certain reporting requirements for the Commissioner of Insurance and amend the definition of “person” in statute regarding enforcement of insurance law. SB 27 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 28 as amended, would amend the Uniform Insurance Agents Licensing Act and the Public Adjusters Licensing Act to provide the Commissioner of Insurance with the authority to consult the status of certain licenses or registrations in reviewing applications or renewals for insurance agents and public adjusters. SB 28 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 29 protects Kansans’ First Amendment right to assemble by removing the ability of government to restrict or prohibit public gatherings. Under the bill, public health officials could still recommend public gatherings but would not be able to prohibit them. The Kansas Senate voted 28-12. I voted yes.
SB 30 would require the Secretary of Labor to conduct state and national criminal history record checks on employees who have access to federal tax information received directly from the Internal Revenue Service. Such criminal record checks would require fingerprinting of the employee. SB 30 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 42 as amended, would enact the Kansas Real Time Motor Vehicle Insurance Verification Act. The Act would require the Commissioner of Insurance to establish a web-based system for online verification of motor vehicle insurance, and require motor vehicle insurers to cooperate with the Commissioner to establish and maintain the system as specified in the Act; and establish the web-based system created in the Act as the only electronic system to be used for the purpose of verifying motor vehicle liability insurance. SB 42 passed 38-2. I voted yes.
SB 44 would expand the eligibility requirements for postsecondary education institutions to participate in the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program and increase the maximum amount that could be appropriated to the program. SB 44 passed 37-3. I voted yes.
SB 45 would establish a statutory calculation, for purposes of accreditation, of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for each school district and any schools within the district, including virtual. SB 45 passed 32-8. I voted yes.
SB 47 would require school districts to list names and email addresses of current school board members on their websites, allow members of the public to publicly comment in regularly scheduled or budgetary school board hearings, and allow school board members to access school district property during school hours or activities. The bill also would amend law regarding annual dues for membership in a not-for-profit organization. SB 47 passed 21-19. I voted no as this is local school board processes with elected board members.
SB 50 would establish uniform interest rates, repayment schedules, and fees for all scholarships, grants, or other student financial aid program established in law under the authority of the State Board of Regents. SB 50 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 51 would provide a generous sales tax exemption to certain firms making investments in a qualified data center, as defined by the bill. SB 51 passed 34-6. I voted yes.
SB 52 would enact the Kansas Film and Digital Media Production Development Act. The Act would create a sales tax exemption and nonrefundable income tax credits for qualifying film production activities to incentivize and promote the growth of film and digital media production and industry in Kansas. The bill would also create definitions pursuant to its implementation and specify reporting requirements on relevant tax incentives for the Secretary of Commerce. SB 52 passed 33-7. I voted yes.
SB 53 would amend law concerning the selection of attorney members of the county law library (CLL) boards of trustees and fees that may be used for enhancing and facilitating the functions of the district court in the county. SB 53 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 54 would amend the Kansas Code of Civil Procedure to require the disclosure of third-party litigation funding agreements and require reporting of such agreements to the Judicial Council for study. SB 54 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 58 would make various changes to multi-year flex accounts. SB 58 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 64 would amend the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) statutes. The bill would extend the timeline for a KPERS member to request an administrative hearing to appeal a decision made by the KPERS Board of Trustees without a hearing. The bill would also update KPERS statutes to align with federal Internal Revenue Code regulations relating to the applicable age for required minimum distribution of pension benefits, recalculation of life expectancy for determining benefits, distributions from a defined contribution or deferred compensation plan, and the addition of a SIMPLE IRA that meets specific rollover requirements to the list of eligible retirement plans. SB 64 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 67 would amend law regarding certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) to expand certain independent prescription authority to align the scope of practice more closely to an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). SB 67 passed 36-4. I voted yes.
SB 70 would require local units of government to have a public comment period, requires live streaming to cover all aspects of public meetings for the public to observe, as well as limiting the fees a government can charge for open records requests. The bill also would exempt disclosure of certain closed investigations and change the date for counties or district attorneys to report complaints regarding the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) and the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). SB 70 passed 26-14. I voted yes.
SB 71 would increase criminal penalties for buying sexual relations. It also would require certain offenders to complete an educational or treatment program regarding commercial sexual exploitation. Under current law, violation of buying sexual relations is a misdemeanor on a first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses. The bill would remove the crime’s misdemeanor classification and instead make all violations of buying sexual relations a severity level 9-person felony and increase the minimum fine amount from $1,200 to $2,000. SB 71 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 76 establishes the Given Name Act to prohibit school district employees from referring to a minor by a pronoun or name inconsistent with the minor’s biological sex or birth certificate without written parental permission. It would also prohibit school district or postsecondary education institution employees from suffering any adverse employment actions for declining to address an individual by a name or pronoun inconsistent with the individual’s birth certificate or biological sex. SB 76 passed 26-14.
SB 78 would require a governing body of a postsecondary educational institution to regularly review and update the institution’s accreditation policies, allow the institution greater freedom in selecting its accrediting agency, and prohibit accrediting agencies from compelling institutions to violate state laws. SB 78 passed 38-2. I voted yes.
SB 79 which would direct the Secretary for Children and Families to request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SB 79 passed 29-11. I voted yes.
SB 82 would add provisions that would become part of and supplemental to the Rural Emergency Hospital Act. The bill would authorize the Secretary for Aging and Disability Service upon application by a rural emergency hospital and compliance with certain requirements, to grant a physical environment waiver for existing nursing facilities to a REH to provide skilled nursing facility care. SB 82 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 87 as amended, would expand eligibility requirements for students to receive scholarships under the same program to include kids who have been in foster care or placed in a kinship care placement at any time prior to graduation from high school or reaching the age of 21, a parent who is on active duty with any branch of the armed forces of the United States or who was killed in the line of duty; a parent who is an emergency medical service provider, firefighter, or law enforcement officer as defined by law. The bill also increased the current cap of the program to $15 million and potentially up to $25 million if the program continues to be popular. SB 87 passed 24-16. I voted yes.
SB 88 would amend the Long-term Care Ombudsman Act to require the State Long-term Care Ombudsman to include Alzheimer’s and other dementia training in the prescribed and provided training, as specified in the bill. The bill would require the training to address the needs and rights of long-term care residents with dementia, include strategies to care for and address the specific issues encountered by such residents, and include a list of specific topics to be addressed in such training. SB 88 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 89 would amend the Poultry Disease Control Act and establish fees related to the Act and the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). SB 89 passed 38-2. I voted yes.
SB 92 would increase from 120 days to 180 days, the time in which the Kansas Corporation Commission must issue a final order on an electric transmission line siting permit application after the date the application was filed. SB 92 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 97 would require a vehicle dealer that obtains ownership of a used all-terrain, work-site utility, recreational off-highway vehicle, or motorcycle that would otherwise qualify as a nonhighway vehicle, to apply to the county treasurer for a dealer inventory-only title. SB 97 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 98 would authorize issuance of the Route 66 Association of Kansas distinctive license plate on and after January 1, 2026, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. SB 98 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 104 would authorize, rather than require, creation of a citizens commission on local government in every county with a population of more than 170,000 and not more than 200,000. SB 104 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 105 would amend the process of filling such vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, and Commissioner of Insurance. In most instances where a seat would become vacant, the bill would establish the Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments, which would be made up of legislators from both parties in each chamber. The committee would recommend three names for the governor to pick from. If the legislature was in session, both chambers would vote on a resolution to send to the governor with said names and the governor would have to pick from among the names. If the legislature was not in session, the committee’s recommendations would go directly to the governor. The names on the resolution would have to be members of the vacating official’s political party for the last six years. SB 105 passed 31-9. I voted yes.
SB 114 would authorize non-public school students and virtual school students participating in a school activity governed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) to also participate in ancillary activities like pep rallies, award ceremonies, lettering events, and the like. SB 114 passed 32-8. I voted yes.
SB 117 would expand the property tax exemption for Strother Field Airport to include property owned by the political subdivisions comprising the Strother Field Airport Commission regardless of the date of acquisition and to specify the exempt uses for such property. SB 117 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 121 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to select and announce the version of insurance calculations, instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), or other documents required by the NAIC to be in effect for the next calendar year and require the Commissioner to publish such an announcement in the Kansas Register by December 1. SB 121 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 126 would enact the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact. The Compact’s would facilitate the interstate practice of physician assistants (PAs) with the goal of improving public access to medical services and achieve a number of objectives that reduce administrative burden while increasing availability of licensed PAs as well as cooperation among member state licensing bodies. SB 126 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 128 would create an exception to certain mandatory reporting obligations for licensed social workers who are supervised by an attorney. The bill would permit such attorneys to require such social workers to maintain attorney client privilege. SB 128 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 138 would amend law concerning the issuance of search warrants to specify only law enforcement officers may provide sworn statements supporting a finding of probable cause to issue a search warrant. Under current law, any person may provide such statements. SB 138 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 139 would amend the State Banking Code. SB 139 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 156 would create the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer and would establish related penalties in the Kansas Criminal Code. SB 156 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 157 would require warrants issued for failure to appear to be provided to a compensated surety, change the criteria for setting aside bond forfeitures, and require the return of a percentage of an appearance bond in certain circumstances. SB 157 passed 31-9. I voted yes.
SB 166 would create the Fostering Competitive Career Opportunities Act, which would prohibit state employers from making hiring decisions based solely on an applicant’s lack of a post-secondary degree. The bill would not apply to positions for which a postsecondary degree is justifiably necessary. SB 166 passed 39-1. I voted yes.
SB 175 would amend the Athletic Trainers Licensure Act to amend the definition of “athletic training,” provide a licensure exemption, make changes to the application for licensure as an athletic trainer, and make technical amendments. SB 175 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 186 would require affidavits or sworn testimony supporting probable cause in the issuance of a warrant or summons to be made available to law enforcement agencies prior to the execution of such warrant or summons. SB 186 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 193 would amend the Statewide Opioid Antagonist Protocol by exempting law enforcement agencies from the Protocol’s requirement to utilize a physician medical director or licensed pharmacist unless the agency was electing to use an emergency opioid antagonist dispensed or furnished pursuant to the Protocol. SB 193 passed 40-0.
SB 197 includes several reforms to the STAR bonds law. It can no longer use eminent domain; no State General Funds could be used to pay STAR Bonds; The Commerce Department must publish all STAR Bond documents and no tax increment revenue from one STAR Bond can fund another. It also adds malls to possible projects. SB 197 passed 32-8. I voted yes.
SB 199 would permit year-round fireworks sales under certain conditions and make additional changes to law related to the sale of fireworks. SB 199 passed 27-13. I voted no – wildfires are still a real concern to rural Kansas.
SB 204 would require the sealing of certain records relating to case information, warrants, and subpoenas in certain criminal and juvenile cases. SB 204 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 222 would return power to the people by prohibiting a state court or an administrative hearing officer from deferring to an executive branch agency’s interpretation of certain statutes, rules and regulations, and documents that have the force and effect of law. SB 222 passed 31-9. I voted yes.
SB 227 would increase tax credit amounts allowed for preservation of historic structures and make changes to the conditions under which different credit amounts are allowed. SB 227 passed 31-9. I voted yes.
SB 241 would prohibit certain restrictive covenants from being considered a restraint of trade pursuant to the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act and would presume such covenants are enforceable. SB 241 passed 40-0. I voted yes.
SB 244 would prohibit a compensated surety from making loans for the purpose of financing the minimum appearance bond premium required to be paid before posting a bond. SB 244 passed 37-3. I voted yes.
SB 250 would create the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. The bill would authorize a manufacturer operating in an eligible facility to make available individualized investigative treatments and allow individuals with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses to request an individualized investigational drug, biologic product, or device from such manufacturers. SB 250 passed 36-4. I voted yes.
SB 260 would amend the Kansas Parimutuel Racing Act to change certain licensing requirements regarding live horse racing and to alter the distribution of moneys from certain funds. The bill would also make technical changes. SB 260 passed 36-4. I voted yes.
A full description of each bill can be found at www.kslegislature.org as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.
PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 18
On February 18, Taylor and Nathan Knoll, Osborne, paged for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, and met with Lt. Governor David Toland in his Capitol Office.
THANK YOU FOR ENGAGING
Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org.
For those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills & Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research & reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ or watch session at this website as well as reviewing past committee meetings and sessions.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.
Thank you for the honor of serving you!
Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300
SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612
[email protected]
785-296-7389
www.kslegislature.org