Kansas SB418 By-Right Housing Development Act
Summary
Kansas enacted SB418, the By-Right Housing Development Act, to streamline permit approvals for residential construction and modify zoning provisions statewide. The law introduces third-party review of development documents and inspections, mandates building provisions for certain single-family residences of specified sizes, excludes owner-initiated rezoning from protest petition provisions, and treats all residentially-zoned land within city limits as single-family residential for defined purposes.
What changed
Kansas SB418 establishes a by-right housing development framework requiring streamlined permit approval processes for qualifying residential developments. The law permits third-party review of construction documents and inspections, mandates building provisions for certain single-family residences of specified sizes, excludes owner-initiated rezoning from protest petition provisions, and classifies all residentially-zoned land within city limits as single-family residential for defined purposes.
Developers and construction firms benefit from expedited permit pathways for by-right housing projects but must comply with third-party review requirements. Local governments and political subdivisions must implement streamlined approval procedures, update permitting workflows, and adjust zoning practices to align with by-right development standards. Property owners gain expanded rights regarding rezoning requests in residential districts.
What to do next
- Assess current development permit procedures against new by-right approval requirements
- Update internal policies for third-party review of residential construction documents
- Review zoning protest petition procedures for owner-initiated rezoning exclusions
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Kansas / SB418 Signed by Governor SB418 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-09
Enacting the by-right housing development act to provide a streamlined permit approval process for by-right housing developments, allowing third-party review of new residential construction development documents and inspection of improvements, requiring political subdivisions to allow certain building provisions for certain single-family residences of a certain size, excluding owner initiated rezoning to a single-family residential district from protest petition provisions and providing for all land within the corporate limits of a city that is zoned for any type of residential use to be considered zoned for single-family residential use.
Bill Details
State Kansas
Session 2025-2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb418/
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Sponsors
TJ Rose (Sen - R) Ty Masterson (Sen - R)
Action History
2026-04-09 S Senate Approved by Governor on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 2026-04-09 S Senate Enrolled and presented to Governor on Monday, March 30, 2026 2026-03-27 S Senate Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 35 Nay: 4 2026-03-26 H House Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 117 Nay: 5 2026-03-26 H House Conference committee report now available 2026-03-23 H House Motion to accede adopted; Representative Tarwater, Representative Ward and Representative Sawyer Clayton appointed as conferees 2026-03-23 S Senate Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Senator Alley , Senator Owens and Senator Faust Goudeau as conferees 2026-03-18 H House Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 97 Nay: 27 2026-03-18 H House Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended 2026-03-18 H House Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Representative Hoheisel was adopted 2026-03-18 H House Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Representative Hoheisel 2026-03-18 H House Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted 2026-03-11 H House Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development 2026-03-04 H House Hearing: Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1:30 PM Room 346-S 2026-02-24 H House Referred to Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development 2026-02-24 H House Received and Introduced 2026-02-18 S Senate Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 35 Nay: 5 2026-02-17 S Senate Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended 2026-02-17 S Senate Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted 2026-02-16 S Senate Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Commerce 2026-02-03 S Senate Hearing: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 1:30 PM Room 159-S 2026-02-03 S Senate Hearing: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 1:30 PM Room 159-S 2026-01-29 S Senate Referred to Committee on Commerce 2026-01-28 S Senate Introduced
Votes
2026-02-18 Senate Final Action - Passed as amended - Yea: 35 Nay: 5 Yea: 35 Nay: 5 2026-03-18 House Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended - Yea: 97 Nay: 27 Yea: 97 Nay: 27 2026-03-26 House Conference Committee Report was adopted - Yea: 117 Nay: 5 Yea: 117 Nay: 5 2026-03-27 Senate Conference Committee Report was adopted - Yea: 35 Nay: 4 Yea: 35 Nay: 4
Committee Referrals
2026-01-29 S Commerce 2026-02-24 H Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
Amendments
2026-02-16 Senate Committee on Commerce Report 2026-03-11 House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Report 2026-03-18 House Floor Amendment (Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Representative Hoheisel) 2026-03-26 Conference Committee Report
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-28 Introduced 0000-00-00 Amended 0000-00-00 Amended 0000-00-00 Amended 2026-04-09 Enrolled Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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