State Bills: Kansas

Kansas HB2651 limits summons to misdemeanors, bond restrictions required

Kansas HB2651 limits summons to misdemeanors, bond restrictions required

Kansas Housing Code Fire Protection Standards and Accessibility Exemptions

The Kansas Legislature passed HB2739, amending housing code requirements in Kansas Statutes Annotated Chapter 31. The bill removes the definition of 'apartment houses,' establishes requirements for adopting the 2024 National Fire Protection Association standards, and exempts moderate income housing program and Kansas investor tax credit housing act projects from certain state accessibility standards. The bill passed the House 97-24 and Senate 38-1 after conference committee adoption.

Born to Invest Act - Savings Account Information Distribution

Kansas enacted SB260 (Born to Invest Act), requiring the Office of Vital Statistics to share birth record data with the Office of the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer will use this data to distribute informational materials about government-administered savings accounts to new parents. The bill passed the Senate 36-4 and House 110-14 before conference committee adoption.

Kansas SB391 - Landlord Voucher Discrimination Prohibition

Kansas enacted SB391, prohibiting cities and counties from adopting ordinances requiring landlords to lease housing to tenants receiving housing choice vouchers or other housing assistance, and from restricting landlords from considering a prospective tenant's income source. The bill passed the Senate 31-9 and House 75-49 before conference committee adoption and enrollment on April 9, 2026. This preemption of local anti-discrimination ordinances affecting source-of-income takes effect upon gubernatorial action.

Expert Witness Testimony Standards

Kansas enacted SB398, establishing new standards for expert witness testimony in state courts. The bill requires proponents to demonstrate by a preponderance of evidence that specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact in understanding evidence. The legislation passed the Senate 40-0 and House 124-0 before being presented to the Governor on March 30, 2026.

By-Right Housing Development Act

The Kansas State Legislature enacted SB418, the By-Right Housing Development Act, establishing a streamlined permit approval process for qualifying residential developments. The bill allows third-party review of construction documents, requires political subdivisions to accept certain building provisions for single-family residences, and treats all residentially-zoned land within city limits as single-family residential. The legislation excludes owner-initiated rezoning to single-family residential from protest petition provisions.

Prisoner Review Board Supervision and Qualifications

The Kansas Senate passed SB459, removing the prisoner review board from supervision of the secretary of corrections, establishing member qualifications and new appointing authority, and requiring postponement of parole hearings if victims receive insufficient notice of public comment sessions. The bill was enrolled April 9, 2026, and presented to the Governor.

Prohibiting certain public nuisance claims

Kansas SB462 modifies public nuisance law by restricting who may file certain public nuisance claims. The bill designates the Attorney General as the primary party authorized to file public nuisance claims affecting areas beyond a single political subdivision, unless such authority is delegated. The legislation also imposes a special injury requirement for certain public nuisance actions.