Timothy Graham, Government Relations
The fourth week of the 2025 Kansas legislative session has concluded. To date, the legislature has introduced 659 bills and resolutions. KNEA is tracking 120 of these bills and has provided testimony on 15. Additionally, over 20 of our members have visited the Kansas Statehouse this session to lobby, with some delivering oral testimony before various legislative committees.
The legislative pace remains unreasonably swift. During the week of February 3, we testified on multiple bills, including those related to KPERS Tier 3 reform (HB 2086, HB 2129), vouchers (SB 87, HB 2136), accreditation (SB 48), vaccine requirements (SB 19), infectious and contagious disease control (SB 29), firearm curriculum (HB 2104), and more.
Click on the links to read more about these bills. You can also refer to the section below to review our stance on the bills, actions taken, and what to expect moving forward. To read our testimony and additional details, visit: KNEA Testimony.
Legislative Committee Updates – Week of February 3
Below is a summary of the standing committee activities on education policy in the Kansas Legislature. You will also find details on the bills we testified on last week, the bills we are monitoring this week, and perspectives on public education from the news and social media.
House Committee on Education
Meeting Time: 1:30 p.m.
Room: Statehouse, 218-N
Chair: Rep. Susan Estes
Vice Chair: Rep. Kyle McNorton
Ranking Democrat: Rep. Jerry Stogsdill
Week of February 3 Activity
- Monday, February 3: The committee held a hearing on HB 2103, which allows for excused absences for students participating in extracurricular agricultural activities. KNEA did not take a position on this bill. Additionally, the committee heard HB 2033, which allows nonprofit organizations accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council to be approved as at-risk providers. KNEA opposed this bill.
- Tuesday, February 4: The committee discussed HB 2102, which allows for the advance enrollment of military students relocating to Kansas. A hearing was also held on HB 2137, which permits the Department of Education to contract private vendors for installing and managing school bus cameras to enhance student safety. KNEA did not take a position on these bills.
- Wednesday, February 5: The committee focused on HB 2136, a bill expanding eligibility for the Low-Income Student Scholarship program. KNEA opposed this bill.
- Thursday, February 6: Lawmakers reviewed HB 2185, which seeks to expand the Kansas National Guard Education Act to include Guard members’ dependents. The committee also heard HB 2140, which proposes creating a dedicated Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) educator position. KNEA did not take a position on these bills.
- Friday, February 7: The meeting was canceled.
Watch committee meetings here.
Learn more about the House Committee on Education here.
House Committee on Higher Education Budget
Meeting Time: 1:30 p.m.
Room: Statehouse, 281-N
Chair: Rep. Steven Howe
Vice Chair: Rep. Clarke Sanders
Ranking Democrat: Rep. Mike Amyx
Week of February 3 Activity
- Monday, February 3: The committee held budget discussions and recommendations for Emporia State University and Wichita State University. They also reviewed HB 2120, a bill authorizing the State Board of Regents to sell and convey certain real property. KNEA did not take a position on this bill.
- Tuesday, February 4: Lawmakers held budget hearings for Fort Hays State University and Pittsburg State University.
- Wednesday, February 5: The committee continued its discussions and made budget recommendations for Fort Hays State University and Pittsburg State University.
- Thursday, February 6: The committee received a presentation on university bonding requests.
- Friday, February 7: The meeting was canceled.
Watch committee meetings here.
Learn more about the House Higher Education Budget Committee here.
House Committee on K-12 Education Budget
Meeting Time: 3:30 p.m.
Room: Statehouse, 546-S
Chair: Rep. Jason Goetz
Vice Chair: Rep. Scott Hill
Ranking Democrat: Rep. Valdenia Winn
Week of February 3 Activity
- The committee met only once during the week, on Tuesday, February 4, for a presentation by Dr. Frank Harwood, Deputy Commissioner of Fiscal & Administrative Services at KDSE. Dr. Harwood provided an insightful overview of the state of education in Kansas, addressing key fiscal and administrative challenges.
Watch committee meetings here.
Learn more about the House Committee on K-12 Budget here.
Senate Education Committee
Meeting Time: 1:30 p.m.
Room: Statehouse, 144-S
Chair: Sen. Renee Erickson
Vice Chair: Sen. Adam Thomas
Ranking Democrat: Sen. Dinah Sykes
Week of February 3 Activity
- Tuesday, February 4: The committee heard testimony on SB 50, which aims to standardize interest rates for service scholarship programs administered by the Kansas Board of Regents. Additionally, there was a hearing on SB 44, which expands the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program. KNEA did not take a position on these bills.
- Wednesday, February 5: Dr. Blake Flanders, President and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, delivered a data-driven presentation titled “Higher Education by the Numbers.”
- Thursday, February 6: The committee held a hearing on SB 87, a voucher bill expanding eligibility for the Low-Income Student Scholarship program. KNEA opposed this bill. The committee also discussed SB 49, which modifies the needs assessment process. KNEA did not take a position on this bill.
- Friday, February 7: The committee adjourned for the week.
Watch committee meetings here.
Learn more about the Senate Education Committee here.
Notable Issue Updates – Week of February 3
The following is a brief update on a few of the issues we are tracking during the 2025 legislative session.
Vouchers
There are about five voucher bills that have been introduced in the Kansas Legislature this session. All of these bills deal with vouchers in the form of tax credits. KNEA has submitted testimony opposing these bills as they have been heard.
Despite the majority party holding a supermajority, a full-fledged voucher bill still seems out of reach for them at this time. Any voucher plan will almost certainly face a veto from Governor Laura Kelly. This means Republican leadership knows they will have to secure 84 votes in the House and 27 votes in the Senate to override a Governor Kelly veto.
The expansion of the Low-Income Student Scholarship program may be the route Republicans believe they can use to achieve success. This program is already in place, is relatively small, and many legislators are in denial that it constitutes a voucher program.
We will continue to oppose any and all voucher legislation.
School/SPED Funding
There is plenty to discuss, but the process is still in the early phases. The budget itself is still in the House Committee on Appropriations. This bill will see more deliberations in committee before being sent to the floor of the House for full debate, after which it will head to the Senate.
The House Committee on K-12 Budget held very cordial and robust hearings about the budget. This was the first time in years that the budget bill was not crammed with multiple policy provisions. We have repeatedly stated that we wanted a “clean budget bill,” and this year, we finally saw both a clean bill and a clean process.
Committee Chair Jason Goetz conducted a great process, and the House Committee on K-12 Budget was working on a decent bill before it moved to the full House Committee on Appropriations, where Rep. Kristey Williams inserted herself in ways that are all too familiar to us.
We will continue to monitor this process and respond accordingly.
Higher Education Funding
Leaving this here from last week.
Not much has changed since then.
The House Committee on Higher Education Budget has been actively holding hearings on the portion of the budget allocated to institutions of higher learning in Kansas. The committee completed its initial work and presented its budget recommendations to the House Appropriations Committee on January 29.
To date, the following figures represent the progression of the higher education budget:
- KBOR Request: $696 million
- Special Legislative Budget Committee Recommendation: $423 million
- Governor Kelly’s Budget Recommendation: $468 million
- House Committee on Higher Education Budget Recommendation: $440 million
The House Committee on Higher Education Budget’s recommendation of $440 million is where we currently stand. This recommendation is included in HB 2007, which is now before the House Appropriations Committee. The bill will be reviewed over the next two weeks before heading to the Senate for the second half of the process.
A considerable concern as this process moves forward is the funding component tied to the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy.
In February 2024, the Kansas Board of Regents adopted the Blueprint for Literacy. Subsequently, the Kansas Legislature passed the Blueprint in SB 438, which was signed into law by the Governor on April 25, 2024. The Blueprint makes literacy a state-level priority, establishes a framework for increasing literacy, and creates a structure to implement and oversee the initiative through the Regents’ new Office of Literacy, the Director of Literacy, and the Literacy Advisory Committee.
KNEA was very deliberate in considering its position on SB 438. We knew the Kansas Legislature was on a fast track to move forward with a plan to address student literacy.
KNEA’s priority was to build strong relationships with legislators to ensure our members would have a voice on the Blueprint Advisory Committee. We secured one statutory voting member appointment to the committee and placed several higher education and PreK-12 KNEA members as ad hoc members to serve as voices in the room as the plan continues to be refined. Additionally, we leveraged our goodwill with legislators to ensure that any new requirements for in-service educators regarding the plan would include funding to reimburse educators for tuition, as well as stipends for their time spent completing the training.
The 2025 budget passed by the Kansas Legislature last session included funding for this program. However, as it stands today, the program’s $10 million funding is under careful review for the 2026 budget. The primary issue appears to be centered around the plan’s provision to establish seven learning centers across the state. Some legislators, particularly many of the new members who were not present last year for discussions, seem to favor a scaled-down approach.
This is a complicated process, and it can be frustrating to watch. KNEA will continue advocating for full funding to ensure that educators receive tuition reimbursement and stipends for any new professional development. Our members who serve on the Blueprint for Literacy Advisory Committee will continue to be your voice in the process.
The higher education budget for fiscal year 2026 is still far from being finalized.
Gender-Affirming Care
Legislation (SB 63) that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors has passed both the House and the Senate and now sits on Governor Kelly’s desk. Based on the margins of the original vote in both chambers, it appears the legislature has enough votes to override Governor Kelly should she veto SB 63.
As we await action on SB 63, the Senate Committee on Education is hearing SB 76. Read more about this bill below. KNEA is lining up educators to testify against this bill.
KNEA Testimony – Week of February 3
HB 2033 – Including programs and services provided by nonprofit organizations accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council as approved at-risk educational programs.
This bill was basically introduced so Phillips Learning Center can make the list of approved at-risk programing without going through the current process. This is a circumvention of a good process.
KNEA Opposedthis bill on procedural grounds.
HB 2086 – KPERS Tier 3 Reform
This bill improves KPERS Tier 3 by increasing the dividend interest formula. By changing this lever, the average KPERS employee that is receiving benefits based on a final salary of $60K per year, would see a benefit increase of nearly $2K a year. This is not as great of a reform package as we would like to see but we need to start somewhere.
KNEA supportedthis bill with a strong ask that if passed, it be considered a good start and not a final solution.
HB 2104 – Standardizing Firearm Safety Programs in Schools (NRA)
Should this bill be passed, any school that offers firearm safety programs would be compelled to use either the Eddie Eagle GunSafe program from the National Rifle Association, or the Hunter Education in Our Schools program offered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
This is legislative overreach. The Kansas Board of Education has the authority to oversee curriculum standards and the local board of education has the authority to choose curriculum materials.
KNEA opposed this bill.
HB 2129 – KPERS Tier 3 Reform
This bill would move certified teachers from KPERS Tier 3 to KPERS Tier 2. Obviously, this would only impact teachers, as defined in the bill, that are currently in KPERS Tier 3. This would include teachers that entered service after January 1, 2015.
Should the bill pass, it would be a significant improvement to the member benefit. The downside of this bill is that it does not move classified district employees to Tier 3. We expressed our serious concerns with the fact that the classified district employees being left out and asked that they amend the bill should they deliberate on it.
In the end, KNEA supported bill with the conclusion that the legislature is signaling that this type of reform will only happen incrementally and the process needs to begin somewhere.
HB 2136 – Expanding student eligibility under the tax credit for low income students scholarship program, increasing the amount of the tax credit for contributions made pursuant to such program and providing for aggregate tax credit limit increases under certain conditions.
This is a bill to expand a voucher program that already exists in Kansas. It would expand eligibility to the Kansas Low Income Student Scholarship program. The bill increases the tax credit amount from 75% to 100%, and it creates an expansion mechanism in the bill that would allow the program to expand automatically.
KNEA opposed this bill.
SB 19 – Enacting the conscientious right to refuse act to prohibit discrimination against individuals who refuse medical care and creating a civil cause of action based on such discrimination and revoking the authority of the secretary of health and environment to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties.
This is a bill that weakens vaccination requirements and weakens the authority of the Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment from taking action related to the containment of contagious and infectious diseases.
KNEA opposed this bill on the grounds of workplace and classroom safety.
SB 29– Enacting the constitutional right to health freedom act to regulate the activities of local health officers related to public health functions and revoking the secretary’s authority to quarantine individuals and impose penalties for violations thereof.
The bill effectively transforms Kansas’s public health response system from one based on enforcement powers to an advisory model where health officials can make recommendations but cannot mandate compliance with health measures during infectious disease outbreaks. The bill also removes the authority of Secretary of Health and Environment to enforce isolation or quarantine orders.
KNEA opposed this bill on the grounds of workplace and classroom safety.
SB 48 – Requiring school districts to demonstrate improvement in academic performance and be in compliance with all federal and state statutes and rules and regulations to achieve or maintain accreditation.
This bill significantly changes the current accreditation process in Kansas. This is basically a gotcha piece of legislation that only inserts more confusion in the system.
KNEA opposed this bill.
SB 87 – Voucher Bill – Expanding student eligibility under the tax credit for low income students scholarship program, increasing the amount of the tax credit for contributions made pursuant to such program and providing for aggregate tax credit limit increases under certain conditions.
Just like the companion bill (HB 2136) mentioned above, This is a bill to expand a voucher program that already exists in Kansas. It would expand eligibility to the Kansas Low Income Student Scholarship program. The bill increases the tax credit amount from 75% to 100%, and it creates an expansion mechanism in the bill that would allow the program to expand automatically.
KNEA opposed this bill.
You can read this testimony and more at the following link: KNEA Testimony
On the Radar – Week of February 10
SB 45 – Excluding students who transfer to homeschools or nonaccredited private schools from the alternative calculation of graduation rates for virtual schools.
SB 47 – Requiring school districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current school board members, authorizing local school board members to add new items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public and access school property, authorizing members of the public to address school boards at board meetings and authorizing payment of annual dues to any not-for-profit organization that provides services to member school districts
SB 76 – Requiring employees of school districts and postsecondary educational institutions to use the name and pronouns consistent with a student’s biological sex and birth certificate and authorizing a cause of action for violations therefor.
SB 101 – Creating the drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) educator position.
SB 114 – Authorizing nonpublic and virtual school students to participate in ancillary public school activities and making it unlawful for the Kansas state high school activities association and school districts to discriminate against such students based on enrollment status
SB 128 – Creating an exception to certain mandatory reporting obligations for licensed social workers when working under the supervision of an attorney and permitting an attorney to require a licensed social worker to keep ethical obligations of attorney-client privilege while working under the supervision of such attorney.
SB 229 – Providing for the termination of all current and new occupational licensing requirements adopted by an agency or enacted by the legislature after five years unless extended by a joint resolution of the legislature, requiring that adoption of new occupational licensing requirements by a state agency be approved by joint resolution of the legislature and providing for notice to agencies and the legislature and a procedure for legislative review of such occupational licensing requirements
HB 2139 – Increasing the minimum expenditure amount for school districts for contracted goods and services without requiring sealed bids and the minimum expenditure amount for goods and services that the district superintendent may acquire on behalf of the school district
HB 2194 – Providing a KPERS working after retirement exemption from the employer contribution rate for retirants who are employed as teachers by a school district in a position for which a certificate to teach is required.
HB 2299 – Prohibiting discriminatory practices on the basis of religion at public educational institutions and authorizing the attorney general to investigate violations and assess civil penalties under the Kansas act against discrimination
HB 2303 – Enacting the longitudinal data act, establishing the division of longitudinal data in the legislative research department, authorizing the appointment of a director of the division by the legislative coordinating council and providing for the development and management of the Kansas longitudinal data system for the purpose of tracking and analyzing education, workforce and related data.
HB 2320 – Authorizing children in the custody of the secretary of the department for children and families to attend school in any school district, requiring records for such students to be timely transferred between school districts and requiring a transportation plan if the child remains in the school of origin.
HB 2324 – Increasing the criminal penalty for possessing or refusing to surrender any firearm in or on any school property or grounds
HB 2348 – Providing that tenure at postsecondary educational institutions shall not be defined, awarded or recognized as an entitlement, right or property interest in a faculty member’s current, ongoing or future employment by an institution.
What They Are Saying – Week of February 3
We’re not the only ones advocating for or reporting on public education. Below are snippets from our education allies, legislators, and the press.
During budget deliberations in the House Committee on K-12 Budget, Democratic state Rep. Jarod Ousley made a motion to allocate approximately $75 million to special education funding for fiscal year 2026.
The Sunflower State Journal wrote:
“I just think this is a bigger deal and deserves a larger chunk of the pie,” Ousley said.
“We were just discussing a lawsuit earlier,” he continued.
“I’m not going to say we’re ripe for a lawsuit if we don’t continue to stick to a plan, but I would like to see us keep making the momentum that we started last year.”
The motion was defeated, with Ousley and Democratic state Reps. Nikki McDonald of Olathe, Valdenia Winn of Kansas City, and Mari-Lynn Poskin of Leawood, along with Republican state Rep. Kyle McNorton of Topeka, voting in support.
However, the committee ultimately allocated $30 million in new funding toward special education (SPED).
The Kansas Reflector covered the hearing on KPERS Tier 3 reform. A passage from the article states:
Tim Graham, a lobbyist for the state’s chapter of the NEA, said there was broad consensus that Kansas faced a significant teacher shortage and that Tier 3 of KPERS was an inadequate retirement option for public employees.
He agreed that school counselors, librarians, nurses, paraprofessionals, and other staff should be included in the broader effort to move away from Tier 3.
“There is widespread agreement that something needs to be done, but this issue keeps getting pushed to the bottom,” Graham said.
Upcoming Dates and Events
- February 12 – KPERS COLA Day
- February 14 – We Love Kansas Schools Day
- March 4 – Equality Day
