By Timothy Graham, KNEA Director of Government Relations
Week 6 of the 2025 Kansas legislative session is in the books. Unlike previous weekly wraps, this conclusion marks the halfway point of the session.
To date, the legislature has introduced 706 bills and resolutions. KNEA is tracking 130 of these bills and has provided testimony on 19. Additionally, over 25 of our members have visited the Kansas Statehouse this session for lobbying, delivering oral testimony, and assisting with legislative relationship building.
The halfway point of the session, officially called Turnaround Day, was marked on Thursday, February 20th.
Turnaround Day is the deadline by which the originating chamber (the ‘house of origin’) must complete its work on non-exempt bills. Any bill that hasn’t completed the process—bill introduction, committee hearing and deliberation, full chamber debate, and final action—in the chamber where it was introduced is generally considered dead for the session. There are, of course, exceptions and workarounds; nothing ever really dies in the Kansas Statehouse.
The only legitimate exemption covered by legislative rules is that the Turnaround Day deadline does not apply to exempt bills—bills that have ‘touched’ an exempt committee. These bills are also referred to as ‘blessed’ bills. The Kansas Legislature’s exempt committees are listed below:
- The House and Senate Committees on Federal and State Affairs
- The House and Senate Committees on Taxation
- The Senate Committee on Ways and Means (the Senate ‘budget’ committee)
- The House Committee on Appropriations (the House ‘budget’ committee)
- The House Committee on Calendar and Printing
The more-than-occasional and less-than-legitimate ‘workarounds’ occur when legislators resurrect dead policy and slip it into the process during the waning days of the session. This is often done via amendments made during deliberation on the floor of the House or Senate chamber, or—worse—by inserting said policy into a conference committee report. Although these workarounds are neither illegal nor against the rules, they are often considered less than ideal. The process becomes particularly inappropriate when these workarounds are used to slip in policy that was not previously introduced or that did not even have a hearing before a legislative committee.
Procrastination was the theme of the 2025 Turnaround week. Frankly, this is nothing new and is consistent with historical trends. Legislative committees wrapped up their first-half committee work on Monday and spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on the floor of both the House and Senate chambers. Between the two chambers—the Senate actually adjourned on Wednesday and the House didn’t adjourn until Thursday—the legislature advanced over 150 bills this week alone.
The second half of the process starts on Tuesday, February 25th.
Stay tuned.
Legislative Committee Updates – Week of February 10
Usually, we provide a detailed rundown of the weekly committee activity. However, committee work was sparse and relatively inconsequential this week, so we will pause this part of the report until next week.
Notable Issue Updates – Halftime Debrief
The following is a brief update on a few issues we are tracking during the 2025 legislative session, outlining their status at the halfway point.
Vouchers
The bill that currently has the most momentum is SB 87. You can read more about this bill below and in previous Under The Dome posts. Essentially, this bill represents an expansion of the Low-Income Student Scholarship program. Although it is a voucher bill, several legislators are in denial of that fact.
Education Funding – (K–12, Special Education, Higher Education)
The budget discussion will now move to the Senate. The House included the court-ordered Consumer Price Index adjustment for new funding as well as $10 million in new Special Education funding. We will need to lean heavily on the Senate to keep this bill free of unnecessary education policy provisions and to increase funding for SPED. Additionally, we may need to rely on the Senate to boost higher education spending, as recommended by the Governor and the Kansas Board of Regents.
Gender-Affirming Care
Now that the contents of SB 63 is law, the debate will shift to SB 76, the so-called “Pronoun Bill.”
KPERS Reform
Good, bad, or somewhere in between, HB 2086 appears to be the only improvement we may see in KPERS Tier 3.
College Tenure
Refer to the status of HB 2348 below.
KNEA Testimony – Halftime Debrief
KNEA, staff and members have testified on about 19 bills this session. The following is a list of bills that we’ve submitted and/or delivered testimony on. There’s also a brief update of where each bill is in the process.
Additionally, You can read this testimony and more at the following link: KNEA Testimony
SB 19 – Infectious Disease Control – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, February 5th.
Current Status: In Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare. The committee did not forward this bill, nor was it blessed. The bill itself is likely dead, but the policy contents may not be.
SB 29– Infectious Disease Control – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Friday, February 7th. The committee amended this bill to make it “more tolerable” and passed it favorably out. The bill subsequently passed the Senate with a vote of Yea: 28 Nay: 12and has been Received and Introduced in the House.
SB 48 – Accreditation – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Friday, February 7th. The committee passed it out favorably and listed on the House calendar under the heading of General Orders. The bill was withdrawn from committee and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means in order to “bless” it.
Current Status: “Blessed” and in the House Committee on Ways and Means likely waiting to be referred to an appropriate committee.
SB 63 – Gender Affirming Care – Enacting the help not harm act, restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibiting healthcare providers from providing gender transition care to children whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child’s sex, authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare providers for providing such treatments, requiring professional discipline against a healthcare provider who performs such treatment, prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Tuesday, January 28th. The Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare passed it out favorably and the Senate later passed the bill with a vote of Yea: 32 Nay: 8. The bill was received and introduced in the House and referred straight to the full House. The body then passed it with a vote of Yea: 83 Nay: 35. The bill was enrolled and presented to Governor Kelly and was vetoed. Both the House and Senate made successful motions to override Governor Kelly’s veto. The House overrode her veto with a vote of Yea: 85 Nay: 34. The Senate overrode her video with a vote of Yea: 31 Nay: 9
Current Status: This bill is now current law.
SB 75 – Vouchers – Establishing the education opportunity tax credit to provide an income tax credit for taxpayers with eligible dependent children who are not enrolled in public school –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Tuesday, January 28th. The committee passed it out favorably and it was listed on the Senate calendar under the heading of General Orders. The bill was withdrawn from committee and referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in order to “bless” it.
Current Status: “Blessed” and in Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The bill will likely be placed back on the Senate calendar under the heading of General Orders. It is unclear whether this bill will be “moved above the line” in order for the Senate to have a full debate.
SB 76 – Gender Affirming Care – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Monday, February 10th. The Committee passed it out favorably and the Senate subsequently passed the bill with a vote of Yea: 26 Nay: 14.
Current Status: This bill will likely be received and introduced in the House on Tuesday, February 25th.
SB 87 – Vouchers – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Thursday, February 6th. The committee passed it out favorably and the Senate passed the bill with a vote of: Yea: 24 Nay: 16.
Current Status: This bill will likely be received and introduced in the House on Tuesday, February 25th. This bill seems to be the voucher bill that has enough support to make it to the Governor’s desk. The question is whether the Senate can pick up 3 additional votes to override a likely veto and whether this impacts the House Leadership decision on what to do with this bill in the second half of the session.
HB 2007 – K-12 Education Budget – Substitute for HB2007 by Committee on Appropriations – Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025 and appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for various state agencies -NEUTRAL-
This will take on a trajectory unlike most other bills. The House has done their duty thus far on the budget and the whole process will now unfold on the Senate side of the Statehouse.
Current Status: The Senate has possession of this bill and it is now in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
HB 2011 – Tax Policy – Decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district. -NEUTRAL-
This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, January 22nd. The committee passed it out favorably.
Current Status: The bill currently sits on the House calendar under the Heading of General Orders. I believe that this bill is still being seriously considered and legislative decisions will be made based on the future status of tax and budget in the second half of the session.
HB 2033 – Accreditation – Including programs and services provided by nonprofit organizations accredited by the international multisensory structured language education council as approved at-risk educational programs. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Monday, February 3rd. The committee passed it out favorably and the House eventually passed it with a vote of: Yea: 89 Nay: 32.
Current Status: This bill will likely be received and introduced in the Senate on Tuesday, February 25th.
HB 2071 – Gender-Affirming Care – Enacting the help not harm act to restrict the use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibit healthcare providers from providing gender transition whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child’s sex, authorize a civil cause of action against healthcare providers for providing such treatments, require professional discipline against a healthcare provider who performs such treatment and prohibit professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Tuesday, January 28th. The committee passed it out favorably and it was listed on the House calendar under the heading of General Orders.
Current Status: “Dead” the technical reference is that is was stricken from calendar by Rule 1507. Since this bill was the companion bill to SB 63, no action was necessary.
HB 2086 – KPERS Tier 3 Reform – Adjusting the KPERS 3 dividend interest credit by lowering the dividend interest credit threshold to 5% and increasing the dividend share to 80%. -SUPPORTED-
This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, February 5th. The committee passed the bill out favorably and the House eventually passed the bill with a vote of: Yea: 116 Nay: 5.
HB 2104 – Curriculum– Standardizing Firearm Safety Programs in Schools (NRA) –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Thursday, February 6th. The committee passed the bill out favorably and the House was set to debate and deliberate on this bill last week. However, action on this bill was halted due to a confrontation between legislators during the debate of this bill.
Current Status: “Blessed”This bill was withdrawn from the calendar and refereed to the HouseCommittee on Federal and State Affairs.
HB 2129 – KPERS Tier 3 Reform – Transferring teachers from the KPERS 3 cash balance plan to the KPERS 2 plan and defining teachers for purposes of KPERS. -SUPPORTED-
This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, February 5th.
Current Status: The committee did not forward this bill, nor was it blessed. The bill itself is likely dead.
HB 2136 – Vouchers – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Wednesday, February 5th.
HB 2194 – Working After Retirement – 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. -SUPPORTED-
This bill had a hearing on Friday, February 14th.
Current Status: The committee did not forward this bill, nor was it blessed. The bill itself is likely dead.
HB 2299 – Religion – 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. -OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Tuesday, February 11th.
Current Status: The committee did pass the bill out favorably and it was placed on the calendar under the heading of General orders before being withdrawn and sent back to the House Committee on Education. The fate of this bill is uncertain.
HB 2303 – Accreditation – 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. -NEUTRAL-
This bill was scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, February 11th.
Current Status: The bill remains in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget. The bill is likely dead.
HB 2348 – Higher Education Tenure – 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. –OPPOSED-
This bill had a hearing on Tuesday, February 11th.
Current Status: The committee did not forward this bill, but it was withdrawn from committee and referred to the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs before being re-referred back to the House Committee on Judiciary. The fate of this bill is uncertain.
On the Radar – Week of February 24
KNEA is scheduled to testify on SB 254 – Prohibiting aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States from receiving any state or local public benefit in accordance with applicable federal law. and SB 263 – Establishing standards and requirements for active shooter drills conducted by public and accredited nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.
The KNEA Board of Directors allowed KNEA Government Relations to hold an hour-long, impromptu “Lobby Team” meeting on Saturday, February 22nd, to discuss these bills and receive recommendations from members on how to respond.
The unanimous consensus was to oppose SB 254 because it essentially prohibits in-state tuition for certain Kansas students based on immigration status. Many of these students could have been born and raised in Kansas and likely attend Kansas public schools.
Another strong consensus, though not unanimous, was to approach SB 263 with the hope of drafting and adopting one or two amendments to improve the bill. Additionally, we are working with several members who have volunteered to submit and/or deliver testimony on these bills.
What Others Are Saying – Week of February 17
We’re not the only ones advocating for or reporting on public education. Below are snippets from our education allies, legislators, and the press.
Brad Cooper with the Sunflower State Journal reported on the debate on SB 76, the so-called pronoun bill. Here is a clip from that article:
Republican state Sen. Joe Claeys of Maize said the Legislature should “get out of the pronoun business entirely.” He said the bill turns classrooms into courtrooms.
“It just seems to me we’re solving one constitutional violation by creating another,” Claeys said. “Apparently we protect speech by punishing it.”
Ultimately, Claeys said he could not support the bill, although he believed its supporters acted in good faith and had good intentions.
He said portions of the law could end up punishing teachers for making simple mistakes in addressing students.
“I simply cannot get on board with anything that puts teachers in legal jeopardy, especially for something as harmless as an inadvertent name or a pronoun usage,” he said.
Tim Carpenter with the Kansas Reflector reported on the Budget debate that took place on the House floor last week. Here is a clip from that article.
TOPEKA — Rep. Steven Howe’s disappointment that state appropriations to school districts for special education hadn’t kept pace with legal thresholds for the past 14 years reflected a personal connection with students grappling with developmental, emotional, hearing or vision disabilities in the classroom.
“I want to represent students of my district and their families — students like Murray, who is confined to a wheelchair,” Howe said. “I think about people I know and people I’m neighbors with and people their kids go to school with my kids and the teachers that do come alongside them to support them.”
Howe, a Salina Republican, said it was frustrating lawmakers in the House voted to abandon a commitment made by the Kansas Legislature and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in 2024 to get behind an appropriation this year of $73 million for reimbursement of special education services delivered by school districts….
…“My motivation is the ability to come alongside our school kids and their families and to support them and equip them,” Howe said. “I didn’t come here to play political games or to get likes on Facebook. I’m not insinuating that anybody here is motivated by that, but I just don’t participate in that. I don’t understand all the politics that go on here at the Capitol.”
What I’m Saying – Week of February 17
While writing and preparing Under The Dome, I try very hard to keep my emotions in check, my opinions to a minimum, and to resist snark whenever possible. I’m not sure that this portion of Under the Dome will become a new norm. However, since we’ve reached the halfway point of the 2025 legislative session, I’m going to take the opportunity to editorialize a bit. I want to take a moment to explain why I included the two excerpts above.
Neither Rep. Howe nor Sen. Joe Claeys was a recommended candidate in the last election. However, both legislators align with our organization on the two bills referenced in the stories above. I cite these references to demonstrate that we must continue to build relationships with all legislators and be willing to “accept yes for an answer” when we find common ground. The all-or-nothing approach that many Americans seem mired in during this time in our nation’s history is not conducive to positive results. If we find ourselves unable or unwilling to consider the possibilities that come with positive relationship building, we will certainly miss opportunities and push people away.
I firmly believe, with 27 years of Statehouse experience under my belt, that such situations will occur far more often if we work harder to be positively proactive rather than negatively reactive.
Members’ willingness to have these conversations has proven to be tremendously effective! Thank you all.
On a side note, Rep. Howe invited KNEA to reach out during the 2023 legislative session, and I responded by meeting him for coffee in Salina over the summer. My impression was that he is a sincere legislator who is willing to listen. His actions during last week’s budget debate seem to confirm that willingness.
Upcoming Dates and Events
- February 25 – KPERS COLA Day
- March 1 – State and Federal Education Update with Minority Leaders Sykes and Woodard, with special guest Congresswoman Sharice Davids.
- March 4 – Equality Day
- March 17 – KNEA Educators at the Capitol (Hosted by Olathe NEA and others)
- March TBD – Working Kansas Alliance Lunch, All Legislators Invited, Hosted by KNEA
- March 25 – KNEA Welcome Table at the Statehouse- (Tables set up to greet legislators at the capital)
- March 27 – KNEA Welcome Table at the Statehouse
- April 5-6 – KNEA Representative Assembly (Wichita)
