By Timothy Graham
KNEA Director of Government Relations


In place of the standard Thursday night legislative conference call update, we are providing a print-only version (including a couple of videos). We are doing this to allow members to participate in NEA President Becky Pringle’s Emergency Town Hall Meeting. A more in-depth legislative update will follow the regular schedule and be posted on Monday afternoon.

NEA Emergency Town Hall

We understand that many of you watched in concern during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address and you’ve likely seen the newly confirmed Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, remark on her “opportunity to perform one final mission”—to shut down the U.S. Department of Education (USED) through a Trump Executive Order that we expect to be released shortly.

In response to this alarming development, NEA President Pringle will hold an emergency Zoom meeting TODAY, March 6th, at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. This meeting will focus on the implications of dismantling the USED, including the potential impacts on students, families, and communities. President Pringle will be joined by General Counsel Alice O’Brien, Tom Zembar from the Education Policy & Implementation Center, and other special guests. While McMahon may be on her final mission, we remain steadfast on our only mission: protecting our families and ensuring all of our students, regardless of their race, family income, or where they live have every opportunity to learn and thrive.

REGISTER TO ATTEND

KNEA Testimony – Week of March 3

HB 2007 – Substitute for HB 2007 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. HEARING: Monday, March 3rd at 1:30 PM.  – PUBLIC COMMENT –

HB 2318 – Providing that future personal and corporate income tax rate decreases be contingent on exceeding tax receipt revenues. HEARING: Monday, March 3rd at 3:30 PM.  – OPPONENT –

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. HEARING: Tuesday, March 4th at 1:30 PM. – OPPONENT –

Watch KNEA’s legislative testimony on this bill below.

SB 259 – Providing that future personal and corporate income tax rate decreases be contingent on exceeding tax receipt revenues. HEARING: Tuesday, March 4th at 9:30 AM. – OPPONENT –

HB 2236 – Establishing the mental health intervention team program in the Kansas department for aging and disability services in state statute and providing incentives for coordination between school districts, qualified schools and mental health intervention team providers. HEARING: Tuesday, March 4th at 1:30 PM. – PROPONENT –

HB 2086 – Adjusting the KPERS 3 dividend interest credit by lowering the dividend interest credit threshold to 5% and increasing the dividend share to 80%. HEARING: Thursday, March 6th at 9:30 AM.  – PROPONENT –

SB 29 – Substitute for SB 29 by Committee on Public Health and Welfare – Removing the authority of the county or joint board of health or local health officer to prohibit public gatherings when necessary for the control of infectious or contagious disease. HEARING: Friday, March 7th at 8:30 AM.  – OPPONENT –

KNEA Testimony Video – SB 76 The “Pronoun Bill”

Your Members and Government Relations staff are coordinating to make your voices heard. Watch two examples of this on Tuesday.