By Timothy Graham, KNEA Director of Government Relations

Week 8 of the 2025 Kansas legislative session is now behind us. The traditional Thursday legislative update via conference call did not take place last week to allow members to participate in NEA President Becky Pringle’s Emergency Town Hall Meeting. Some of today’s updates will recap what we posted on Thursday.

So far, the Legislature has introduced 747 bills. KNEA is tracking 141 of these bills and has provided testimony on 28. Additionally, more than 50 members have visited the Kansas Statehouse this session to lobby, deliver oral testimony before various legislative committees, and assist with legislative relationship-building.

KNEA Testimony – Week of March 3

HB 2007  – concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025 and appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for various state agencies. HEARING: Monday, March 3rd – PUBLIC COMMENT ONLY –

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

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

SB 29 – 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.   – OPPONENT –

On the Radar – Week of March 10

SB 87  – 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.
HEARING: Monday, March 10th at 1:30 PM

SB 288 – Prohibiting certain sex offenders from entering onto school property or attending school activities and creating criminal penalties for violation thereof.
HEARING: Tuesday, March 11th at 10:30 AM, Room 346-S

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.
HEARING: Tuesday, March 11th at 1:30 PM, Room 144-S

SB 282 – Enacting the Kansas retirement investment and savings plan (KRISP) act and establishing terms, conditions, requirements, membership elections, accounts, benefits, contributions and distributions related to such plan.
HEARING: Thursday, March 13th at 9:30 AM, Room 546-

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.

What I’m Saying – Week of February 24

I will not editorialize this week, but I do want to share a quote that I read on social media over the weekend. This quote lends itself perfectly to the vision that I believe is very appropriate to our legislative advocacy efforts.

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects the wind to change. The leader adjusts the sails.

Upcoming Dates and Events

  • March 17 – Lucky to be In Kansas Public Schools Statehouse Event (Hosted by Olathe NEA, Lawrence EA, NEA-Shawnee Mission, Topeka NEA, Auburn Washburn NEA)
  • March 19 – Working Kansas Alliance Lunch, All Legislators Invited, Hosted by KNEA
  • March 25 – KNEA Welcome Table at the Statehouse
  • March 27 – KNEA Welcome Table at the Statehouse
  • April 5-6 – KNEA Representative Assembly (Wichita)