Four bills were passed on either the House or Senate floors during week seven of the 2024 Kansas Legislative Session.

The Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 21 passed SB 387. It will now go to the House.

The House passed three bills on the floor: HB 2547, HB 2613 and HB 2567. These will now go to the Senate.

Friday, Feb. 23 is Turnaround Day, which means that bills not passed out of its house of origin can no longer be considered.
 

Bill Tracker

• HB 2251 – Authorizing the Kansas State Department of Education to contract with a private vendor to install and operate school bus cameras.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Feb. 1.
• HB 2475 – Prohibiting the commencement of the school term prior to Labor Day.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 8.
• HB 2480 – Requiring each school district to employ an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder specialist.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 8.
• HB 2485 – Requiring enrollment under the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year and requiring any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
  • This bill was withdrawn from to the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday, Feb. 19 and re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2489 – Limiting the legislative option to purchase school district buildings to buildings that were formerly used as attendance centers.
  • This bill was withdrawn from to the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday, Feb. 19 and re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• Substitute for HB 2494 - Establishing policy requirements for cardiac emergency response plans for school districts, and providing a grant program for the implementation of such policy.
  • The House Committee on Education recommended HB 2494 be amended by substituting with a new bill to be designated as Substitute for HB 2494.
    • The amendment removed “school safety and security plans” from the bill.
• HB 2499 – Prohibiting the use of mobile phones by anyone under 18 years old while operating a motor vehicle; and prohibiting the use of mobile phones by anyone while operating a motor vehicle in a school or construction zone.
  • The bill was passed in the House 86-30.
  • It was received and introduced in the Senate.
• HB 2506 – Authorizing students enrolled in virtual schools to participate in activities that are regulated by the Kansas State High School Activities Association at such student’s resident school district without a minimum enrollment requirement in such resident school district.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget and referred to the House Committee on Appropriations on Friday, Feb. 16.
• HB 2509 – Providing reimbursement payments for the cost of career technical education assessments to school districts under the career technical education credential and transition incentive for employment success act.
  • Referred to House Committee on Education on Jan. 16.
• HB 2514 - Revising school district open enrollment procedures and requirements to prioritize students who are residents of Kansas over students who are residents of another state, providing for continued enrollment of students who attended a school district of non-residence in school year 2023-2024, authorizing school districts to deem students as not in good standing prior to enrollment and requiring publication of nonresident student transfer policies on the school district website.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and re-referred to the House Committee on K-2 Education Budget on Monday, Feb. 19.
• HB 2521 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to authorize teaching licenses for individuals who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
  • This bill was passed out of the House Committee on Education as amended favorably on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
  • It was withdrawn from the House Calendar and referred to the House Committee on Appropriations on Thursday, Feb. 22.
• HB 2539 – Removing the Kansas residency requirement for eligibility for a Kansas promise scholarship and modifying the definition of part-time student under such program.
  • The House Committee on Education on Wednesday, Feb. 21 recommended this bill be passed as amended.
• HB 2547 – Authorizing schools to maintain certain emergency medication kits and to administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • The House passed this bill 116-4 on Thursday, Feb. 22. It will now go to the Senate.
• HB 2555 – Authorizing schools to maintain emergency albuterol kits for asthma and administer such medication in emergency situations.
  • Referred to House Committee on Health and Human Services on Jan. 18.
• HB 2567 – Establishing the Kansas National Guard Educational Master’s for Enhanced Readiness and Global Excellence (EMERGE) program.
  • The House passed this bill as amended 114-5 on Thursday, Feb. 22.
• HB 2574 – Establishing term limits for members of Fort Leavenworth Unified School District 207 school board.
• HB 2594 – Establishing the Education Funding Task Force and abolishing the Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday, Feb. 19.
• HB 2600 – Establishing a feminine hygiene product grant program and grant fund to award monies to qualifying Title 1 schools to provide feminine hygiene products to students at no cost.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Jan. 25.
• HB 2612 – Requiring school districts to be in compliance with all state laws, and rules and regulations to be accredited; and requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to establish a process to challenge determinations of such compliance.
  • A hearing on this bill was held Feb. 5 in the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget.
• HB 2613 – Creating the statewide drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) program educator position, establishing the drug abuse resistance education fund and providing funding for such fund by annual transfer of state monies.
  • The House passed this bill 105-15 on Thursday, Feb. 22. It will now go to the Senate.
• HB 2641 – Requiring school districts to prohibit the use of privately owned electronic communication devices during school hours.
  •  A hearing on this bill was held on Wednesday, Feb. 14 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2650 – Requiring each school district to establish an at-risk student accountability plan and to show academic improvement in certain student subgroups and students identified as eligible for at-risk programs; Prohibiting the Kansas State Board of Education from revising the curriculum standards in English language arts and mathematics until 75% of all students achieve proficiency; and requiring school districts to comply with all state laws and rules and regulations to main accreditation.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday, Feb. 19.
• HB 2658 – Authorizing school districts to require a student to attend virtual school when the student is returning to school after having been expelled.
  • A hearing on this bill was held on Tuesday, Feb. 13 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2659 – Transferring teachers from the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) 3 cash balance plan to the KPERS 2 plan and defining teachers for the purpose of KPERS.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Financial Institutions and Pensions on Feb. 1.
• HB 2669 - Codifying the Mental Health Intervention Team (MHIT) program administered by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) in state statute.
  • The House Committee on Health and Human Services on Tuesday, Feb. 20 recommended this bill be passed as amended.
• HB 2700 – Establishing the school library rating system task force to develop a rating system for materials available to students in public school libraries and requiring school districts to implement such rating system.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Feb. 14.
• HB 2701 – Expanding the income tax credit for school and classroom supplies to increase the tax credit to $500 with an annual adjustment for the cost of inflation and to allow additional school employees to claim the credit.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Taxation on Feb. 6.
• HB 2702 – Specifying the eligibility requirements to participate in activities governed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) for students enrolled in a nonpublic school.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Feb. 6.
• HB 2703 – Including placement in foster care as a criteria for a student to be eligible for at-risk programs and services.
  • A hearing for this bill was held in the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The committee went into emergency final action and passed the bill out of committee.
• HB 2709 – Establishing Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week for public middle schools and high schools to educate students on the abuse of and addiction to fentanyl and other opioids.
  • A hearing on this bill was held on Wednesday, Feb. 14 in the House Committee on Education.
• HB 2717 – Establishing requirements for the determination of virtual school state aid for adult students.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Monday, Feb. 19 in the House Committee on K-2 Education Budget (see below).
• HB 2718 – Eliminating school district open enrollment requirements and authorizing school districts to determine nonresident student enrollment.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2719 – Extending the time that school districts may provide notice to parents of the administration of any nonacademic test, questionnaire, survey or examination, and requiring school districts to contact parents if any such test, questionnaire, survey or examination indicates concern.
  • A hearing for this bill was held in the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 20 (see below).
• HB 2726 – Requiring school districts to provide timely implementation of an individualized education program (IEP) and advanced enrollment for certain children who are new to the district.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
• HB 2727 – Requiring all public schools and public postsecondary educational institutions to make feminine hygiene products available at no cost to students, and establishing a state grant program for such purpose.
  • Referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Feb. 6.
• HB 2730 – Expanding the tax credit for low income students scholarship program act to allow students enrolled in underperforming school districts to be eligible for a scholarship.
  • Referred to the House Committee on Education on Feb. 7.
• HB 2731 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to submit annual reports to the legislature on certain statistics of students who take the statewide assessments.
  • A hearing for this bill was held in the House Committee on Education on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
  • It was withdrawn from the House Committee on Education and referred to the House Committee on Appropriations on Thursday, Feb. 22.
• HB 2732 – Authorizing school districts to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers.
  • A hearing for this bill was held on Monday, Feb. 19 in the House Committee on Education (see below).
• HB 2738 – Revising the special education state aid statewide excess costs calculation to count additional funding; requiring the State Board of Education to determine each school district’s excess costs and to establish a special education state aid equalization distribution schedule to distribute certain amounts of special education state aid; and requiring school districts to transfer amounts attributable to the special education weighting from their supplemental general funds to their special education funds.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and re-referred to the House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday, Feb. 19.
• HB 2769 – Requiring public schools and school districts to participate in federal meal programs; and providing for reimbursement for free meals at all public schools and school districts.
• HB 2785 - Transferring certain child care programs to the Kansas Office of Early Childhood; and separating licensing duties between the Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary and the executive director of early childhood.
  • This bill was withdrawn from the House Committee on Appropriations and re-referred to the House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development.
• SB 128 - Establishes the ad astra opportunity tax credit to provide an income tax credit for taxpayers with eligible dependent children not enrolled in public school.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation on Jan. 9.
• SB 348 – Requiring that the appointment of the executive director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund be confirmed by the Senate.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 17.
• SB 351 – Establishing policy requirements for school safety and security and cardiac emergency response plans and providing grant programs for the implementation of such policies.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 18.
• SB 358 – Prohibiting school districts and local libraries from prohibiting, banning or restricting books or other media unless certain requirements are met.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Jan. 19.
• SB 386 - Requiring enrollment under the Kansas School Equity and Enhancement act to be determined using the current school year or the preceding school year.
  • The Senate Committee on Education recommended the bill be passed as amended on Feb. 7.
  • The committee amended the bill, removing the requirement for any district that closed a school building in the preceding school year to use the current year enrollment count.
• SB 387 – Providing for the continued enrollment of students who attend a school district of non-residence pursuant to the school district open enrollment law.
  • The bill was passed in the Senate 37-3 on Wednesday, Feb. 21. It will now go to the House.
• SB 401 – Requiring critical thinking be integrated into elementary and secondary instruction.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 26.
• SB 407 – Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to authorize teaching licenses for individuals who complete an alternative teacher certification program.
  • This bill was passed out of the Seante Committee on Education favorably as amended on Monday, Feb. 19.
• SB 427 – 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.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 31.
• SB 428 – Requiring that each attendance center’s needs assessment be conducted by the local board of education and include input from board members, teachers, school site councils and school administrators, and that board members receive certain state assessment data; and identifying allocations of money in the school district budget and budget summary.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Jan. 31.
• SB 437 – Establishing the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) to provide educational awards to elementary and secondary school students for qualifying expenses for educational goods and services.
  • The Senate Committee on Education voted to pass this bill out of committee on Monday, Feb. 19, but the vote failed and the bill remains in Committee.
• SB 438 – Eliminating the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment in the AO-K program.
  • This bill was passed out of the Senate Committee on Education favorably as amended on Monday, Feb. 19.
• SB 465 – Authorizing school districts to levy an annual levy of up to two mills for the purposes of school building safety, security and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and including the levy in the capital outlay state aid determination for such school districts.
  • The Senate Committee on Education voted to not pass this bill out of committee on Monday, Feb. 19.
• SB 469 – Establishing the Sunflower Education Equity Act to provide education savings accounts (ESAs) for certain students.
  • Referred to Senate Committee on Education on Feb. 7.
• SB 501 – Transferring certain child care programs to the Kansas Office of Early Childhood; and separating licensing duties between the Kansas Department of Health and Environment secretary and the executive director of early childhood.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare on Monday, Feb. 12.
• SB 509 - Establishing the Education Opportunity Tax Credit to provide an income tax credit for taxpayers with eligible dependent children not enrolled in public school.
  • Referred to the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation on Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Hearing on HB 2732

The House Committee on Education on Monday, Feb. 19 held a hearing on House Bill 2732. If passed, the bill would allow local school boards to employ, or accept on a volunteer basis, a chaplain to provide support, services and programs for students.

The chaplain would not be required to obtain any form of teacher license issued by the Kansas State Board of Education. They would be subject to the same criminal history records check as required by the local board of education for all other employees of the district.

If passed, the bill would not have any fiscal effect for the state. The school district would be responsible for any costs associated with the bill.

To read more about the bill, click here.
 

Hearing on HB 2717

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget on Monday, Feb. 19 held a hearing on House Bill 2717. If passed, the bill would establish requirements for the determination of virtual school state aid for adult students. When determining the virtual school state aid for certain adult students, the State Board of Education would:

• Determine the number of credit courses reported on the Kansas collection (KCAN) report that adult students have passed to meet the minimum graduation requirements established by the State Board of Education or the local school board;
• Validate course completion using official student transcripts; and
• Multiply the total number of courses by $709, not to exceed six credit courses per school year.

The provisions related to reimbursements requiring the funding credits earned in any preceding school year could increase school district virtual state aid entitlements.

Districts are currently reimbursed for credits earned only in the prior year and are subject to a six-credit maximum reimbursement. If passed, HB 2717 would allow districts to request reimbursement for credits earned in any prior year.

To read more about the bill, click here.
 

Hearing on HB 2719, HB 2703 and HB 2731

The House Committee on Education on Tuesday held a hearing on three bills: HB 2719, HB 2703 and HB 2731.
 

HB 2719

If passed, the bill would extend the time that school districts may provide notice to parents before administering any nonacademic test, questionnaire, survey or examination. It also would require school districts to contact parents if any test, questionnaire, survey or exam indicates concerns.

If a student is determined to be at high-risk for social-emotional behavior problems, the school district would be required to make direct contact with the parent or guardian of the student within 30 days following the administration of the test. If a student is determined to be at medium or low-risk for social-emotional behavior problems, the school district would be required to send a written communication to the parent/guardian within 60 days following the administration of the test.

You can read more about the bill at this link.
 

HB 2703

If passed, the bill would add students in foster care to the list of students eligible to be identified to receive at-risk programs and services.

It could expand the number of students eligible for at-risk programs and services, which could have an impact on allowable at-risk funds for school districts.

You can read more about the bill at this link.

The committee voted to move into emergency final action and passed this bill out of committee favorably. You can read more about the bill at this link.

HB 2731

If passed, the bill would require that on or before Jan. 15 of each year, the Kansas State Board of Education would be required to prepare and submit to the Kansas Legislature a report on students who take the statewide assessments. The report would include the following:

1. The number of students and the number expressed as a percentage of the total number of students who took the statewide assessments during the immediately preceding school year disaggregated by core academic area and by grade level.
2. The percentage of students who took the statewide assessments in the 10^th grade who, two years after graduating from high school, obtained some postsecondary education disaggregated by statewide assessment achievement level.

When the information becomes available, the Board would be required to publish the information required for the report on the Kansas State Department of Education’s website and incorporate the information in the performance accountability reports and longitudinal achievement reports required under current law.

The bill would go into effect after its publication in the statute book, if passed.

Up Next

The Kansas Legislature is not in session Monday, Feb. 26 or Tuesday, Feb. 27.

The Senate Committee on Education is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 for a briefing on the 2022-2023 Foster Care Report Card and a briefing on the Annual Report of Language Assessment Program-Deaf/Hard of Hearing for FY 2023.

The House Committee on Education is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 for a hearing on SB 360.

The House Committee on K-12 Education Budget does not have a meeting scheduled next week as of now.

Click here (Welcome | Kansas State Legislature (kslegislature.org) to see calendars of the House and Senate, track bills, and view agendas for committees.