*This legislative report is the most current as of 3 p.m., on Thursday, March 20. Updates will be added to the online version of this report when they occur. 

The Senate Committee on Education on Monday, March 17, voted to remove the contents of HB 2382 and insert the contents of SB 275.  

Originally, HB 2382 included establishing the daily compensation rate for members of the state board of education in an amount that corresponds to the daily compensation rate of members of the legislature while in session. It passed in the House 115-7, then was referred to the Senate Committee on Education. 

The Senate Education committee then held a hearing for the bill on Wednesday, March 12. On Monday, March 17, the committee voted to remove the above contents and insert the contents of SB 275 which, if passed, would require school districts to include a fetal development presentation as part of the curriculum for any course that addresses human growth, human development or human sexuality.  

On Tuesday, March 18, the Senate accepted the committee report that recommended the bill be passed. The Senate voted late Thursday afternoon to pass the bill out favorably. 

The following bills have been passed out of their chamber of origin: 

Sub for HB 2007: Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for KSDE and various state agencies. 

• Passed as amended in the House 83-36. A hearing was held Monday, March 10, through Thursday, March 13, in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The committee recommended the substitute bill be passed and it was approved by a 28-12 vote.  
• A conference committee was appointed on Thursday, March 20, to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The conference committee met to get a summary on the differences between the House and Senate versions and will meet on Monday, March 24. The Conference Committee indicated that the contents of the bill will ultimately be inserted into Senate Bill 125. 

 

The Senate Ways and Means version of KSDE’s budget for FY 2025, the current school year, includes a $10.9 million reduction in total from the following programs: 

• Deletes $5 million for Safe and Secure Schools grant (If HB 2007 is enacted into law, districts would have to pay this back to KSDE, since the funds have already been distributed) 
• Deletes $1.8 million for professional development (If HB 2007 is enacted into law, the money would not be distributed). 
• Deletes $1.5 million for CTE transportation (If HB 2007 is enacted into law, the money would not be distributed). 
• Deletes $1.3 million for Mentor Teacher program (If HB 2007 is enacted into law, the money would not be distributed). 
• Deletes $1 million for Computer Science Advancement Grants (PACK grants). 
• Deletes $360,693 for Teacher Excellence grants 
• Deletes $50,000 from SparkWheel and moves the program to the Kansas Department for Children and Families 

 

The Senate Ways and Means version of KSDE’s budget for FY 2026, the 2025-26 school year, includes the following: 

• Removes $10 million special education increase added by the House for FY 2026 and FY 2027 
• Deletes $1.8 million for professional development. 
• Deletes $1.5 million for CTE transportation. 
• Deletes $1.3 million for Mentor Teacher program. 
• Deletes $1.0 million for computer science advancement grants (PACK grants). 
• Deletes $360,693 for Teacher Excellence grants. 
• Adds $1.5 million for Safe and Secure Schools grant. 
• $1 million for AEDs and $250,000 for CPR and AED instruction for public schools. 
• $125,000 AEDs and $125,000 for CPR and AED instruction for nonpublic schools. 
• Funding JAG-Kansas at $10.9 million out of the Department’s existing resources.  

 

The committee also voted in favor of the budgets for the Kansas School for the Deaf and the Kansas State School for the Blind for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. 

During debate on Senate floor Tuesday, March 18, an amendment offered by Senate minority leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, was voted down that would have added $21 million to special education. Another amendment from Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, failed that would have expanded Medicaid as a way to address the shortfall in special education funding. Sen. Brenda Dietrich, R- Topeka, offered an amendment that was approved that takes the JAG-Kansas program out from under KSDE sand returns it to its original funding sources through the Department of Commerce and Department for Children and Families.    

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. 

• Passed in the House 89-32. A hearing was held Tuesday, March 11, in the Senate Committee on Education and voted the following day to recommend the bill be passed. It passed the full Senate and is waiting to go to Gov. Laura Kelly. 

 

HB 2069: Enacting the school psychologist licensure compact to provide interstate practice privileges for school psychologists. 

• Passed as amended in the House 119-0. The Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare voted Wednesday, March 5, to add the contents of HB 2070, enacting the dietitian licensure compact, into this bill and voted to recommend the bill be passed as amended. It passed on emergency final action on Wednesday, March 19, and is waiting on a conference committee to be appointed. 

 

Substitute for HB 2102: Providing for the advanced enrollment of military students whose parent/guardian will be stationed in Kansas; and correcting federal statutory citations in the interstate compact on education opportunity for military children. 

• Passed in the House 121-0. A hearing was held Monday, March 10, in the Senate Committee on Education and voted to recommend the bill be passed. It was approved on final action by the full Senate on Wednesday, March 19, 40-0, and goes to the governor.  

 

Senate Sub for HB 2382: Establishing the daily compensation rate for members of the state board of education in an amount that corresponds to the daily compensation rate of members of the legislature while in session. 

• Passed in the House 115-7. It was introduced in the Senate, referred to the Senate Committee on Education and a hearing was held Wednesday, March 12. On Monday, March 17, the committee voted to remove the contents of HB 2382 and insert the contents of SB 275 (see above). 

 

Substitute for SB 45: Requiring the Kansas State Board of Education to calculate graduation rates for all school districts for purposes of accreditation using an alternative calculation. 

• Passed in the Senate 32-8 and passed as amended in the House 86-36. Since the House added amendments, the Senate voted to nonconcur and a conference committee was adopted to review the amendments. On March 13, the House voted to accede, and a conference committee was adopted on the House side to work the bill. 

 

SB 47: Requiring school districts to publicly list the names and email addresses of current board members; authorizing local school board members to add new agenda items to board meeting discussions, ask questions or engage in discussion with members of the public during meetings and access school property; and the public may address the school board at meetings. 

• Passed in the Senate 21-19. A hearing was held Tuesday, March 11, in the House Committee on Education and on Thursday, March 13, voted to pass the bill out as amended.  

 

SB 76: Requiring employees 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. 

• Passed in the Senate 26-14. The House Committee on Education held a hearing on Tuesday, March 4, and the committee on Thursday, March 6, voted to recommend the bill be passed. It will now head to the House floor. 

 

SB 87: Expanding student eligibility under the tax credit for the 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. 

• Passed in the Senate 24-16. A hearing was held Monday, March 10, in the House Committee on Education and the committee voted to recommend the bill be passed as amended. The House passed over this bill on Thursday, March 20, and kept it on the House calendar.  

 

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 (KSHSAA) and school districts to discriminate against such students based on enrollment status. 

• Passed in the Senate as amended 32-8. The House voted Tuesday, March 18, to pass the bill as amended 83-39. A conference committee was appointed on Wednesday, March 19, to work out the differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. 
   

The following bills have been passed out of their committees:  

HB 2104: Standardizing firearm safety programs in school districts. 

• The House Committee on Federal and State Affairs voted to recommend the bill be passed. It was withdrawn from the House calendar and referred back to the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. 

 

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. 

• The House Committee on Education voted to recommend the bill be passed as amended. It was withdrawn from the House calendar, referred to the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs, then rereferred to the House Committee on Education. 

 

SB 48: Requiring school districts to demonstrate improvement in academic performance and be in compliance with federal and state statutes and rules and regulations to achieve or maintain accreditation. 

• The Senate Committee on Education voted to recommend this bill be passed as amended. It was withdrawn from the Senate calendar, referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, then put back on General Orders on the Senate calendar. 

 

SB 49: Requiring attendance center needs assessments to be conducted by the local board of education and include input from board members, teachers, school site councils and administrators and that board members receive certain state assessment data and identify allocations of money in the district budget/summary. 

• The Senate Committee on Education voted to recommend this bill be passed as amended. It was withdrawn from the Senate calendar, referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, then put back on General Orders on the Senate calendar.  

 

SB 75: 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. 

• The Senate Committee on Education voted on Thursday, Feb. 13, to recommend the bill be passed. It was withdrawn from the Senate Calendar and referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

 

SB 263: Establishing standards and requirements for active shooter drills conducted by public and accredited nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. 

• The Senate Committee on Education voted Monday, March 17, to recommend the bill be passed as amended.  
   

Other bills KSDE is tracking: 

HB 2031: Providing that driving school instructors and motorcycle instructors may possess a driver's license or motorcycle driver's license from any state. 

• A conference committee has been appointed to work the bill. 

 

HB 2067: Establishing a feminine hygiene product grant program and grant fund to award monies to qualifying Title I schools to provide feminine hygiene products to students at no cost. 

• Referred to the House Committee on Taxation. This bill is exempt and still alive. 

 

HB 2104: Standardizing firearm safety programs in school districts. 

• Passed by House Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Feb. 13. It was withdrawn from the House calendar and rereferred to the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. This bill is exempt and still alive. 

 

HB 2330: Designating Nov. 14 of each year as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day in the state of Kansas. 

• A motion to pass this bill out of the House Committee on Education failed. Since the bill was originally introduced by the House Committee on Appropriations, it is exempt and alive. 

 

SB 252: Expanding the tax credit for low income students scholarship program act to allow certain high school students and students eligible to be enrolled in certain school districts to be eligible for scholarships; increasing the tax credit for contributions made pursuant to such act and the aggregate tax credit limit; providing for aggregate tax credit limit increases under certain conditions; providing for program administration by the state treasurer. 

• Referred to the Senate Committee on Education. Since the bill was originally introduced by the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation, it is exempt and alive. 

 

SB 275: Requiring the inclusion of a human fetal development presentation as part of the curriculum for any course that addresses human growth, human development or human sexuality. 

• Referred to the Senate Committee on Education. Since the bill was originally introduced by the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs, it is exempt and alive. A hearing was held in the Senate Committee on Education on Thursday, March 13. Committee members voted on Monday, March 17, to strip out the contents of Senate Sub for HB 2382, the bill for Kansas State Board of Education pay, and insert the contents of SB 275. On Tuesday, March 18, the Senate accepted the committee report that recommended the bill be passed. The Senate voted to pass the bill out favorably late in the afternoon on Thursday, March 20. 

 

Coming up 

The conference committee for Sub for HB 2007, the budget bill that includes KSDE's budget, is scheduled to meet on Monday, March 24.

Click here to see calendars and journals of the House and Senate, and agendas for committees. Click here for other useful links and information from KSDE.