LIGHT AT THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE TUNNEL?

Kansas Legislative News and Analysis from a Catholic Perspective

by Chuck Weber, Kansas Catholic Conference 

The 2026 Kansas Legislative session is quickly drawing to a close. Last week's pace was...brisk. There is a light at the end of the 2026 legislative tunnel, but there is still a lot of work to do and many sub-plots.  Politics and policy can be complicated. 

Reminder: It is an election year. Every State Representative is up for election. A number of legislators (Senators and Representatives) are running for statewide office. They cannot campaign or raise money while the legislature is in session. This dynamic helps create a built-in motivation to complete the people's work as quickly as possible.   

The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you informed about issues closely followed by the Kansas Catholic Conference. These issues may differ somewhat from those covered by the secular news media. Most (though not all) of the "big stories" coming out of Topeka focus on taxes or spending. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just the nature of things. So we offer here a few thoughts about taxes and spending.    

CATHOLICS AND TAX POLICY

We may not cover taxes and spending issues a lot in our weekly reports, but we follow what's happening. Catholics care about these issues. The stability and health of the family, what we often call the "domestic church," can oftentimes depend on the financial stability of the household. Spiritual and temporal (real-world) prosperity and flourishing is a very good goal! 

The nuances of tax policy proposals change quickly. It can be nearly impossible to align each idea or bill with Catholic Social Teaching. 

Looking at the "big picture," Catholic social teaching views paying taxes as a moral responsibility to support the common good. It's not merely a legal duty.  

To the extent possible, tax policy should be transparent, taxes should be used to fund essential services, and tax policy should be progressive in nature. This means that in general, the tax one pays should be proportional to the ability to pay, with preferential treatment for the poor. We certainly do NOT want to fund clearly unethical and amoral practices like abortion. 

No one wants to pay taxes and almost everyone hopes for a tax cut or a budget cut.  In reality, there is very little "wiggle room" to significantly cut state spending or taxes. Legislators are obligated by the State Supreme Court and the Kansas Constitution, to fund education. The social welfare portion of the spending pie—that "preferential option for the poor" (or those in need) — continues to grow.  Outside of state income taxes, local governmental entities (cities, townships, schools, etc.) impose more tax obligations on taxpayers than the state.

There are countless articles about Catholic thinking regarding taxes and spending.  Here is one I found helpful—there are many others. Catholics and Taxes and Spending    

THE WEEK AHEAD IS PACKED

The legislative pace is picking up with an eye on "First Adjournment" set for Friday, March 27. There is then a scheduled break, with the traditional "Veto Session" set for Thursday, April 9. All of this can change, but that's the schedule for now. 

This coming Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, State Senators and Representatives will be "on the floor" all day.  This is when they will debate and vote on legislation that has passed the other chamber, or perhaps has passed out of a committee.  So this is a crucial week that will determine the fate of legislation.

To get a better idea of what legislators will be debating and voting on, here's a look back at last week and some of what happened to legislation at the Kansas State Capitol.  

WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK?

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OR ATHLETES?

Under what circumstances should a high school student be allowed to transfer to another school, and then be allowed to participate in activities like sports?  This was one of the central questions surrounding SB 514, which brought supporters and opponents to the Senate Education Committee last Monday. 

The Kansas Catholic Conference offered opposition testimony you can read here: KCC Testimony on SB 514

Catholic school representatives were on hand to also oppose the bill.  Although this proposal has safeguards against students transferring for sports reasons, our concern is that this protection will be difficult to determine.  The future of this legislation is uncertain. 

A WIN FOR FAMILIES AND HEALTHCARE COVERAGE

Last week we told you about SB 368. This is a bill that would allow families and individuals who use the healthcare sharing ministries model to deduct those expenses from their income taxes. This will save them some money. This idea is similar to businesses being allowed to deduct healthcare coverage for their employees, thereby reducing the total amount of taxable income for that business. The Kansas Catholic Conference testified in favor of the bill. You can read our comments here: KCC Healthcare Sharing Testimony .

We are delighted to report that this bill passed both the House and Senate by veto-proof margins and will almost certainly become law.  

This is not a silver bullet to rising healthcare costs, but it is a step forward for Kansas families who watch their household budget as they seek good, affordable healthcare coverage. 

KIDS, CELL PHONES AND APPS TAKE CENTER STAGE

The Catholic Church in Kansas is not alone in voicing concerns about the impact that smartphones and other devices have on young people, particularly in schools.  This past week, the bill banning cellphone use during school hours known as S Sub HB 2299 passed the Kansas House.  Because the Senate had already approved the measure, this bill is now on the Governor's desk and is expected to be signed into law.   

This new Kansas State law will also apply to non-public schools that are accredited by the state. This includes virtually all Catholic schools in Kansas. The Kansas Catholic Conference supported the measure. You can read our testimony here: KCC cell phone ban testimony 

We know this is not a comprehensive solution to the dangers of cell phone and smartphone use by school children.  But it does send a signal that school is for learning. Texts, surfing and other cell phone use can wait until the end of the school day.

APP STORE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT UPDATE

After flying through the Kansas Senate by a 34-6 margin, the APP Store Accountability Act is finding rougher waters in the House. This bill, known as SB 372, would require parental approval for the downloading of any smartphone app by a child. APP stores would be responsible for verifying ages before allowing a download. Not surprisingly, the APP developers don't like guardrails on their products. They want as many downloads as possible to sell their products.  These downloads can lead to unwanted tracking of children and can lead to privacy and other concerns.    

The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this measure. You can read our testimony here: KCC APP store accountability testimony

Last week the bill was debated and "worked" in the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, where it was tabled (delayed) by committee members. You can watch the hour-long committee debate here. 

This delay was a setback.  But parents, the Kansas Catholic Conference and other supporting organizations continue to work to get this measure back on track.  There are positive signals that this bill may indeed still be "alive" in the week ahead.   We'll keep you updated on this legislation that we believe will help empower parents to protect their children.

SHE DESERVES THE BEST EDUCATIONAL TOOLS

It's crunch time for one of the most important pieces of legislation this session, the Kansas Low Income Family Scholarship Act known as HB 2468. 

If passed, this legislation will do two things.  

Foremost, it will "Opt In" Kansas to the federal program known as the Educational Choice for Children Act.  This will then open up the possibility of a virtually limitless number of educational tools and options that will be available to nearly every student in Kansas—public school, non-public school, and homeschoolers. 

These options include educational services like tutoring, special education, books, supplies, online educational materials, technology, dual‑enrollment courses and even specialized  educational therapies like occupational, physical, behavioral and/or speech‑language therapy.

Passage of this bill also increases the statewide cap for tax credit-eligible private donations to Kansas Scholarship Granting Organizations, also known as SGO's. These SGO's now provide scholarships to low-income students across Kansas, most of whom come from minority families. The Kansas state low-income tax credit scholarship program has been operating for 10+ years, and was expanded in 2023 with legislation signed by Governor Laura Kelly.

Momentum is on our side, but there is a lot of work to do.

Last week, the Kansas Senate approved HB 2468 by a veto-proof margin, 27-13.  This was super important because Governor Kelley has indicated she would veto this legislation. Now the pressure is on the House, which must vote on this same measure.

Very important. If Kansas does NOT approve this bill and "opt in" to the federal program, Kansas taxpayers will still be able to participate.  But their dollars will go to schools and organizations in other states. KANSAS DOLLARS WILL FLOW TO OTHER STATES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS OUTSIDE KANSAS!

Please reach out to your State Representative and politely ask them to vote YES on the Conference Committee Report in support of HB 2468. 

Learn more about this important legislation at:  https://www.kansascatholic.org/issues/active-campaigns

FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND SPEECH

Religious liberty and freedom of speech are core values the Kansas Catholic Conference will always defend. Some may recall an incident recently in Minneapolis where protesters forcibly entered a church there as part of a demonstration against actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

Catholic Church leaders in Kansas and across the United States also have grave concerns about some of the reported tactics by ICE, but that is not an excuse to forcibly enter a church service—any church service—without an invitation.   

SB 520 is proposed legislation that creates the crime of interference with the conduct of a religious assembly, provides criminal penalties and also provides a path for a civil cause of action for damages. The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this legislation.  You can read our testimony here: KCC testimony on SB 520 

This proposal had a hearing in the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee last Tuesday, but there has been no further action. We'll keep watching. 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND SPEECH ON CAMPUS 

SB 419 is also known as the "Charlie Kirk Act" in remembrance of the Christian political activist and speaker who was assassinated in Utah.  This legislation is designed to strengthen protections for students and organizations that exercise their beliefs, values and missions on college campuses. The measure passed the Senate 29-11 .  It is now going to the House Education Committee, where there is no hearing scheduled at this time. 

The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this legislation. You can read our testimony here: KCC Testimony on SB 419

IDENTITY CONFUSION AND THE COMMON GOOD

There has been a great deal of consternation expressed in the secular media on behalf of opponents regarding recently passed legislation known as SB 244.

This new law protects the privacy rights of people in government buildings like restrooms and locker rooms. Under the new law, only biological boys may enter private boys' space; only biological girls may enter girls' space. This new law also compels Kansans to identify themselves on birth certificates and drivers' licenses as the sex corresponding to that of their birth.   

This law was challenged in Douglas County District Court and last week a judge there denied a request for a temporary retraining order. This means the law remains in effect, at least for now. You can read the judge's statement Here. 

In response to that ruling, protesters staged a demonstration at the Kansas State Capitol outside the Senate chambers.  You can watch and read a secular news outlet report on the situation Here.  

The Kansas Catholic Conference supported SB 244, keeping in mind that our true gender identity should reflect our sex at birth—but our ultimate identity is that of a child of God. As a sidenote to this issue, we were encouraged by action from the Kansas Attorney General that would allow more time for Kansans to change their driver's licenses sex designation to the correct identity.

PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING MOMS AND BABIES

The abortion industry in Kansas has virtually free rein to prey upon women experiencing an unwanted or difficult pregnancy.  There is little legally we can do in Kansas to protect women and their babies.  

Walking With Moms in Need is a nationwide, parish-based initiative active in Kansas and around the country in support of pregnant and parenting mothers in need. It works to ensure that any woman who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, or parenting in difficult circumstances, can turn to her local Catholic Church and be connected with the resources she needs. Volunteers walk with moms throughout the motherhood journey, offering them authentic Christian friendship and ongoing support.

There are some measures we can take to protect and support moms and their babies. 

HB 2727 is legislation that, if passed, would help clear the path for women to sue the abortion industry for violations of the woman's right-to-know act. 

This legislation has passed the House with veto-proof numbers and now moves to the Senate where the Federal and State Affairs Committee has had a hearing and is expected to pass to the full Senate this week. 

The Kansas Catholic Conference provided testimony in favor of this bill that you can read here: KCC HB 2727 testimony You can watch the hearing here. 

WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? INFORMED CONSENT

The abortion industry is fighting our efforts to require the Kansas State Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to fully and clearly inform women with the facts when they are about to have an abortion. What are they hiding?  The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this legislation.  You can read our testimony here: KCC testimony on HB 2729

This legislation has passed the House by veto-proof margins, and we expect the Senate to take up this legislation in the coming week. 

THE CARE ACT

HB 2635 is also known as the CARE Act.  It protects Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC's) from false attacks and affirms their right to provide the life-affirming care that is their mission. The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this legislation.  You can read our testimony here:  KCC testimony on HB 2635 the CARE Act  This bill has passed the House and Senate (you can watch the Senate debate here, starting at minute 1:54:57) by veto-proof margins and now goes to the Governor who does not support this legislation. 

FUNDING FOR PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTERS 

The current version of the Budget by the Senate has $3 million designated for Pregnancy Resource Centers in Kansas.  The House version of the Budget does not have this funding at this time, but is expected to be added soon. We will keep an eye on this important issue.

KANSAS CATHOLIC CONFERENCE WATCH LIST

MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Three years ago, Catholic school students were added to a funded program called MHIT, or Mental Health Intervention Team. $15.5 million was designated for the program, of which non-public schools, including Catholic schools, were awarded $1.5 million.  

Now, these funds are in jeopardy and the Kansas Catholic Conference and our allies are fighting to retain these services that go primarily to rural school students and students from low income areas.  Stand by as we fight for these kids to get the funded services they need.

 

IN-STATE TUITION FIGHT FOR "DREAMERS"

SB 254 is a bill that would, among other things, eliminate the discounted in-state tuition rate for Kansas residents who are not legally documented.  These young people were typically brought across the border through no action or fault of their own, and are often called DREAMERS. 

The Kansas Catholic Conference supports allowing those young students the in-state tuition rate. To get this discount, they must state they are attempting to gain legal status and/or citizenship. Isn't this what we ultimately want for Kansas migrants without legal status?  

"Dreamers" are the category of migrants that public opinion polls show most Americans support in helping them gain legal status. This bill is going to the Governor, who is expected to veto it.  We are hoping enough legislators will NOT override her veto, allowing this benefit to stand.

MANDATORY CLERGY REPORTING OF ABUSE

HB 2352 is legislation that would legally require "duly ordained clergy" in Kansas to report instances of physical or sexual abuse, under penalty of law.  The Kansas Catholic Conference supports this legislation while noting that Catholic priests in Kansas have already been trained and are required, as a matter of Catholic Church policy, to report abuse for more than two decades. This legislation would not compel a Catholic priest to break the seal of confession. This bill has passed the House and awaits action in the Senate.

State Rep. (designate) Mike Storm (R) Olathe, KS

NEW STATE REPRESENTATIVE SELECTED 

Last week we told you about the sudden death of State Representative John Resman.  This past week, Resman's replacement in the House was named. Mike Storm will represent House District 121 in Western Johnson County.  Storm is a former candidate in 2024 for the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees. Storm has officially filed to run for the seat.

Robert George is considered one of the most respected and articulate Catholic voices in the United States today. Although Princeton University is considered a bastion of liberalism, Dr. George, a conservative and defender of Natural Law, has been a member of the Princeton faculty for 40 years.  We offer here a recent video interview where Dr. George explores the topic: Seeking Truth & Speaking Truth with Robert P. George

The next two weeks will be critical for important legislation.  This will be the last two weeks of the eight-year run for Governor Laura Kelley.  It will also be the last two weeks of the Republican supermajority in both the House and the Senate, at least for now.   

Please pray for your legislators and pray that they do what is best for Kansas. 

Thank you for reading our updates. As always, if you have any questions about legislation, do not hesitate to reach out.  We enjoy helping with any questions about the sometimes puzzling and confusing world of policy and politics in Kansas.

Saint Joseph (whose Feast Day we celebrate on March 19), Terror of Demons, pray for us! 

Until next time, we persevere.

Chuck Weber, Kansas Catholic Conference