Legislative Update Wk #5 - February 13, 2026
- Feb 13
- 9 min read
By Reily Goyne, AIA Kansas Advocacy Manager
General Statehouse Update
Budget proposals near completion
The House Appropriations and Senate Ways & MeansCommittees held marathon meetings this week to put together their final budget proposals. The House Appropriations Committee finalized its budget proposal on Friday, February 13, but the Senate’s proposal will be finalized on Monday, February 16. Each chamber needs to vote on its respective budget proposals, and then the House and Senate budget committee leadership will meet to negotiate the differences between each proposal to create the final budget.
Bill Amends Fire Sprinkler Requirements for Multifamily Residential Building
On Friday, February 6, HB 2739 was introduced and immediately scheduled for a hearing (watch here) on Monday, February 9, in House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development. The bill would prohibit municipalities from requiring fire sprinklers in residential buildings with up to four units, and changes the definition of residential buildings and apartment homes to clarify that buildings with up to four residential units are not apartment homes.
AIA Kansas is anticipating the addition of a few amendments to the bill. It will be amended and likely passed out of the Committee on Monday, and must be advanced out of the House by Thursday.
MIH Funding Added to House Budget
During the Friday House Appropriations Committee budget work, Rep. Sean Tarwater(R-Stilwell) proposed adding $12.5 million to the Moderate Income Housing (MIH) grant program. The funding will come first from any remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds before drawing from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF) and the State General Fund (SGF).
STAR Bonds Amended, Extended, Passed
The House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee amended and passed H Sub for Sub for SB 197 on Tuesday, February 10. This bill makes significant changes to the STAR Bonds program and extends the sunset, both essential for the new Chiefs Stadium STAR Bond project.
The amended bill imposes stricter requirements regarding the origin of visitors to the STAR bond projects and requires more consistent tracking of visitor and sales tax data. Since the goal of STAR Bonds is to attract visitors from out of state, and the additional sales tax revenue generated by these visitors is what’s used to pay off the bonds, these additional requirements are in line with the goals. The bill also states that State General Fund money cannot be pledged to repay the bonds.
H Sub for Sub for SB 197 is safe from the Turnaround deadline next week, so it can advance at any time before the end of the session.
Statewide Licensing for Electricians Advances
The House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee amended and passed HB 2588, the bill creating statewide licensure for electricians. The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP) provided neutral testimony during the hearing, suggesting that the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) was a more appropriate agency to oversee electrician licensing.
The amendment stated that localities without existing electrician licensing will not be obligated to require a license, but would be required to accept the statewide license if they want licensed electricians. The number of required hours of practice was increased from 4,000 to 8,000 to match surrounding states and federal guidelines to achieve reciprocity, and the electricians will be under the supervision of a new board within OSFM.
This bill is not exempt from deadlines and must be passed by the House by next Thursday.
New and Changed KSBTP Licenses Now Require Legislative Ratification
SB 30, a bill that almost passed in 2025, was discussed in a conference committee meeting between the Senate Commerce and House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committees on Monday, February 9. The bill requires all new occupational and professional licenses, or substantive changes to existing licenses, to be ratified by the legislature before going into effect.
Previously, the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP) was excluded from the provisions of the bill, along with several other healthcare licensing boards. However, the Conference Committee amended the bill so the provisions would apply to the KSBTP.
SB 30 now goes to each chamber to approve or reject. If rejected, a new Conference Committee will be formed to further compromise. If approved, it goes to Governor Laura Kelly for her action.
SB 335, Requiring Mutual Waiver of Consequential Damages, Passed Out of Committee
On Wednesday, February 11, the Senate Commerce Committee passed SB 335, a bill requiring that public construction contracts include a mutual waiver of consequential damages. Contractors are still able to claim liquidated and direct damages.
SB 335 now goes to the Senate for debate and a vote, and must be passed by Thursday, February 19, to stay alive this session.
SB 418, By-right Housing, Amended and Passed Out of Committee
On Thursday, February 12, the Senate Commerce Committee amended and passed SB 418 out to the Senate. The bill was amended to:
Allow all land zoned for residential to be used for single-family housing. Previously, the bill said all land within city limits could be used for single-family housing, including land zoned for commercial or industrial use.
Clarification that all single-family housing with less than 3000 square feet of livable floor area must be zoned as individual lots with separate legal descriptions
SB 418 is intended to spur additional housing development, focusing on single-family houses, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). With the above amendments, it does the following:
Streamlines permit approval process to 15 days under the By-Right Housing Development Act
Allows third-party reviews of new residential construction development documents and inspection of improvements
Requires cities and political subdivisions to allow single-family residences to be built to the 2018 code standard, but does not prohibit the use of more recent standards
Prohibits the use of protest petitions againstowner-initiated rezoning to single-family residential districts
The bill now advances to the Senate to be debated and voted on. It must be passed by the Senate by Thursday, February 19, or else it can no longer be advanced this session.
Professional Freedom of Expression Act Amended Before Passage
On Tuesday, February 10, the House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee amended and passed HB 2465, the Professionals’ Freedom of Expression Act. Chairman Sean Tarwater (R-Stilwell) amended the bill to remove all real estate agent-specific language and narrowed the bill to only apply to governmental entities, not private licensing organizations, as it was originally written.
AIA Kansas was concerned about the bill’s language regarding private licensing organizations and its impact on our Code of Ethics. Lobbyists will continue to monitor HB 2465 as it advances to ensure its scope does not expand.
Public Comment for White House Ballroom
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) has opened public comments on the proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition to the White House.
Written comments are due March 4 at Noon ET. Give your comments here.
The White House is a National Historic Landmark and National Park, owned by the American people and stewarded by the National Park Service.
Public input should occur before construction makes the outcome irreversible.
As National Trust President and CEO Carol Quillen has stated: “The American people deserve an opportunity to provide comment and shape the project.”
Commissioners need to hear directly from the public. Please take a few minutes to submit your comment.
Bills to Watch
If you have questions or suggestions about the following bills, please reach out to Reily Goyne.
SB 30 was replaced with the contents of SB 229, requiring the adoption of new occupational licenses and material changes to existing licenses to be approved by the legislature. It was amended in conference committee to include the Board of Technical Professions. The House and Senate must vote to approve the Conference Committee Report to send it to the Governor.
SB 148 excludes from sales taxation the service of installing or applying tangible personal property for the reconstruction, restoration, remodeling, renovation, repair, or replacement of a building or facility. It is in the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, and no hearing has been scheduled.
SB 222 prohibits deference to a state agency's interpretation of a statute, rule, or regulation, or document by a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action. It had a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee in 2025 and can be advanced at any time.
SB 283 eliminates the Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit and other tax credit programs. It had a hearing in 2025 in the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee.
SB 335 requires public construction contracts to include a mutual waiver of consequential damages. It is on General Orders in the Senate and is subject to deadlines.
SB 418 enacts the by-right housing development act to provide a streamlined permit approval process for by-right housing developments, allows third-party review of new residential construction development documents and inspection of improvements, requires political subdivisions to allow certain building provisions for single-family residences of a certain size, excludes owner initiated rezoning to a single-family residential district from protest petition provisions and provides for all residential land within the corporate limits of a city to be considered zoned for single-family residential use. It is on General Orders in the Senate and subject to deadlines.
SB 436 increases the cost threshold for when a county shall use the public bidding process in awarding a construction contract. It had a hearing in Senate Local Government, Transparency and Ethics on February 10, and is subject to deadlines.
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HB 2099 permits periodic inspections by a city or county for code violations of private residential rental housing where the property owner is receiving governmental rental subsidies. It is in Senate Local Government, Transparency, and Ethics, and can advance at any time.
HB 2119 discontinues the Kansas affordable housing tax credit for qualified developments receiving a 4% federal tax credit. It is in Senate Commerce and can be amended or advanced at any time.
HB 2138 authorizes school districts to levy an annual tax of up to two mills for school building safety, security, and compliance with the Americans with disabilities act. It is in the House Education Committee, and no hearing is scheduled.
HB 2162 excludes from sales taxation the service of installing or applying tangible personal property for the reconstruction, restoration, remodeling, renovation, repair, or replacement of a building or facility. It is in the House Taxation Committee, and no hearing has been scheduled.
HB 2328 provides an exception to restrictions on prison-made housing units to allow the Secretary of Corrections to establish a program for delivering such units into designated areas. It is in the House Committee on Interstate Cooperation and has not had a hearing.
HB 2465 enacts the professionals' freedom of expression act to provide protection for professionals and businesses against adverse action as a result of an expression of beliefs of such professional or business that is unrelated to such profession or business. It is on General Orders in the House and is subject to deadlines.
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HB 2523 authorizing technical colleges and community colleges to affiliate with Kansas universities or colleges, authorizing state educational institutions to affiliate with accredited independent institutions and providing procedures for such affiliations.
HB 2573 amending statutes concerning the Kansas board of accountancy; relating to licensure requirements for certified public accountants. It is on General Orders in the House and not subject to deadlines.
HB 2588 establishes statewide electrician licensing by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. It is on General Orders in the House and subject to deadlines.
HB 2634 requires landlords to comply with a default maintenance code if the rental property is in a city or county that has not adopted a maintenance code. It had a hearing in House Local Government on Friday, February 13 and is subject to deadlines.
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HB 2650 requires that noncompete agreements be reasonable and provides that such agreements are null and void upon the sale or change in ownership or control of an employer. It has not been scheduled for a hearing and is subject to deadlines.
HB 2701 permits nonuniform zoning regulations within a zoning district. It has not been scheduled for a hearing and is subject to deadlines.
HB 2709 establishes licensure for home inspectors. It has not been scheduled for a hearing and is subject to deadlines.
HB 2739 prohibits municipalities from requiring fire sprinklers in multifamily residential dwellings up to four units. It had a hearing Monday, February 9, in House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development, and is subject to deadlines.
Request for Participation on Housing Affordability
Promoting Housing Affordability through I-Codes
The International Code Council (ICC) recently established an Advisory Committee for the Housing Affordability Study: Promoting Housing Affordability through the I-Codes. This initiative is currently in the information-gathering phase, and AIA strongly encourages your participation.
As an architect, your voice is essential to ensuring that affordable housing strategies remain grounded in design excellence. This study, led by Clemson University, Western Michigan University, and San Jose State University, evaluates how the I-Codes impact housing costs and delivery.
Specifically, this initiative seeks to assess the International Residential Code (IRC) to identify revisions that:
Reduce costs and simplify the code without compromising life safety;
Improve clarity and implementation in the field; and
Enhance overall quality and accessibility.
Please take a moment to complete the questionnaire to ensure the architect's perspective is represented in this critical national study: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
Cities and counties have advisory boards and commissions making decisions for their communities, and these groups are a great way to get involved in your community. Below is a list of boards with vacancies in the largest Kansas cities. Visit your city's website regularly to see any future openings, or email Reily Goyne if you would like assistance identifying opportunities.
Downtown Business Improvement District Advisory Board
Historic Resources Board
NOTO Business Improvement District Advisory Board
Affordable Housing Trust Fund Review Committee
Topeka Sustainability Advisory Board
Landmarks Commission
Board of Code Standards and Appeals
Community Service Block Grant Review Committee
Wichita Sustainability Integration Board
Wichita/Sedgwick County Access Advisory Board
About AIA Kansas
AIA Kansas is a state chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
The organization provides services and programs to meet the professional development needs and interests of Kansas architects and to develop public awareness for the value of architects and architecture.
Our 650-plus members are leaders in building healthy, sustainable communities that will serve our citizens into the future.
www.aiaks.org | 785-357-5308 | info@aiaks.org
