Legislative Update Wk #6 - February 20, 2026
- Feb 20
- 8 min read
By Reily Goyne, AIA Kansas Advocacy Manager
General Statehouse Update
A few committees met on Monday, but this week was dedicated to floor debate before the Turnaround deadline on Thursday, February 19. The Senate adjourned on Wednesday afternoon while the House continued to work through Thursday. Over 100 bills were passed by out of their chamber of origin and sent to the second chamber. Any bill not considered exempt that was not passed this week cannot advance and must be reintroduced in 2027. The only bills considered exempt are those sponsored by or referred to one of the six exempt committees: House and Senate Federal and State Affairs, House Taxation, Senate Assessment and Taxation, House Appropriations, and Senate Ways and Means.
School cell phone ban passes House
Debate in the House kicked off this week with H Sub for Sub SB 281, a proposal for a bell-to-bell ban on student cell phone usage in schools. Most of the discussion was about whether the ban should apply to private schools as well as public schools. Ultimately, the bill includes private schools and was passed 75-48. The Senate has ruled the bill is “materially different” from when it was sent to the House, so it has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
Public Contract Reform Advances: SB 335 Passes Senate
SB 335, a bill requiring public contracts to include a mutual waiver of consequential damages, passed the Senate with a vote of 37-2. Claims regarding liquid and direct damages are unaffected. The House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee has already scheduled a hearing on Wednesday, February 25. AIA Kansas is monitoring this bill at the direction of the Government Affairs Committee.
House Bill Passes Amending Fire Sprinkler Requirements for Multifamily Residential Buildings
The House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee amended and passed HB 2739 out of committee on Monday, February 16.
The bill was first amended to only apply to townhouses with up to four attached units. Builders can use either a two-hour fire-resistance wall assembly or a one-hour fire-resistance wall assembly with a multipurpose residential sprinkler system. The amendment also removed Section 3, which changed the definition of “apartment house.”
The second amendment to the bill changed the accessibility requirements for homes funded through the Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit program or the Moderate Income Housing grant program. Kansas Housing Resources Corporation can still implement its own requirements, but with the amendment, it is no longer required that all housing units funded by the KHITC and MIH programs follow certain design and construction accessibility requirements.
The House debated it on the floor on Thursday, February 19, and passed it 97-19. It now goes to the Senate, where it will be assigned to a Committee for a second hearing.
The Government Affairs Committee directed lobbyists to monitor, but not act on, the bill at this time. If you have any questions, contact Reily Goyne.
SB 30 Advances to the Senate
Kansas SB 30 would require that any new occupational licensing requirements, or material changes to existing licenses, adopted by a state agency be approved by joint resolution of the Legislature or otherwise ratified through the enactment of a bill. The measure also establishes notice requirements and a formal legislative review process for proposed licensing changes.
Previously, the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP), along with several healthcare licensing boards, was excluded from the bill. The Conference Committee amended SB 30 to include KSBTP under its provisions.
On Monday, February 16, the House adopted the conference committee report by a vote of 89–35. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval or rejection. If approved, SB 30 will be sent to Governor Laura Kelly for her signature or veto. If rejected, a new conference committee will be appointed to resolve differences between the chambers.
Statewide Licensure for Electricians Passes House
HB 2588, a bill creating statewide licensure for electricians, passed the House 113-9. Localities are not obligated to require licensure, but must accept the state license if they want licensed electricians. Licensure requirements in the bill match those of the federal government and surrounding states to facilitate reciprocity.
By-Right Housing Bill Passes Senate
SB 418, a bill establishing the by-right housing act and amending residential zoning requirements, passed the Senate with a vote of 35-5. The bill is designed to increase the construction of single-family homes in cities by reducing regulations and accelerating review timelines. At the direction of the Government Affairs Committee, AIA Kansas is monitoring this bill.
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.
Committees Hearings
Tuesday (2.24.2026) - DAY 44
1:30 - House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development: Commerce Conversations, Steve Feilmeier, former CFO of Koch—addressing affordable housing challenges
Wednesday (2.25.2026) - DAY 45
9:00 - House Appropriations: Informational hearing on STAR bonds and state building construction
1:30 - House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development: SB 335 hearing
3:30 - House Taxation: HB 2162 hearing
Thursday (2.26.2026) - DAY 46
9:00 - House Appropriations: Kansas Housing Resources Corporation Informational Hearing
1:30 - House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development: Commerce Conversations, Associated General Contractors, Mike Gibson & Trident Homes
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 approved the new language and sent it to the Senate for a vote.
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 passed the Senate 37-2, and has a hearing in House Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development on Wednesday, February 25.
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 passed the Senate 35-5, and awaits referral to a House committee.
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 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 2588 establishes statewide electrician licensing by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. It passed the House with a vote of 113-9, and awaits committee referral in the Senate.
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.
The following bills were tracked by AIA Kansas, but are dead due to missing deadlines or a failed vote.
SB 436 increases the cost threshold for when a county shall use the public bidding process in awarding a construction contract. It was killed in the Senate with a vote of 12-26.
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 missed the Turnaround deadline.
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 missed the Turnaround deadline.
HB 2523 authorizes technical colleges and community colleges to affiliate with Kansas universities or colleges and authorizes state educational institutions to affiliate with accredited independent institutions. It missed the Turnaround deadline.
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 missed the Turnaround deadline.
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 missed the Turnaround deadline.
HB 2701 permits nonuniform zoning regulations within a zoning district. It missed the Turnaround deadline.
HB 2709 establishes licensure for home inspectors. It missed the Turnaround deadline.
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
