Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2031

Filed/Introduced
 
Introduced
1/17/25  
Refer
1/17/25  
Report Pass
2/7/25  
Engrossed
2/18/25  
Refer
2/20/25  
Report Pass
3/5/25  
Enrolled
3/27/25  

Caption

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

Summary

HB2031 amends Kansas law governing driving school instructors and motorcycle instructors. The bill changes the licensing requirement so that an instructor may hold a valid driver’s license issued by any state, rather than being limited to a Kansas driver’s license. For motorcycle instructors, it likewise allows a valid class M license or an equivalent motorcycle-operating license from another state. The bill leaves the other instructor qualifications in place, including education or credential requirements, knowledge of the Kansas Operation Lifesaver highway/railroad grade crossing safety program, physical ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, a medical certificate, and the $5 application fee. It also repeals the existing version of K.S.A. 8-276 and replaces it with the revised language, taking effect upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Impact

HB2031 updates K.S.A. 8-276 by broadening the acceptable licensing credentials for driving school instructors and motorcycle instructors. The practical effect is to remove the Kansas-residency-style licensing restriction and allow out-of-state licensed instructors to qualify, which may expand the pool of eligible instructors for driver education and motorcycle training programs in Kansas. The bill does not alter the core training, health, or safety requirements for instructors, nor does it change the application fee.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House 117-2, the Senate 40-0, and the House later concurred with Senate amendments 121-0, indicating strong bipartisan agreement. The available record shows no committee transcript debate, suggesting little publicized opposition or extended controversy.

Contention

The only apparent point of policy change is whether Kansas should continue requiring instructors to hold a Kansas-issued license or instead accept licenses from any state. Any concern would likely center on ensuring that out-of-state license holders are still subject to adequate oversight and meet Kansas safety and training standards. However, the vote totals and lack of recorded committee discussion indicate that any disagreement was minimal and did not prevent passage.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

KS SR1703

Recognizing November 14, 2024, as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.

KS SR1701

Providing for the organization of the Senate for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.