Kansas House Bill HB2091

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/24/25
• Refer: 1/24/25

Caption

Requiring discharged inmates be offered the opportunity to register to vote and requiring the secretary of state to develop a voter registration program that offers voter registration services through certain state agencies and accredited high schools.

Summary

HB2091 would expand voter registration access in Kansas by requiring the secretary of state to create registration programs through certain state agencies and at accredited high schools. Specifically, applicants for assistance or benefits through the Kansas Department for Children and Families, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, and the Department of Labor must be offered the opportunity to register to vote. The bill also requires high schools to offer voter registration services to students who are at least 17 years old. The bill further changes the treatment of people leaving the correctional system. Under the measure, an inmate who is a citizen and whose civil rights have been restored upon discharge would be offered the opportunity to register to vote. The bill also amends the criminal statute on voting without being qualified to clarify that a person who is otherwise ineligible but registers under the new registration provisions, without willfully misrepresenting eligibility, is not subject to that offense.

Impact

HB2091 would amend Kansas election and corrections-related statutes, including K.S.A. 22-3722 and 25-2416, and repeal the existing versions of those sections. It would create new voter registration outreach obligations for the secretary of state, state social service and labor agencies, and accredited high schools, while also adding a voter registration opportunity at discharge for eligible former inmates. The bill would affect state agencies that interact with benefit applicants, school districts and high schools, county election officers, and formerly incarcerated citizens whose rights have been restored.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a voter access and civic participation bill rather than a punitive elections bill. Its structure suggests support for broader registration opportunities for young voters, benefit applicants, and returning citizens. No formal vote history or transcript record is available here to show opposition or support from specific legislators or stakeholders.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the expansion of voter registration into nontraditional settings and the inclusion of discharged inmates in registration outreach. Critics could focus on administrative burden for state agencies and schools, proof-of-citizenship verification, or concerns about registering people who may still be ineligible. Supporters would likely emphasize access, civic engagement, and helping eligible Kansans register at points of contact with government and at school. The bill also narrows criminal exposure by exempting certain mistaken registrations under the new program, which could draw attention from election-law enforcement advocates.