Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2330

Introduced
2/7/25  

Caption

Designating November 14 of each year as Ruby Bridges walk to school day in the state of Kansas.

Summary

HB2330 designates November 14 of each year as “Ruby Bridges walk to school day” in Kansas. The bill ties the observance to the anniversary of Ruby Bridges’ first day attending William Frantz Elementary School and provides that if November 14 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the commemoration will instead occur on the following Wednesday. The bill is largely commemorative and educational in nature. Its findings connect the observance to Kansas’ historical role in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, the civil rights movement, school desegregation, and efforts to encourage dialogue about racism, bullying, and activism in schools. It also references prior Kansas resolutions recognizing Brown v. Board’s anniversary and a 2024 special-session resolution honoring Ruby Bridges walk to school day. In terms of legal effect, HB2330 would add a new annual day of commemoration to Kansas law but would not create a regulatory program, appropriation, or enforcement mechanism. It would formally recognize Ruby Bridges walk to school day as a state observance and establish a weekend adjustment rule for the date, affecting how schools, educators, and community groups may plan related activities. The available context suggests broad, positive sentiment around the bill. The measure was requested on behalf of the Kansas Black Leadership Council and is framed in supportive language celebrating civil rights history, educational inclusion, and student engagement. There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, and no explicit opposition is shown. The main points of emphasis are symbolic recognition and educational messaging rather than policy change. The bill’s discussion highlights Ruby Bridges as a civil rights icon and notes concerns about censorship of her book, but those references appear to support the observance rather than indicate controversy within the bill itself.

Impact

HB2330 would amend Kansas law by creating an official annual state commemoration on November 14 called Ruby Bridges walk to school day, with a weekday fallback when the date falls on a weekend. The bill does not alter substantive rights or duties, but it would formally recognize the observance in state statute and could influence school calendars, educational programming, and public awareness activities related to civil rights and anti-bullying efforts.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and celebratory. The bill is presented as a tribute to Ruby Bridges, the Brown v. Board of Education legacy, and the broader civil rights movement, with language emphasizing unity, education, and activism. No votes, amendments, or committee objections are provided, and the available context suggests the measure was introduced in a favorable environment.

Contention

No direct opposition is reflected in the provided record, but the bill’s references suggest the broader cultural context may include debate over school curriculum, racial history, and book censorship. The most notable issue mentioned is the American Library Association’s reporting of increased demands to censor books, including Ruby Bridges’ book, which underscores the bill’s educational and symbolic role. Otherwise, the measure appears noncontroversial and ceremonial.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SR1703

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

KS SR1702

A resolution honoring the life, career and trailblazing achievements of Kansas icon Ed Dwight.

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 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 SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SCR1603

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for residential property.

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 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 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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.