Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2437

Introduced
1/14/26  
Refer
1/14/26  
Report Pass
2/12/26  
Engrossed
2/19/26  
Refer
2/25/26  
Report Pass
3/13/26  
Enrolled
4/9/26  
Vetoed
4/9/26  

Caption

Establishing the save Kansas act, authorizing the use of additional resources for verifying voter registration records, imposing restrictions on websites that can accept and transmit voter registration applications, removing individuals disqualified for voting from such records and providing an open records request exemption for certain information related to such records.

Impact

The implications of HB 2437 on state laws are substantial. The bill enforces stricter measures for maintaining voter registration records and delineates how noncitizens receiving public assistance benefits are treated concerning their voter eligibility. By requiring counties to cancel registrations of individuals confirmed as ineligible to vote, it may lead to a decrease in the number of registered voters in Kansas, particularly among populations at risk of falling into the categories of those removed from the rolls.

Summary

House Bill 2437, cited as the SAVE Kansas Act, introduces significant modifications to the state's voter registration processes. The bill authorizes additional resources for verifying voter registration records, specifically targeting the identification of noncitizen voters through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. It mandates that the Secretary of State conduct periodic checks against the SAVE database and report outcomes to the relevant legislative committees, aiming to uphold the integrity of voter rolls by ensuring that only eligible individuals remain registered to vote.

Sentiment

Discussions surrounding HB 2437 have elicited a polarized sentiment. Supporters advocate that the bill is a necessary step towards election integrity, arguing it protects the voting process from potential fraud by ensuring only eligible voters can register. Conversely, opponents view the bill as a means to disenfranchise eligible voters, particularly among marginalized groups, raising concerns over possible wrongful removals due to stringent verification requirements and implications for voter access. This dichotomy reflects broader national debates on voter rights and election security.

Contention

Key points of contention arise from the bill's approach to voter verification and its potential impact on voter turnout. Critics argue that the verification process, while aimed at ensuring effective identification of eligible voters, could lead to administrative hurdles that may disenfranchise legitimate voters who are unable to provide the required proof of citizenship or residency. Moreover, the focus on noncitizen verification raises broader ethical questions about who is marginalized by such stringent measures in voter registration laws.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

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 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 SB8

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

KS HB2002

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

KS SB6

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

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.