Kansas House Bill HB2491

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/26
• Refer: 1/21/26
• Report Pass: 2/16/26
• Engrossed: 2/18/26
• Refer: 2/19/26

Caption

Requiring state agencies to make quarterly reports to the secretary of state with the names and addresses of noncitizens receiving public benefits.

Summary

HB2491 would require every Kansas state agency, as defined in K.S.A. 75-3701, that provides public funds, scholarships, or other publicly funded benefits to noncitizens to submit quarterly reports to the secretary of state. Those reports would have to include the name and address of each noncitizen recipient. The bill is framed as an administrative reporting requirement rather than a direct change to eligibility for benefits. In practical terms, the bill would create a new statewide disclosure obligation for agencies that administer benefits or scholarships to noncitizens. It would affect the handling of recipient information by state agencies and would likely require agencies to track, compile, and transmit personal identifying information on a recurring basis. The bill takes effect upon publication in the statute book.

Impact

The bill would add a new reporting mandate to Kansas state agencies that provide public funds or other public benefits to noncitizens, requiring quarterly disclosure of recipient names and addresses to the secretary of state. It does not appear to amend benefit eligibility rules or create a new program; instead, it imposes an information-reporting requirement that could affect agency recordkeeping, privacy practices, and administrative workload. The affected parties would include state agencies administering scholarships or benefits and noncitizen recipients whose personal information would be reported.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill advanced with meaningful support in the House, passing final action 87-37. That margin indicates a generally favorable sentiment among a majority of members, though not broad consensus. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate or amendments beyond the final House action as amended.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the requirement to report the names and addresses of noncitizens receiving public-funded benefits, which raises privacy, civil liberties, and administrative concerns. Opponents may view the measure as singling out noncitizens and creating a surveillance-like reporting system, while supporters may argue it improves transparency and oversight of public spending. The split House vote suggests these concerns were significant, even though the bill ultimately passed.