Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2524

Introduced
1/22/26  
Refer
1/22/26  
Report Pass
2/11/26  
Engrossed
2/25/26  
Refer
2/26/26  
Report Pass
3/16/26  
Enrolled
3/26/26  

Caption

Permitting the secretary for children and families to license family foster homes when certain persons reside in such home and creating an appeal process for family foster homes when licenses are not granted.

Impact

If enacted, HB 2524 will make significant changes to existing laws surrounding child care facilities and family foster homes in Kansas. It will provide mechanisms for existing licenses to be maintained even when individuals with certain convictions reside in such homes, given that there are no safety concerns. Additionally, an appeal process is established for applicants whose licenses are denied or not maintained. This could improve opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration for former offenders while impacting the overall capacity for foster care in the state, allowing more children to be placed in family environments.

Summary

House Bill 2524 seeks to modify the licensure process for family foster homes by allowing the secretary for children and families in Kansas to grant or maintain licensure even in instances where certain individuals with convictions or adjudications reside in those homes. This legislation aims to address the challenges faced by families with a history of criminal convictions seeking to provide care to children, potentially increasing the number of eligible foster homes available in the state. The bill emphasizes safety concerns, permitting the secretary to make licensing decisions based on assessments of individual circumstances, promoting a more flexible approach to licensure in foster care settings.

Sentiment

The sentiment around the bill appears to be generally supportive among those advocating for increased foster care options and flexibility in handling cases with past convictions. Proponents argue that the bill reflects a compassionate approach to family dynamics and recognizes that people can change after serving their sentences. However, there may be concerns voiced by child welfare advocates regarding safety and suitability, indicating that while there is notable support, there remains a cautious perspective regarding child protection.

Contention

Notable points of contention may arise from differing views on the balance between providing opportunities for families with prior convictions and ensuring the safety and welfare of children placed in their care. Critics may argue that the bill could inadvertently undermine child safety protocols by allowing homes with certain unaddressed issues to remain licensed. This highlights an ongoing debate about the fairness of rehabilitating parents versus the paramount priority of protecting vulnerable children within the system.

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 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 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 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 SB6

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

KS SB8

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

KS SB3

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

KS HB2002

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.