Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2569

Introduced
1/28/26  
Refer
1/29/26  
Report Pass
2/16/26  
Engrossed
2/24/26  
Refer
2/25/26  
Report Pass
3/10/26  
Enrolled
4/9/26  

Caption

Requiring actions challenging the constitutionality of an election statute to be brought in the district court of Shawnee county and providing a conditional amendment to limit advance voting if a court order invalidates or enjoins the signature verification requirement.

Impact

The bill modifies existing election law to specify that challenges to the constitutionality of election statutes are restricted to a single jurisdiction, potentially affecting how quickly and efficiently such cases can be resolved. Moreover, it makes provisions concerning signature verification requirements for advance voting by establishing the secretary of state’s role in monitoring court orders that may impact these verification processes. These changes could have implications for how elections are conducted, particularly regarding advance voting procedures.

Summary

House Bill 2569 focuses on the legal landscape surrounding election-related challenges within Kansas. Specifically, the bill mandates that any action contesting the constitutionality of state election laws must be filed in the district court of Shawnee County. This change aims to centralize jurisdiction over such cases and streamline the legal process associated with challenges to election laws, thus creating a uniform approach to handling election-related litigation across the state.

Sentiment

The general sentiment surrounding HB 2569 appears to be mixed. Supporters argue that the bill will help clarify the legal venues for election-related actions, preventing what they view as frivolous lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions. Opponents may raise concerns regarding access to justice, fearing that requiring all cases to go through a single district court could be burdensome and may hinder timely responses to election disputes.

Contention

A notable point of contention with HB 2569 is its potential to centralize judicial authority in matters that could affect election integrity. Critics may believe that this will reduce the ability of some voters to challenge election laws effectively, especially those who might be located far from Shawnee County. The debate underscores deeper concerns about local versus state control of election procedures and the need to balance efficiency with accessibility in the electoral process.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB4

Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

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 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.

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 SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS SB6

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

KS SCR1602

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

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.