Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2601

Introduced
1/29/26  
Refer
1/29/26  
Report Pass
2/18/26  
Engrossed
2/25/26  
Refer
2/26/26  
Report Pass
3/16/26  
Enrolled
4/9/26  

Caption

Establishing a registry for child abuse and neglect to be maintained by the secretary for children and families, providing for registration and expungement processes that include administrative hearings and opportunities for subsequent appeals, requiring reports of abuse or neglect to include information regarding a custody dispute concerning the child who is the subject of the report and directing the secretary to submit a report to the legislature on such information.

Impact

The bill significantly impacts state laws concerning child welfare and the management of child abuse allegations. It establishes clearer protocols for the handling of reports of abuse, including the requirement for administrative hearings and provisions for appealing registry placements. Furthermore, it outlines circumstances under which an individual may be expunged from the registry after an established period, thus providing a mechanism not only for accountability but also for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Summary

House Bill 2601 establishes a comprehensive child abuse and neglect registry to be maintained by the secretary for children and families. The bill mandates that individuals who are alleged to have abused or neglected a child are not to be placed on this registry without a proper process that includes notification and an opportunity for a hearing. By ensuring that individuals accused of such acts have their rights protected, the bill introduces more transparent measures in dealing with allegations of child abuse or neglect, moving away from potentially arbitrary listings on a registry based solely on allegations.

Sentiment

The sentiment around HB 2601 appears to be generally supportive within the legislature, as evidenced by its unanimous passage in the House with 124 votes in favor. Proponents argue that the bill strikes a necessary balance between protecting children and safeguarding the rights of individuals who may be wrongfully accused, presenting a well-rounded approach to handling sensitive issues of child welfare and family law.

Contention

Notable points of contention include the adequacy of protections for individuals listed on the registry, especially concerning the fairness of hearings and appeals. Critics argue that while the bill aims to enhance the rights of the accused, it is critical to ensure that the standards for determining abuse or neglect are not weakened in the process. The challenges of managing the implications of custody disputes when allegations arise also raise concerns about the potential unintended consequences for children and families involved in the system.

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 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 SR1701

Providing for the organization of the Senate for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

KS SCR1601

Informing the Governor that the two houses of the Legislature are organized and ready to receive communications.

KS HR6001

Providing for the organization of the House of Representatives for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

KS HCR5002

Providing for the adjournment sine die of the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

KS HR6002

Providing for assignment of seats in the House of Representatives for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

KS SB6

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

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.

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US SB555

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IL HB4485

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MI HB5403

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MI HB5437

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MI HB5278

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