Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2637

Introduced
2/3/26  

Caption

Requiring eligible boards of education to consider participation in the community eligibility provision, providing a financial hardship exception from such participation and requiring the state department of education to assist school districts seeking such participation.

Impact

A significant aspect of HB2637 is its potential impact on school funding and the provision of meals in educational institutions. By mandating that school boards consider becoming part of the CEP, the legislation promotes a systematic approach to addressing food insecurity among students. The state department of education is tasked with assisting these districts in their efforts to join the program, which may streamline the process and ensure that schools can effectively provide free meals. This initiative could improve overall student welfare and academic performance, as access to proper nutrition is closely linked to learning outcomes.

Summary

House Bill 2637 is an act focused on education, specifically aiming to enhance participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as outlined in 42 U.S.C. § 1759a. This provision allows eligible school districts to provide free meals to all students regardless of individual income levels, thereby reducing barriers to access for students in need. The bill requires boards of education from eligible districts to evaluate their participation in the CEP and to adopt a resolution to join if feasible, reinforcing the importance of supportive nutrition programs in schools.

Contention

There are notable points of contention surrounding the bill, particularly regarding the financial hardship exception included within the provisions. School districts that find participation unduly burdensome financially must demonstrate this through a public meeting, requiring transparency and oversight in their decision-making processes. Critics may argue that the financial hardship clause could act as a barrier to participation for some districts, ultimately undermining the bill's intent to provide broader access to free meals. Thus, while the bill aims to promote participation in federal nutrition programs, the financial constraints of local districts may complicate its broader application.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

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

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 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 SB6

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

KS SB4

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

KS SB8

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

KS HR6002

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

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.

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