Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2706

Introduced
2/4/26  

Caption

Prohibiting certain federal law enforcement officers from entering hospitals, schools and places of worship under certain circumstances and prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing a facial covering that conceals or obscures their facial identity in the performance of their duties with certain exceptions.

Impact

The implications of HB 2706 extend to existing state laws governing law enforcement conduct and public safety. By facilitating limitations on federal officers’ access to places that serve vulnerable populations, the bill presents a significant shift in how state lawmakers view the interplay between federal authority and local community safety. Supporters of the bill would argue that it empowers communities to safeguard their own environments from what they see as intrusive federal interventions, while critics may argue that such restrictions could hinder essential law enforcement operations and emergency responses in situations requiring federal assistance.

Summary

House Bill 2706 proposes specific restrictions on the activities of federal law enforcement officers, particularly regarding their access to sensitive environments such as hospitals, schools, and places of worship. The bill articulates that these federal officers should only be permitted to enter these locations under certain circumstances, aiming to protect the privacy and safety of individuals in these settings. Furthermore, the bill seeks to prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings that conceal or obscure their identity while performing their official duties, except in designated situations. This aspect is likely intended to enhance accountability and transparency in law enforcement interactions with the public.

Contention

Key points of contention surrounding HB 2706 include the balance between safeguarding individual privacy rights and ensuring effective law enforcement presence during critical times. Proponents emphasize the need for community trust in law enforcement, arguing that local entities should have control over who accesses community spaces, particularly in sensitive areas. Conversely, opponents may express concerns regarding potential delays in law enforcement response times, especially in emergencies, suggesting that limiting federal officers' access could lead to complications in maintaining public order and safety.

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 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 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 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 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 SCR1601

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

KS SB6

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

KS HB2002

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.