Kansas House Bill HB2758

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/26
• Refer: 2/6/26
• Report Pass: 2/16/26
• Engrossed: 2/24/26
• Refer: 2/25/26

Caption

Directing the capitol preservation committee to develop and approve plans for a registry kiosk of Kansas military forces killed in action or who died of wounds incurred during active duty to be placed within the state capitol.

Summary

HB2758 directs the Kansas Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans for a permanent registry kiosk to be placed inside the state capitol honoring Kansas military forces killed in action or who died of wounds incurred during active duty. The kiosk is intended to serve as a permanent display in the capitol and would be created under the authority of the secretary of administration. The bill also establishes the Kansas military forces registry kiosk fund in the state treasury. That fund would receive grants, gifts, contributions, or bequests designated for the kiosk, and those moneys could be spent only for creating and constructing the kiosk and any other purposes attached to the donated funds. The bill expressly prohibits the use of public funds for the kiosk, making it a privately financed commemorative project housed in a state facility.

Impact

HB2758 would add a new statutory directive related to capitol displays and create a dedicated treasury fund for the registry kiosk. It affects the Capitol Preservation Committee, the secretary of administration, the state treasurer, and the director of accounts and reports by assigning them roles in approving plans, receiving donations, depositing funds, and authorizing expenditures. It does not create a new benefit program or regulatory scheme, but it does establish a permanent memorial project and a funding mechanism within Kansas law.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. In the House final action, it passed overwhelmingly 121-1, suggesting strong bipartisan approval for honoring fallen Kansas service members and for using private donations rather than public money. No committee transcript was provided, so the recorded vote is the main indicator of sentiment.

Contention

The main point of policy significance is the funding approach: the bill bars public expenditures and relies entirely on grants, gifts, contributions, or bequests. That structure may appeal to supporters who want a memorial without state spending, while any concern would likely center on whether private fundraising is sufficient to build and maintain the kiosk or whether the state should have a larger role. The near-unanimous vote suggests these issues were not strongly contested in the House.