Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB350

Filed/Introduced
8/8/26  
Introduced
1/21/26  
Refer
1/22/26  
Refer
2/19/26  

Caption

Enacting the age-appropriate school device act to establish safety standards and requirements for the use of school-issued devices in certain grade levels and authorizing parents to opt students out of certain uses of such devices.

Impact

The enactment of SB350 will fundamentally alter the regulations surrounding the use of technology in schools, mandating specific safety protocols and standards that educational institutions must adhere to when using school-issued devices. This will likely require schools to reassess their current device policies and possibly invest in new training or resources to comply with the new requirements. Parents will also play a vital role, as the bill allows them the option to opt their children out of certain uses of these devices, providing a mechanism for those concerned about the potential negative impacts of technology on young students' education and well-being.

Summary

SB350, known as the Age-Appropriate School Device Act, aims to establish safety standards and requirements for the use of school-issued devices across certain grade levels. This legislative measure highlights the growing concern around the integration of technology in educational settings, particularly regarding the suitability and safety of devices being used by students. The bill seeks to regulate how these devices are issued and managed in schools, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe learning environment.

Contention

There are notable points of contention surrounding SB350. Critics argue that while the intention behind the bill is sound, the implementation may lead schools to face excessive bureaucratic hurdles and increased operational costs. Some educators express concern that the added regulations might restrict the educational benefits that well-managed technology could provide. Additionally, there could be disagreements on what constitutes 'age-appropriate' usage of these devices, raising questions about equity and access for students with different needs and backgrounds.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB8

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

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 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 HB2002

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

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 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 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.

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