Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB438

Filed/Introduced
8/8/26  
Introduced
2/2/26  
Refer
2/3/26  
Refer
2/19/26  
Refer
2/24/26  

Caption

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

Impact

If enacted, SB438 would require school districts to proactively assess their eligibility under the CEP and encourage them to participate unless they can prove financial hardship. This step is expected to increase access to free meals for children from low-income families, thereby contributing to improved student nutrition and overall well-being. Additionally, the bill calls for the state department of education to assist these districts in their efforts to apply for the program, potentially increasing administrative support and resources for schools.

Summary

Senate Bill 438 aims to enhance participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program by requiring eligible school districts to consider participation. The bill mandates that each school district's board of education evaluate the number of students eligible for free meals and take a formal vote on participation unless financial hardship is demonstrated. The bill underscores the importance of ensuring that eligible students receive necessary meals and assistance when in attendance at school.

Contention

Notably, the bill includes a provision for financial hardship exceptions, which may prompt debate regarding its implementation. Legislators may discuss how to define and evaluate 'financial hardship,' as this could impact several districts' decisions and eligibility. Critics may argue that financial assessments could be a burden for school boards, while supporters would emphasize that ensuring meal access for students is of paramount importance. Unresolved discussions could arise regarding the resources available to districts for managing the application process or meeting program requirements.

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 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 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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