Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB78

Introduced
1/27/25  
Refer
1/28/25  
Report Pass
2/17/25  
Engrossed
2/25/25  
Refer
2/25/25  
Report Pass
3/13/25  
Enrolled
3/21/25  

Caption

Requiring postsecondary educational institutions to regularly review and update accreditation policies, prohibiting accrediting agencies from compelling such institutions to violate state law and providing a cause of action for violations thereof.

Summary

SB 78 would require governing bodies of postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas to regularly review and update their accreditation policies and, by December 31, 2025, identify accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and revise policies so institutions may pursue accreditation from any eligible accreditor appropriate to their programs. The bill also states that accrediting agencies may not compel an institution to violate state law, and that adverse accreditation action based in whole or part on compliance with state law would be a violation, subject to any federal preemption. The bill creates a private right of action allowing a negatively affected institution to sue an accrediting agency or association in Kansas court, and requires an institution’s governing board to notify the Legislature within 30 days if such a violation occurs. In addition to this new accreditation section, the bill amends several existing statutes to replace older references to specific accrediting bodies with references to U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditors, including statutes affecting educational institution license plates, eligibility for certain state grants, real estate education providers, Kansas comprehensive grants, and sales tax definitions tied to educational institutions.

Impact

SB 78 would alter Kansas law by modernizing multiple statutory references from legacy accreditor names to accreditors recognized in the U.S. Department of Education database, while also adding a new statewide policy governing how postsecondary institutions handle accreditation. The bill affects state educational institutions, municipal universities, private and not-for-profit postsecondary institutions, community colleges, and related entities by changing accreditation-related eligibility language in grant, licensing, tax, and vehicle plate statutes. It also exposes accrediting agencies to civil litigation in Kansas if they take adverse action against an institution for complying with state law, except where federal law preempts the state requirement.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have received generally strong support in both chambers, passing the Senate 38-2, the House 86-36, and then the Senate again 38-2 on concurrence. Those margins suggest broad backing for the bill’s core goal of protecting Kansas institutions from accreditation pressure tied to state-law compliance and updating outdated statutory references. The recorded votes also show that the measure was not unanimous, indicating some meaningful opposition remained, especially in the House.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s restriction on accrediting agencies and its creation of a cause of action against them, which could be viewed as a state intervention into accreditation standards and institutional autonomy. Supporters likely see the bill as protecting Kansas institutions from being forced to choose between accreditation and compliance with state law, while opponents may be concerned about conflicts with accreditor independence, federal accreditation requirements, and possible litigation. A secondary issue is the bill’s broad revision of multiple statutes to replace specific accreditor references, which may have implications for how state programs define eligible institutions and providers.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 SB6

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

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 SB8

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

KS HB2002

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

KS SB4

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

KS SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

Similar Bills

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LA SB304

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US SB801

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US HB1739

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CA SB1351

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IA HSB57

A bill for an act relating to accreditation of postsecondary educational institutions, prohibiting adverse action by accrediting agencies against certain postsecondary educational institutions for compliance with state law, providing remedies, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 295.)

IA HF295

A bill for an act relating to accreditation of postsecondary educational institutions, prohibiting adverse action by accrediting agencies against certain postsecondary educational institutions for compliance with state law, providing remedies, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 57.) Effective date: 05/06/2025.