Weekly Look Ahead: Rolling into ninth week with hearings, floor debate
Senate debate on voucher bill scheduled for Tuesday, March 10
By Timothy R. Graham
Director of Government Relations
The Kansas Legislature enters the ninth week of the 2026 session with committee hearings continuing across both chambers and floor debate beginning to occupy more of the legislative calendar.
As lawmakers move deeper into the second half of the session, the pace of activity is expected to remain steady while key policy proposals continue to advance through the committee process.
The approaching March 20 Second Chamber Consideration deadline is beginning to shape the legislative calendar, with committees working remaining hearings and leadership preparing measures for floor consideration. At the same time, early budget negotiations are beginning to take shape as lawmakers prepare for conference committee discussions on the final state spending plan.
As always, schedules at the Statehouse remain fluid. Committee agendas, floor calendars and budget discussions may shift as the week unfolds.
Committee action and bill hearings
KNEA is currently tracking more than 260 bills during the 2026 legislative session. By the end of this week, the organization will have submitted about 35 pieces of testimony on legislation affecting public education and related policy areas.
Seven hearings scheduled this week involve measures KNEA is actively monitoring or engaging through testimony or analysis. As the session moves closer to key procedural deadlines, committee agendas remain subject to change and hearings may shift as legislative pacing continues to evolve.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2026
SB 488 - Kansas Property Tax Freedom Act; phased elimination of property taxation
Summary: The bill would enact the Kansas Property Tax Freedom Act of 2026, providing for the phased elimination of property taxation and establishing replacement revenue mechanisms and grants to taxing subdivisions.
Hearing: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 10
Room: 548-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Oppose
SCR 1621 - Constitutional amendment prohibiting property taxation
Summary: The resolution proposes to amend Article 11 of the Kansas Constitution to prohibit the levy of property taxes by the state or any political or taxing subdivision of the state.
Hearing: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 10
Room: 548-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Oppose
HB 2482 - College entrance and career readiness exams; provider flexibility
Summary: The bill would remove the requirement that the State Board of Education use a specific provider for state-funded college entrance and career readiness exams and instead allow the board to provide such exams through any provider.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Neutral
HB 2792 — Use of mobile telephones in school and construction zones
Summary: The bill would prohibit the use of a mobile telephone while operating a motor vehicle in school or construction zones and establish penalties for violations.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10
Committee: House Committee on Transportation
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Support
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026
HCR 5034 - Constitutional amendment revising Article 11 and restructuring state taxation
Summary: The resolution proposes revisions to Article 11 of the Kansas Constitution, including the creation of a tax review board and provisions affecting the structure of state taxation and exemptions.
Hearing: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11
Room: 346-S
Committee: House Committee on Taxation
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Oppose
HB 2320 — School enrollment and records transfer for students in DCF custody
Summary: The bill would authorize children in the custody of the Secretary for Children and Families to attend any school district, require timely transfer of records when placements change, and provide for transportation planning if a student remains enrolled in the school of origin.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11
Room: 144-S
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
KNEA position: Support
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2026
HB 2487 - Kansas Education Opportunity Scholarship Program eligibility definitions
Summary: The bill would define “teacher” and “paraprofessional” for purposes of determining eligibility for scholarships under the Kansas Education Opportunity Scholarship Program Act.
Hearing: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 12
Room: 144-S
Committee: Senate Committee on Education
Watch live or later:KS Legislature YouTube
KNEA position: Support
Anticipated floor action
Floor schedules in both chambers remain fluid, and General Orders calendars are often finalized within 12–24 hours of debate. As a result, floor agendas may shift as leadership determines which measures are ready for consideration.
The Senate on Monday debated Senate Bill 339, which addresses physical activity requirements in public schools. The measure would require school districts to provide a minimum of 30 minutes of daily organized recess for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and establish minimum requirements for moderate physical activity for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
The bill would also direct the State Board of Education to establish a Kansas State Fitness Test aligned with the Presidential Physical Fitness Test.
KNEA did not testify on the bill when it was heard in the Senate Committee on Education but will be monitoring the discussion as the measure moves through floor debate.
House Bill 2468, also known as the voucher bill, and Senate Bill 419 are scheduled for Senate debate on Tuesday, March 10. Times weren’t available late Monday.
House Bill 2468 would allow Kansas to participate in a federal tax credit program for contributions to scholarship‑granting organizations (SGOs) and would increase the tax credit limit under the Low‑Income Student Scholarship Program.
While described as a tax credit, the program functions similarly to a voucher by using public tax policy to subsidize private school tuition.
Senate Bill 419 would enact the Kansas intellectual rights and knowledge act. It would provide a civil cause of action and penalties for violations of the act and also authorize students and student associations to exercise political and ideological beliefs, values and missions.
Other Statehouse developments
Conference committees are expected to be appointed soon to begin negotiations on the final version of the state budget. Budget conference committees typically include leadership and senior members of the appropriations committees from both chambers and are responsible for reconciling differences between the House and Senate spending plans.
Expected Senate conferees include Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, serving as chair, Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, serving as vice chair, and Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City, serving as ranking minority member.
On the House side, expected conferees include Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, serving as chair, Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, serving as vice chair, and Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, serving as ranking minority member.
Budget negotiations are expected to include discussion of final funding levels for special education and whether certain programs, including the teacher mentor program and professional development initiatives, will receive funding outside the school finance formula as proposed in the House budget. KNEA will continue monitoring these negotiations as conference committee work begins.
Member engagement
KNEA will host another Retiree Ambassador Table at the Statehouse on Tuesday, March 10, continuing the organization’s efforts to connect members with the legislative process and provide opportunities for direct engagement with lawmakers.
Retired educators participating in the program will meet with legislators, observe committee activity, and help represent the perspectives of KNEA members during the session.
These ambassador visits are part of KNEA’s broader advocacy efforts to ensure that the voices of educators and public education supporters remain visible throughout the legislative process.
Closing
KNEA will continue to maintain a presence at the Statehouse throughout the week as committee hearings, floor debate and budget discussions continue to develop. Legislative schedules can change quickly, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
Visit Under The Dome at www.ksutd.org for continuing coverage of legislative activity affecting public education. The site includes bill tracking, legislative updates and additional member resources designed to help educators stay informed and engaged during the session.
Members can also listen to the Under The Dome podcast, which features conversations and analysis on current legislative developments. Standalone action alerts may also be issued when timely advocacy is needed.
A full Legislative Wrap-Up will be published Friday summarizing the week’s activity, followed by additional updates in the weekend newsletter.
Timothy R. Graham can be reached by email at timothy.graham@knea.org.