2026 Statehouse Snapshot: Veto Session Preview
Kansas Action for Children | April 9, 2026
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Lawmakers are back in Topeka for Veto Session, during which they’ll finish any outstanding work and attempt to override any of the Governor’s vetoes.
Since starting their spring break on March 28, the Governor has signed or vetoed a number of measures. But with dozens of bills still needing to be acted upon by the Governor, we’ll be keeping a close watch on what happens over the next two or three days.
A reminder: It takes a supermajority of lawmakers (84 votes in the House and 27 votes in the Senate) to override a veto. Many of the bills we’ve been watching this year that the Governor has vetoed have fallen several votes shy of the supermajority threshold. We are hopeful that the “no” votes will remain strong in their position against certain bills.
Here are several bills we’ve been tracking this year and where they’re at in the process.
Senate Sub. for HB 2402: The Governor signed this bill that requires school districts to consider opting into the Community Eligibility Provision. We’re excited to see this bipartisan bill become law, which could improve childhood food security for tens of thousands more Kansas students.
Sub. for HB 2731: The Governor vetoed this bill that makes several changes to state public assistance programs in addition to codifying parts of H.R. 1, the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last year by Congress. It passed in the last week of session 28-11 in the Senate and 80-43 in the House. We hope the Legislature sustains her decision.
Senate Sub. for HB 2745: This property tax lid proposal barely passed both chambers, and, with the Governor vetoing it just yesterday, is unlikely to become law. It was passed 22-18 in the Senate and 63-59 in the House, both well below the supermajority threshold. Lawmakers can do better than arbitrary state limits that fail to address the many factors of what is driving increases in property taxes.
SB 391: The bill banning local governments from implementing several renter-friendly housing protections was vetoed by the Governor. It was passed 29-11 in the Senate but only 76-48 in the House. We hope this veto is sustained so more local leaders can help address issues contributing to housing crises among their communities.
HB 2513: The budget bill is another measure this session that received barely enough agreement to pass both chambers for several reasons, including higher spending than the previous year’s budget and a mere $6.0 million for special education. Unlike other bills, the Governor can give out “line-item vetoes” on just parts of the bill instead of vetoing the bill in its entirety. There are several items we’re watching relating to kids and families, which you can read here. You can read which parts of the budget bill the Governor has vetoed here.
Sub. for HB 2357: The Governor has yet to sign this bill that will help renters expunge their eviction records if certain requirements are met. With wide bipartisan support, we are excited to see this policy on the cusp of becoming law so more Kansas families can access stable housing.
SB 271: After nearly five years of work, our bill permanently fixing a long-standing error in state law regarding Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility was sent to the Governor. With unanimous support from the Legislature, we await the Governor’s signature on this important measure for kids’ health.
Unfinished Business
It won’t be just a few days of veto override attempts. The Legislature left First Adjournment Week after a failed constitutional amendment proposal to limit property taxes, unfinished work on a few education and tax bills, and a barely-passed property tax lid in Senate Sub. for HB 2745.
With Representatives up for re-election this fall, the need for candidates to point to some form of property tax relief is likely to influence ongoing tax proposals. With the Governor vetoing HB 2745, the Tax Conference Committee will have even more reason to meet in order to find common ground.
However, there may not be a clear path for any property tax relief this session. While lower property taxes would certainly help Kansans, the state budget that is already spending into the red makes it unlikely the state can afford any meaningful direct relief or give aid to local governments to help them lower property taxes.
As lawmakers enter their final few days of legislative work this year, we hope they will be realistic about what’s possible – without shifting the burden to local governments and forcing cuts to K-12 schools.
What to Expect during Veto Session
Veto Session is scheduled for April 9-11, but their work could wrap up more quickly. The Governor has acted on dozens of bills so far, but there are many she has yet to make decisions on.
With the bills the Governor has already vetoed, the next few days will see lawmakers spending a lot of time in their chambers potentially reconsidering their positions on bills they previously voted against.
If you are passionate about a bill that could face a veto override vote in the Legislature, consider reaching out to your lawmakers asking they sustain the Governor’s veto.
We’ll make sure to update you on the Legislature’s final actions as soon as we can.
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