16 January 2026 | Education & Early Learning Economic Security Tax and Budget Health Federal

2026 Statehouse Snapshot: Week 1

Kansas Action for Children | January 16, 2026

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Week 1 Kicks Off with Much Ado about the Budget

While lawmakers’ first week back in Topeka usually doesn’t result in much action, their start to the 2026 legislative session has put a great deal of focus on the state budget already.

Budget committees actually began working several agency budgets last week before session even began – and before the Governor could unveil her budget priorities for FY 2027.

In her final budget proposal, the Governor’s recommendations were detailed to the legislative budget committees. Of note to children’s issues, her budget includes fully funding new requirements for the SNAP program as a result of the federal H.R. 1 bill passed by Congress this past summer and funding to ensure the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can keep up with its growing number of beneficiaries.

This year, the Legislature is again diverging from the traditional budget process, where the Governor’s budget proposal typically serves as the base for lawmakers to work from. As they did in 2025, the House and Senate are starting with their own versions of the budget that were crafted prior to the release of the Governor’s budget.

So while the Governor’s recommendations fully fund new requirements for the SNAP program because of the federal H.R. 1 bill passed by Congress this past summer and funding to ensure the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can keep up with its growing number of beneficiaries, the current versions of the House- and Senate-crafted versions do not.

While legislators will have opportunities to add funding for these important programs, they will likely need to pick and choose their priorities as they simultaneously attempt to curb spending so the state budget is balanced between revenue and expenses.

With budget committees off to a running start, we could see action from both the House and the Senate fairly early on in session. As budget subcommittees begin hearing more agency budgets, we’re mindful of what opportunities there are for experts and others impacted by state spending to weigh in.

As it relates to the budget this session, Kansas Action for Children is paying particular attention to the Children's Initiatives Fund (CIF), which is currently projected to be $10 million short of funding its current slate of programs like the Kansas Preschool Program, Early Childhood Block Grants, and Infant Toddler Services.

The Governor’s recommendation moves several programs currently funded by the CIF to be funded by the State General Fund within relevant agency budgets, which would hopefully ensure they all remain fully funded. Currently, this adjustment is not included in the legislative budget, so we will be working to ensure a solution is found that keeps these important programs in our communities and keeps kids thriving.

Senate Education Hears Testimony on Cell Phone Restriction in K-12 Schools

The Senate Committee on Education wasted no time in taking up SB 302, the “bell-to-bell" cell phone restriction for K-12 schools. KAC testified alongside several proponents with multiple perspectives, including those of researchers, parents, counselors, and advocates.

As we stated in our testimony and in our column via the Kansas Reflector, today’s children are facing unique challenges when it comes to their devices, and classrooms have become battlegrounds for focus and learning. As much of the country has seen over the past decade, Kansas students are following similar downward trends in test scores.

Restricting phone usage during the school day is not about going backwards or trying to limit the benefits of technology for the next generation. But it’s about realizing the influences that constant access to technology is having on children’s academic performance and mental well-being.

This is at the heart of why KAC is in favor of passing this consistent rule throughout all Kansas school districts. It’s time to put the phones down and get back to helping students focus their school day on the education and relationships right in front of them.

New Federal SNAP Rules Impact State Agency Budget

Throughout 2025, KAC closely tracked H.R. 1 and highlighted all the ways Kansans would be affected. This week, we began to see the financial impact to the state come to fruition with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) requesting $12.1 million to fund the new administrative cost share resulting from the federal “Big Bill.” Next year, that figure is expected to increase to more than $16 million as a result of a full year of expenses.

DCF is also requesting $4 million to implement and administer the new SNAP work requirements imposed by H.R. 1. As we have previously noted, the cost to administer these work requirements and possibly cut Kansans off from food assistance exceeds the cost to just pay SNAP benefits and help folks put food on the table. We know SNAP work requirements aren’t a successful way to get more individuals back on their feet, and this is just more evidence of why SNAP work requirements aren’t a productive method to govern programs that help people in need.

On a positive note, we saw a bill introduced this week that will help Kansans find a place to live and keep them housed. HB 2454 requires landlords to consider all sources of income when a potential renter fills out an application for housing.

Online property management systems will often consider only an applicant’s wages and not other sources of income, such as veterans’ benefits, SSI/SSDI, and child support. This bill would require these types of income sources to be included when determining an applicant’s income.

The bill would also require online payment processing systems to accept partial payments. Often, charitable organizations who offer rental assistance to struggling renters will have maximum amounts they’re allowed to contribute, and that amount may be less than the full amount of monthly rent. But if the online system only accepts the full payment amount, the charitable organization would not be able to help, and the likelihood of eviction increases for the renter. We hope this bill – and others relevant to Kansans’ housing needs – can make it across the finish line in 2026.

Rural Health Funds Awarded by Federal Government

The Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare learned more about the Rural Health Transformation Program, a new federal initiative investing in the rural health care delivery system. Kansas was awarded $221.9 million for this program. However, that money has yet to be released, as state leadership learned they must revise their project budget and resubmit to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by January 30. Money will likely not be released before early March.

Strict deadlines and federal oversight of the spending come with this money. Meanwhile, HB 2463 – potentially creating legislative oversight of this program – was introduced yesterday. We’ll be watching to see how lawmakers imagine their role in administering the funds awarded and approved proposal by the federal government.

We also learned that the Kansas Department on Aging and Disabilities Services (KDADS) is requesting additional money to ensure several disability waivers don’t face waitlists, as Kansas has seen in the past and has taken measures to address. We will be supporting this request, as kids who qualify for these waivers receive important care and rehabilitation in their homes instead of being permanently housed in institutions or hospitals.

A bill, SB 333, was introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs prohibiting the use of fluoride in Kansas’ public water systems. Adding fluoride to water is a decades-old and low-cost public health measure that is scientifically proven to prevent cavities in kids and adults. We expect the committee to hold a hearing on the bill soon. Our partner, Oral Health Kansas, is the lead organization in the efforts to stop this bill from passing. Learn more by following Oral Health Kansas.

Property Taxes Leading Tax Conversation

As session kicked off, it was clear that property taxes are again a top priority for lawmakers on the House and Senate tax committees. The Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation went straight to work with a hearing on SCR 1616, which proposes putting on the ballot to amend the Kansas Constitution dealing with assessment limits. If voters approved the measure, assessed valuations would be limited from rising more than 3% per year and would roll current valuations back to 2022 levels plus 3%.

It's unclear how the House will respond to SCR 1616, but representatives decidedly rejected similar legislation last year. It’s likely only a matter of time before we see the House’s plan to address high property taxes across the state. As of now, there doesn’t appear to be a consensus on how to move forward.

Several other bills related to property taxes were introduced in both chambers, including exemptions for certain classes of property. Continuing to limit what is considered taxable property could negatively impact homeowners, many of whom are already struggling to afford their tax bill. We will keep an eye on these bills and advocate for ways that target property tax relief so that it goes to those who need it most.

Federal Updates

ACA Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. We were hopeful last week after the U.S House passed a three-year extension of the ACA Marketplace Enhanced Premium Tax Credits that we would see forward progress in the U.S. Senate this week. Unfortunately, while discussions continue, this week ends without a solution. Open enrollment ended yesterday, and enrollment is significantly down. The Kansas Health Institute released an overview of what this will mean for Kansans enrolled in the marketplace, as well as historical data.

Shutdown... Again? Congress must pass several appropriation bills by January 30 to prevent a partial government shutdown. Progress has been made, but next week, only the U.S. House will be in session, and the U.S. Senate will have quite a bit to catch up on when they return for the final week of negotiations on budget bills still needing to be passed, including funding allocations for the Department for Health and Human Services (HHS). We’re keeping an eye on the programs that could be affected and who could be impacted if certain funding lapses.

What to Expect in Week 2 of the Legislative Session

In their second week of work, we expect bill hearings to be scheduled quickly. Several committees already have plans to hold their first hearings, and we plan to provide testify on a few agency budgets that oversee programs impacting children:

On Wednesday in the House Committee on Social Services Budget, we’ll provide comments on the Department for Children and Families budget, highlighting our support for the agency’s requests related to SNAP.
On Wednesday or Thursday in the House Committee on K-12 Budget, we’ll provide comments on the Kansas State Department of Education budget, encouraging lawmakers to allocate funding for the Kansas Preschool Program from state dollars instead of its current funding source of the Children’s Initiatives Fund.