2026 Capitol Review
Week One
Jan. 12 – Jan. 16, 2026
The 2026 Kansas legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 12 as members of the House of Representatives and Senate returned to Topeka ahead of fall elections where statewide offices and 125 House seats stand for election. Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) gaveled in their respective chambers for what could be the final time as Masterson embarks on a race for governor, while Hawkins is seeking to be elected as the state’s insurance commissioner.
Week Two
Jan. 20 – Jan. 23, 2026
The second week of the 2026 Kansas legislative session began with a shortened schedule due to the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, with committee activity ramping up later in the week. Lawmakers continued to introduce bills and hold committee hearings across a range of policy areas, including education, taxation, tort reform, public safety, and economic development. The first bill of the session addressing property tax relief – a proposed constitutional amendment to cap annual assessments – was advanced favorably from the Senate Tax Committee. With limited floor action, much of the focus remained on early committee work and setting the stage for more substantive debate in the weeks ahead.
Week Three
Jan. 26 – Jan. 30, 2026
The third week of the Kansas legislative session maintained momentum with committees and floor debate picking up, and several hot-button social policy issues drawing lengthy hearings. Alongside those debates, a few items of direct interest to the agriculture community moved forward. The House passed bills concerning theft of grain, livestock, and agricultural equipment, and a bill clarifying that federal pesticide warning or labeling requirements satisfy any state pesticide warning or labeling requirements. Both measures now head to the Senate for consideration. Lawmakers continued their discussions on other bills touching on taxation, land use, regulatory reform, employer obligations, and economic development programs, all of which will be monitored closely as the session quickly progresses.
Week Four
Feb. 02 – Feb. 06, 2026
The Kansas Legislature entered the fourth week of the 2026 session with activity at the Statehouse picking up quickly as lawmakers worked to meet bill introduction deadlines. Between Monday, Feb. 2, and Friday, Feb. 6, more than 210 bills were introduced in the House and Senate, a typical surge in production as legislators file proposals ahead of key procedural cutoffs. The increase in bill introductions marks a shift in the session’s pace, with committees beginning to move beyond informational briefings and into more substantive policy discussions. The growing volume of legislation reflects continued attention on issues affecting businesses and supply chains, including tax policy, energy and environmental programs, workforce and economic development. With most bill introductions now complete, legislative focus will turn to committee hearings, amendments, and floor debate in the weeks leading up to Turnaround Day, when many policy bills must advance to remain alive for the remainder of the session.
Week Five
Feb. 09 – Feb. 13, 2026
Week Five of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session marked a noticeable shift from early-session bill filings to more substantive committee work and initial floor debate. With most bill introductions complete, lawmakers spent the week refining proposals and moving priority measures forward ahead of Turnaround Day, next Thursday, Feb. 19, when most nonexempt bills must clear their chamber of origin in order to remain alive for this session. As the Legislature moves closer to key deadlines, the pace of activity is expected to accelerate, with more bills appearing on chamber calendars and negotiations beginning to take shape.
