Your Complete Guide to the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session
The 2026 Kansas legislative session is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in recent years for the legal community, the judicial branch, and Kansas voters. With a full legislative agenda, major budget discussions, significant carryover bills, high-profile statewide elections, and the proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution for direct election of Kansas Supreme Court Justices, the coming year will demand close attention from Kansas lawyers.
Significant Dates and Deadlines
- 2026 Legislative Session Convenes: Monday, January 12
- State of the Judiciary Address: Tuesday, January 13
- State of the State Address: Wednesday, January 14
- KBA Day at the Capitol: Wednesday, January 28
- First Adjournment: Friday, March 27
- Scheduled 3-day Veto Session: Thursday, April 9-11
- Candidate Filing Deadline: Monday, June 1, 12:00 PM
- Primary Election Day: Tuesday, August 4
- General Election Day: Tuesday, November 3
New Kansas Guardianship & Conservatorship Laws: January 1, 2026
During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers enacted sweeping changes to the Kansas Guardianship and Conservatorship laws that take effect on January 1, 2026. The Elder Law, Real Estate, Probate & Trust sections of the Kansas Bar Association have produced several webinars to educate Kansas lawyers. Start with this program for an overview the Kansas Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act. Learn more about the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act, and get familiar with all the new forms by attending this webinar on Friday, December 19. For in-depth articles, read the November/December edition of The Kansas Bar Journal.
Legislative Preview CLE: Friday, January 9 at Noon
KBA Legislative Services Director Joe Molina moderates this legislative preview featuring Sen. Kenny Titus (R-District 18) and Rep. Dan Osman (D-District 48). This timely webinar walks attendees through the upcoming legislative calendar, outlines key policy priorities, and breaks down major budget issues that will shape the 2026 session. Don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead of the curve and gain valuable insights straight from legislative leaders. FREE for KBA members. Register here.
State of the Judiciary Address: Tuesday, January 13
Given by the Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court to the Executive Branch and a joint session of the Legislative Branch, the State of the Judiciary address reports on the overall accomplishments, challenges, and priorities of the Kansas Judicial Branch. The event is live streamed on the Kansas Legislature YouTube channel.
The Kansas Bar Association is pleased to sponsor a reception on the fourth floor of the Capitol immediately following the address.
2026 Legislative Priorities
The Kansas Legislature has indicated that the 2026 session will be shorter than in previous years. The First Adjournment deadline is expected in late March, followed by a brief veto session. This accelerated timeline suggests that lawmakers anticipate resolving major policy issues relatively early in the session.
One of the most significant issues facing the Legislature is the state budget. To get an early start, legislators convened meetings of the Special Committee on State Budget in December. Recordings of those discussions are available at the links below:
December 9, 2025: Morning Session
December 9, 2025: Afternoon Session
December 10, 2025: Morning Session
The Legislature has signaled its intent to reduce the state budget by approximately $200 million. For context, state spending was reduced by $240 million in 2025. Lawmakers are examining budgets across all state agencies to identify potential savings.
Beyond budget considerations, the 2026 session is expected to address several additional issues, including proposals to reduce property taxes, redistricting of Kansas’s four congressional seats, clarify a court ruling related to transgender driver’s licenses and birth certificates, and expand legislative oversight of federal rural health care funding.
Carryover Legislation from 2025
Several important bills to the legal profession will return in 2026 for further deliberation:
HB 2144 - Enacting the supported decision-making agreements act to provide a statutory framework for adults who want decision-making assistance and amending the crime of mistreatment of a dependent adult or an elder person.
SB 214 – Enacting the attorney training program for rural Kansas act to provide financial assistance to lawyers and law students who practice in rural areas
HB 2181 – Enacting the Uniform Family Arbitration Act
HB 2309 - Providing for the modernization of notarization
HB 2351 - Amending the uniform arbitration act of 2000 to make certain agreements to appraise or arbitrate in contracts of insurance invalid
The KBA will also be focused on amendments to the Uniform Trust Code, expungement statutes, poverty affidavits, and state sales tax issues.
Kansas Judicial Branch and Kansas Board of Indigent Defense Services
The Kansas Supreme Court has identified several focus areas for the 2026 session, including Access to Justice grants, the Rural Justice Commission, specialty courts, and a new non-judicial personnel salary study. The Court will seek funding enhancements to address workforce compensation issues, expand specialty courts, and sustain rural justice initiatives. The Kansas Bar Association Legislative Committee recommends full support for a fully funded judicial branch.
The Board of Indigent Defense Services (BIDS) will also be a central issue in 2026 for the KBA. BIDS is seeking additional funding for assigned counsel rates and expert services in both FY 2026 and FY 2027. In addition, BIDS plans to reintroduce legislation allowing mitigation specialists to work with indigent clients without triggering mandatory reporting requirements. SB 128 - Exception for Certain Mandatory Reporters was unanimously approved by the Senate in 2025 but left unresolved in the House.
Direct Election of Kansas Supreme Court Justices
Perhaps no issue will generate more discussion among Kansas lawyers in 2026 than SCR 1611 – the Direct Election of Kansas Supreme Court Justices, which will appear on the 2026 primary election ballot in August. The constitutional amendment would repeal Kansas’ merit selection system for Supreme Court vacancies and replace it with popular elections for justices serving six-year terms. If approved by voters, the Legislature would implement the new system with Supreme Court seats phased into elections between 2028 and 2032.
The KBA developed Your Kansas Judges to provide Kansans with straightforward information about Kansas Courts, how judges and justices are selected, history of merit-based selection in Kansas, judicial retention elections and surveys, and more. In 2025, the KBA documented every step of the merit selection process in real-time, from the resignation of Justice Evelyn Wilson to the investiture of Justice Larkin Walsh.
The KBA will be actively involved in educating Kansas citizens about the current merit selection process and its positive results for Kansans. Contact us to request a speaker to visit with your firm, local bar association, civic or volunteer group.
Statewide Elections
Kansas Governor Election
Kansans will elect a new governor in 2026. The Governor’s race is already crowded, with multiple Republican and Democratic candidates announced, including current statewide officeholders and legislative leaders.
Republican candidates
Doug Billings, Conservative Podcaster, Olathe
Jeff Colyer, former Lt. Governor & Governor, Overland Park
Joy Eakins, Business Owner, Wichita
Ty Masterson, Senate President, R-Andover
Charlotte O'Hara, former Johnson County Commissioner, Overland Park
Stacy Rogers, Business Owner, Wichita
Philip Sarneki, Business Owner, Bucyrus
Vicki Schmidt, Insurance Commissioner, Topeka
Scott Schwab, Secretary of State, Overland Park
Democrat candidates
Ethan Corson, State Senator, D-Fairway
Cindy Holscher, State Senator, D-Overland Park
Marty Tuley, Educator, Lawrence
Independent candidate
Sharilyn Ray, Nonprofit Founder & CEO, Wichita
Kansas Attorney General Election
The Attorney General’s race will see a rematch, as incumbent Attorney General Kris Kobach is expected to face Chris Mann again after a narrow 2022 contest. Ongoing disputes between the Attorney General’s office and the Governor—particularly over federal funding, litigation authority, and SNAP benefits—have heightened the profile of this race and underscored its significance for state governance.
2026 Judicial Retention Elections & Judicial Survey
The next judicial retention election will be held on November 3, 2026. Through a grant from the Kansas Bar Foundation, the KBA will conduct judicial surveys in 2026 and publish the results prior to the November election.
Supreme Court
Acting Chief Justice Eric S. Rosen
Justice Larkin Walsh
Court of Appeals
Judge Lori Bolton Fleming
Judge Thomas E. Malone
Judge Kim R. Schroeder
Judge Amy Fellows Cline
Judge Lesley Ann Isherwood
Judge Jacy J. Hurst
Judge Stephen D. Hill
The 2024 judicial surveys and retention election results are available here.
Resources
Read more about the Kansas Bar Association's Legislative Policies and Procedures.
The KBA has developed a bill tracker exclusively for members.
Follow the KBA on X (formerly Twitter) @KansasBarLeg for daily legislative agendas and committee updates.
Additional helpful resources include:
Kansas Legislature: www.kslegislature.gov
Kansas Secretary of State: www.sos.ks.gov
Kansas Public Disclosure Commission: www.kgsec.ks.gov
