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Senate committees stayed busy during Weeks 3 and 4 of the 2026 session. Lawmakers held hearings, worked on bills, and moved them closer to full Senate debate. Activity is picking up as Turnaround Day approaches on Feb. 19, which is the deadline for most bills to pass their first chamber. The Ways and Means Committee has also started reviewing the state budget, with agencies presenting their funding requests while lawmakers look for top priorities and possible savings. Nearly 500 bills have been introduced so far, and several have already moved to the House.
On the Senate floor, lawmakers passed several bills dealing with public safety, government transparency, and regulation. Two of those bills include SB 244, which requires state documents to list biological sex at birth and sets rules for shared private spaces in government buildings, and SB 254, which limits certain public benefits for people who are in the country unlawfully. Both passed by 30–9 votes.
Senators also unanimously passed bills that increase penalties for some theft and fraud crimes, update financial disclosure rules for local officials, adjust some utility regulations, and set procedures for unclaimed cremated remains.
The Senate confirmed Dwight Keen to the Kansas Corporation Commission and recognized Kansas Day, the state’s 165th birthday, while noting historic sites in Senate District 36.
