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SB 161KANSASSession 2025-2026State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Kansas requires legislative approval for federal public assistance waivers and disability service changes

Original title: AN ACT concerning public assistance; requiring approval by an act of the legislature prior to any state agency seeking or implementing any public assistance program waiver or other authorization from the federal government that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or increases cost to the state or making certain changes in services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities; authorizing approval of waivers or other authorizations by the legislative coordinating council when the legislature is not in session.

Last action · April 10, 2026: Died in House Committee

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

State agencies in Kansas are prohibited from seeking or implementing federal public assistance waivers that expand eligibility or increase state costs without explicit legislative approval starting July 1, 2025. The measure also requires legislative consent for any changes to funding structures, day services, or targeted case management for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The Legislative Coordinating Council may approve such requests when the legislature is not in session.

Why it matters

Shifts final decision-making authority over federal safety-net expansions and disability service modifications from executive branch agencies to the state legislature.

Background

SB 161 was introduced during the 2025-2026 legislative session by the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency and ultimately died in the House Committee. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

State agencies

State agencies must obtain prior legislative or Legislative Coordinating Council approval before pursuing federal public assistance waivers or altering specific disability services.

Directly affected

Persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities

Any changes to their funding structures, day services, or targeted case management services require prior legislative approval.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SB 161 require of state agencies?

SB 161 requires state agencies to obtain express consent and approval from the legislature—or the Legislative Coordinating Council when out of session—before seeking or implementing federal public assistance waivers that expand eligibility or increase state costs.

Are disability services impacted by this measure?

Yes. On and after July 1, 2025, state agencies cannot seek or implement changes to funding structures, day services, or for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities without an act of the legislature.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died in committee.

Procedural history

13 actions

Apr 10, 2026House
Died in House Committee
Feb 25, 2025HouseIntroduced
Received and Introduced
Feb 25, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to House Committee on Welfare Reform
Feb 19, 2025SenateFloor
Final Action - Passed as amended
Feb 18, 2025Senate
Committee of the Whole - Now working on
Feb 18, 2025SenateFloor
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted

Show 7 earlier actions

Feb 18, 2025Senate
Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by
Feb 18, 2025Senate
Committee of the Whole - Amendment by was rejected
Feb 18, 2025SenateFloor
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
Feb 13, 2025SenateFloor
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by
Feb 11, 2025Senate
Hearing: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 9:30 AM — Room 144-S
Feb 4, 2025SenateCommittee
Referred to Senate Committee on Government Efficiency
Feb 3, 2025SenateIntroduced
Introduced

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Transfer of Waiver Authority

The bill shifts authority over federal public assistance waivers and certain disability service modifications from executive state agencies to the legislature.

Legislative Coordinating Council

Connected Entities

Legislative Coordinating Council

OrganizationLegislative Coordinating Council“Authorized to approve waivers or other authorizations when the legislature is no”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.kslegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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