4.25.25 – TOPEKA (KSNT)
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed a slew of bills into law while vetoing one on Friday, including approving legislation to protect the state’s residents from artificial intelligence (AI) sex crimes.
Kelly announced in a press release on April 25 that she has signed a bill criminalizing the possession, creation and distribution of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The bill also requires certain prior convictions to be considered when determining bond for those arrested for specific sex offenses.https://amp.stnvideo.com/avi/?key=5h3lwvow#amp=1
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle approved of the legislation which also raises the minimum bond for repeat offenders who are charged with violent sex crimes to $750,000. Republican Representative for House District 76 Brad Barrett praised the bill for the benefits it will have in protecting the state’s youngest residents.The Kansas Statehouse is slowly changing color, here’s why
“As child predators turn to AI to create obscene, exploitative images of children, whether by altering real photos or generating abusive material from scratch, we must act,” Barrett said. “This legislation strengthens our child exploitation laws to protect kids from this evolving threat and also updates our breach of privacy law to shield adults from having their images maliciously altered to appear nude or sexually explicit when they have an expectation of privacy.”
Kelly also chose to veto Senate Bill 24 on April 24, sending it back to the Kansas Legislature for further action. If approved, Senate Bill 24 would expand the postsecondary educational institutions eligible to participate in the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program and raise the maximum annual appropriation limit.
“The Kansas Promise Scholarship Program provides financial support to Kansans to help them cover the cost of a two-year degree or technical training program. Currently the program is limited to not-for-profit schools. Senate Bill 24 would allow two private, for-profit institutions to participate in the program.
“I have serious concerns about the precedent that would be set by providing state funding to for-profit educational institutions that are not accountable to the state or taxpayers. This program is meant to support Kansans as they pursue an education, not funnel public money to private, for-profit institutions.”Gov. Laura Kelly veto statement on Senate Bill 24
Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins responded to the governor’s veto decision on Senate Bill 24. He said the bill would “be a win for everyone” and help benefit the state’s students and families.
“I’m disappointed to see the Governor veto an expansion of the Kansas Promise Scholarship. The program has been a successful tool- helping Kansas students gain the skills needed to excel in high-demand, well-paying jobs while also helping to retain those talented workers here in Kansas. Whether the student attends a public or private school is irrelevant, especially as we face workforce shortages across many industries. The results of the Kansas Promise Program benefit Kansas students, families, and businesses, regardless of the school they attend, and expanding it would truly be a win for everyone.Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins statement on Senate Bill 24’s veto
Kelly signed a total of 11 bills into law on April 25 dealing with various topics. You can read through the new laws below:
- Senate Bill 186 – protects Kansans by combating online sexual crimes and strengthens protections for survivors of sexual assault, among other related public safety issues.
- Senate Substitute for House Bill 2007 – reconciles multiple amendments to certain statutes dealing with the 2025 legislative session.
- Senate Substitute for House Bill 2125 – modifies the deadline for mailing property tax statements to taxpayers and the deadline for governing bodies to certify the amount of property tax to be levied to the county clerk. Also provides for the country clerk’s use of the previous year’s budget when a taxing subdivision fails to file its budget in a timely manner, among other changes.
- House Bill 2289 – modifies certain requirements for the production and issuance of license plates.
- House Bill 2231 – provides personal exemption for head of household tax filers and increases the personal exemption for certain disabled veterans for purposes of income tax, modifies the definition of household income and increases the household income and the appraised value thresholds for eligibility of older adults/disabled veterans related to increased property tax homestead refund claims.
- Senate Substitute for House Bill 2125 – authorizes certain local governments to submit local sales tax proposals to voters for various projects.
- House Bill 2335 – adds maternity center to the definition of healthcare provider for purposes of the Healthcare Provider Insurance Availability Act.
- Senate Bill 98 – creates a sales tax exemption for qualifying data center projects. Also gives the state another tool to bring jobs and infrastructure to Kansas communities through economic development.
- Senate Bill 156 – increases the reimbursement amount the Kansas Department of Corrections may make to compensate inmates for losses for personal injury or property damage.
- Senate Bill 204 – creates a new process for the appointment of trustees to county law libraries. Senate Bill 204 also requires that certain sensitive information about cases, warrants and subpoenas in criminal and juvenile cases be kept confidential to protect the privacy of Kansans.
- Senate Bill 237 – authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct investigations of violations of the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act.
For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf