Bills affecting Housing-insecure in Kansas — 2026 session

Prohibiting cities and counties from restricting the discretion of landlords not to rent residential or commercial property on grounds including prospective tenants receipt of housing assistance or eviction or criminal history, and permitting cities and counties to prohibit discrimination by landlords on the basis of receipt of veterans benefits.

Providing a sales tax exemption for certain purchases by O'Connell children's shelter, inc.

Establishing the shelter to home pet rescue act providing for an income tax credit for medical expenses spent on adopted cats and dogs.

Authorizing animal shelters to place neonate animals in foster homes and requiring shelters to display photographs of animals at a location other than the shelter during a holding period.

Requiring cause for evictions from residential property, modifying the petition and notice requirements for eviction cases and removing the requirement to post bond before the court may grant a continuance.

Enacting the fair chance housing and homelessness reduction act to limit the use of past evictions and rental arrears to deny applicants from renting a home.

Providing tenants with relief from use by landlords of old eviction or rental arrears records to deny housing.

Providing that under rental agreements governed by the residential landlord tenant act, a landlord is required to count certain income when considering a tenant or prospective tenant's qualifications for housing, providing for the sealing and expungement of court records in eviction actions related to such rental agreements and requiring mediation in such eviction cases unless the court finds that mediation would not aid the parties materially.

Substitute for HB 2357 by Committee on Judiciary - Providing for expungement of certain court records and consideration of mediation in eviction actions in which the underlying rental agreement is governed by the residential landlord and tenant act.

Authorizing animal shelters to place certain animals needing treatment or care in foster homes and requiring shelters to display photographs of animals at a location other than the shelter during a holding period.