Kansas education

EO 26-05 rescinds EO 20-02 and establishes an Early Childhood Advisory Council chaired by the Office of Early Childhood director. It directs statewide needs assessment, funded-program coordination, participation and data recommendations, educator development, learning standards and a public statewide strategic plan. Paragraph 9 makes the council purely advisory with no administrative authority over public funding. The council reviews early-learning access and standards and higher-education support for early-childhood educators. Its advice is not an enacted curriculum, funding allocation or proof of improved learning. Issued July 1, 2026 and immediately effective until rescinded. The order permits consolidation of nonstatutory bodies, not abolition of statutory councils. It references the Office created under 2025 HB 2045; this order does not itself create that Office. The earlier order, referenced state and federal law, strategic-plan submission, appointments and subsequent implementation require independent review. The signed order establishes historical policy context. Advice, report deadlines, forecasts and authorizations do not establish implementation, delivered benefits, spending, jobs or a measured change in this chart. Later amendments and present operation require separate evidence.

Retained Kansas evidence context: health coverage, healthcare costs, access to care and public health · reviewed Kansas policy context · unemployment, jobs and workforce issues · reviewed Kansas policy context · schools, learning, college costs and educational attainment · reviewed Kansas policy context · budgets, government spending, deficits and public debt · reviewed Kansas policy context. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

State early learning standards

EO 26-04 establishes a task force to review a proposed fire prevention code, evaluate implementation and fiscal issues, and provide advisory findings to the State Fire Marshal. It also directs recommendations for a long-term code-review process to the governor and 2027 Legislature. The order itself does not adopt the proposed fire code. School, childcare and college facility safety is expressly part of the proposed-code context. Recommendations do not establish a newly operative school code. Code-review recommendations were due August 15, 2026; administration, enforcement and training recommendations September 30; a final report and proposed legislation November 30. Issued June 29 and immediately effective until rescinded. Those deadlines do not prove recommendations were delivered or regulations adopted. The separately reviewed HB 2739 enrolled reference retains legislative ratification and a 120-day attorney-general review condition for submitted proposals; actual submission, review and ratification remain unverified. The signed order establishes historical policy context. Advice, report deadlines, forecasts and authorizations do not establish implementation, delivered benefits, spending, jobs or a measured change in this chart. Later amendments and present operation require separate evidence.

Retained Kansas evidence context: health coverage, healthcare costs, access to care and public health · reviewed Kansas policy context · schools, learning, college costs and educational attainment · reviewed Kansas policy context · budgets, government spending, deficits and public debt · reviewed Kansas policy context · housing, rent, homeownership and borrowing costs · reviewed Kansas policy context. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

K-12 education, childcare

The fact measures diploma-or-higher attainment among adults age 25 and older. Graduation rules for current students concern a possible future component of adult attainment, not the earlier measured adult population. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Kansas evidence context: Adults with at least a high school diploma. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

(c) (1) All students who enroll in grade nine in any accredited public, private or parochial high school on or after July 1, 2026, shall be required to pass an examination on the principles of American civics. Any student who does not satisfactorily pass such examination shall not be certified as having completed the course requirements necessary for graduation from high school. (2) Upon request, a student may be administered the examination required by this subsection at any time after such student has enrolled in grade seven, and such student may take the examination as often as necessary to obtain a passing score. Any subsequent examination shall not have more than five questions that were included in the immediately preceding examination. At the discretion of the board of education of the school district or the governing body of any accredited private or parochial high school, the examination may be administered as part of the curriculum required under subsection (b). (3) The examination required by this subsection shall consist of 20 randomly selected questions taken from the same set of questions administered by the United States citizenship and immigration services to applicants for United States citizenship through naturalization. A student shall correctly answer at least 70% of the questions on such examination to satisfactorily pass. Examinations shall be administered in English. (4) The applicability of this subsection and the extent to which accommodations are provided, if any, to a student with an individualized education program (IEP) shall be governed by such student's IEP . (5) The state board of education may adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection, including, but not limited to, providing a model examination for use by any school district or the governing body of any accredited private or parochial high school.

The fact measures diploma-or-higher attainment among adults age 25 and older. Graduation rules for current students concern a possible future component of adult attainment, not the earlier measured adult population. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Kansas evidence context: Adults with at least a high school diploma. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

(c) (1) All students who enroll in grade nine in any accredited public, private or parochial high school on or after July 1, 2026, shall be required to pass an examination on the principles of American civics. Any student who does not satisfactorily pass such examination shall not be certified as having completed the course requirements necessary for graduation from high school. (2) Upon request, a student may be administered the examination required by this subsection at any time after such student has enrolled in grade seven, and such student may take the examination as often as necessary to obtain a passing score. Any subsequent examination shall not have more than five questions that were included in the immediately preceding examination. At the discretion of the board of education of the school district or the governing body of any accredited private or parochial high school, the examination may be administered as part of the curriculum required under subsection (b). (3) The examination required by this subsection shall consist of 20 randomly selected questions taken from the same set of questions administered by the United States citizenship and immigration services to applicants for United States citizenship through naturalization. A student shall correctly answer at least 70% of the questions on such examination to satisfactorily pass. Examinations shall be administered in English. (4) The applicability of this subsection and the extent to which accommodations are provided, if any, to a student with an individualized education program (IEP) shall be governed by such student's IEP . (5) The state board of education may adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection, including, but not limited to, providing a model examination for use by any school district or the governing body of any accredited private or parochial high school.

The fact measures ballots cast among registered Kansas voters. Registration affects the denominator and voting access concerns the numerator. This is not turnout among all voting-age or eligible residents. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Kansas evidence context: Registered-voter turnout. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

New Section 1. (a) The secretary of state shall develop a voter registration program to offer voter registration services through the following state agencies: (1) The Kansas department for children and families; (2) the Kansas department for aging and disability services; and (3) the department of labor. (b) At the time of making an application for assistance or benefits with the Kansas department for children and families, the Kansas department for aging and disability services or the department of labor, the applicant shall be offered the opportunity to register to vote. (c) If proof of citizenship was not required for the assistance or benefits applied for, the applicant shall be informed that proof of citizenship will be necessary to complete the process of registration to vote. (d) V oter registration applications shall be submitted to the secretary of state and the county election officers as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the secretary of state. New Sec. 2. (a) The secretary of state, in cooperation with the state board of education, shall develop a voter registration program to offer voter registration services at each accredited high school. Students who are 17 years of age or older shall be offered the opportunity to register to vote. (b) V oter registration applications shall be submitted to the secretary of state and the county election officers as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the secretary of state. Sec. 3. K.S.A. 22-3722 is hereby amended to read as follows: 22- 3722. (a) The period served on parole or conditional release shall be deemed service of the term of confinement, and, subject to the provisions contained in K.S.A. 75-5217, and amendments thereto, relating to an 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 HB 2091 2 inmate who is a fugitive from or has fled from justice, the total time served may not exceed the maximum term or sentence. The period served on postrelease supervision shall vest in and be subject to the provisions contained in K.S.A. 75-5217, and amendments thereto, relating to an inmate who is a fugitive from or has fled from justice. The service of the postrelease supervision period shall not toll except as provided by K.S.A. 75-5217, and amendments thereto. The total time served shall not exceed the postrelease supervision period established at sentencing. (b) When an inmate on parole or conditional release has performed the obligations of the release for such time as shall satisfy the prisoner review board that final release is not incompatible with the best interest of society and the welfare of the individual, the board may make a final order of discharge and issue a certificate of discharge to the inmate , but no such order of discharge shall be made in any case within a period of less than one year after the date of release except where the sentence expires earlier thereto. When an inmate has reached the end of the postrelease supervision period, the board shall issue a certificate of discharge to the releasee. Such discharge, and the discharge of an inmate who has served the inmate's term of imprisonment, shall have the effect of restoring all civil rights lost by operation of law upon commitment, and the certification of discharge shall so state. Nothing herein contained shall be held to impair the power of the governor to grant a pardon or commutation of sentence in any case. (c) Any inmate who is a citizen and whose civil rights have been restored as part of the certification of discharge shall be offered the opportunity to register to vote.

Foreign-born residents include naturalized citizens and lawfully and unlawfully present noncitizens. Immigration-status rules address only subsets of this population and do not change birthplace. This connection does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain the earlier observed value.

Retained Kansas evidence context: Residents who are foreign-born. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

3.Definition of public chargeSection 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)) is amended to read as follows:(4)Public charge(A)In generalAny alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, is likely at any time to become a public charge is inadmissible.(B)DefinitionsIn this paragraph:(i)Likely at any time to become a public chargeThe term likely at any time to become a public charge, with respect to an alien, means the alien is likely to receive 1 or more public benefits for more than 12 months, in the aggregate, during any 36-month period after the date on which—(I)the alien is admitted to the United States; or(II)the alien's status is adjusted under this title. (ii) Public benefits The term public benefits means any Federal, State, local, or tribal cash assistance for income maintenance, supplemental nutrition assistance, housing assistance, non-emergency medical assistance, or other similar benefits, including all monetizable and non-monetizable benefits (as defined in the proposed rule entitled Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds, (83 Fed. Reg. 51114)), including benefits received from— (I) supplemental security income authorized under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); (II) temporary assistance for needy families authorized under part A of title IV of such Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); (III) any Federal, State, local, or tribal cash benefit program for income maintenance; (IV) the supplemental nutrition assistance program authorized under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); (V) the housing choice voucher program and project-based rental assistance (including moderate rehabilitation) authorized under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f); (VI) public housing funds authorized under section 9 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1437g); (VII) the Medicaid program authorized under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), excluding emergency medical assistance, benefits provided to individuals who are younger than 21 years of age, and benefits provided to pregnant women; (VIII) premium and cost-sharing subsidies authorized under section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan) or section 1402 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (14 U.S.C. 18071; relating to reduced cost sharing); and (IX) any other Federal, State, local, or tribal program providing monetizable or non-monetizable benefits, including programs established after the date of the enactment of the Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026. (iii)Public chargeThe term public charge means an alien who receives 1 or more public benefits for more than 12 months, in the aggregate, within any 36-month period. The receipt of 2 benefits in a single month shall be deemed to constitute 2 months of benefits for purposes of this clause.(C)Publication of list of benefits(i)In generalNot later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, shall publish in the Federal Register a comprehensive list of all public benefits that may render an alien a public charge or likely to become a public charge.(ii)UpdatesThe Secretary shall—(I)update the list described in clause (i) whenever necessary to include any new programs or benefits created after the publication of such list; and(II)publish notice of such updates in the Federal Register.(D)Factors to be considered(i)In generalIn determining whether an alien is inadmissible under this paragraph, the consular officer or the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall consider, in the totality of the circumstances, the alien’s—(I)age;(II)health;(III)family status;(IV)assets, resources, and financial status;(V)education and skills;(VI)prospective immigration status and expected period of admission; and(VII)any affidavit of support executed by a sponsor in accordance with section 213A(a)(1).(ii)DeterminationNo single factor listed under clause (i) shall be dispositive. The determination of inadmissibility shall be based on a holistic assessment of the alien’s likelihood of becoming a public charge.(E)ExemptionsThis paragraph shall not apply to—(i)refugees admitted under section 207;(ii)asylees granted asylum under section 208; or(iii)aliens serving in the Armed Forces of the United States and the dependents of such aliens.(F)WaiversNo waiver of inadmissibility under this paragraph shall be granted to any alien, other than the aliens exempted under subparagraph (F), unless such waiver is specifically authorized by an Act of Congress.(G)Affidavits of supportAn affidavit of support submitted by the sponsor of an alien in accordance with section 213A—(i)shall be accompanied by documentary evidence demonstrating the sponsor’s ability to financially support the alien and all members of the sponsor’s household, including proof of income, assets, and resources sufficient to maintain the household at an annual income equal to at least 125 percent of the Federal poverty line; and(ii)may be considered as a factor in the totality of the circumstances under subparagraph (D), but shall not be sufficient to overcome a finding that an alien is likely to become a public charge.(H)Public charge bonds(i)RequirementThe consular officer or the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall require the posting of a public charge bond as a condition of an alien's admission or adjustment of status if the alien is likely at any time to become a public charge, but other factors warrant conditional approval.(ii)Amount; forfeitureEach public charge bond required under clause (i) shall be—(I)in an amount equal to not less than $10,000;(II)payable to the United States; and (III) forfeited if the alien for whom it is posted becomes a public charge during the 10-year period immediately following the alien's admission to the United States or adjustment of status. (iii)RulemakingThe Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, shall promulgate regulations for the administration, forfeiture, and cancellation of public charge bonds required under this subparagraph..