Thoughts From Under the Dome
Week two of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session is now in the books and there is a great deal of talk about property tax relief right now and how it can be achieved. A majority of what a property owner pays goes to local governments and school districts so that shifts the focus on possibly limiting valuation increases and there are several proposals floating around at this point so all that I can say right now is to stay tuned.
House Bill 2412 also known as Benny’s Bill is my main focus this year when it comes to legislation that I am sponsoring. Benny’s Bill increases the severity levels for crimes relating to endangering a child under the age of six changing what is now a misdemeanor into a felony. The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the bill and while they haven’t voted on it yet as of my writing of this the response that I have received from committee members has been positive. I was greatly impressed by Shelby Cannon and Lisa Eastwood the mother and grandmother of Benny Cannon the child who suffers as a result of day care negligence and was the inspiration for HB 2412. Jordan Chessher from Project Heaven in Wichita also testified. His organization advocates for stronger laws to protect abused and neglected children. His input was very helpful as well.
On a final note I am a cosponsor of House Bill 2473 along with Representatives Brett Fairchild, Stephanie Sawyer-Clayton and others. This bill would eliminate the parental consent exception to the legal age to marry in Kansas of 18. Times have changed and I believe that the once common practice of child marriage never turns out well in this day and age.
That’s it for now. I’m wishing the best for everyone and if there are any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out. Ad Astra Per Aspera.