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The state of Kansas will no longer issue commercial driver licenses (CDLs) to non-domicile, temporary residents working in the United States. Instead, those workers coming from Mexico and Canada must obtain a CDL in their home country. That license will then be honored in Kansas and across the U.S. Please see further details from the Kansas Department of Revenue below. “The Kansas CDL program is subject to audit annually by the FMCSA.  It was during one of these federal audits a few years back that KDOR was informed that due to the...

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued a field assistance bulletin providing guidance on how to determine employee or independent contractor status when enforcing the Fair Labor Standards Act. While the department reviews the 2024 final rule, Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act – which is also being challenged in federal court – agency investigators are directed not to apply the 2024 rule’s analysis in current enforcement matters. Instead, the division will rely on longstanding principles outlined in USDOL Fact Sheet #13 and further informed by...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Insecticide Strategy that identifies protections for federally endangered and threatened species from the use of insecticides. The Strategy identifies mitigations aimed at protecting more than 900 species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that EPA considers when it registers a new insecticide or reevaluates an existing one. “Today’s action is another example of how protecting our environment and safeguarding our economy can go hand in hand,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “We have found commonsense ways to keep endangered...

During the Kansas Legislature’s brief veto session earlier this month, a handful of bills were passed and sent to the Governor for consideration. Because the legislature adjourned sine die on April 11th, there was no opportunity for the legislature to attempt to override any bill that was vetoed by the governor. Below is a brief update of bill activity following the Veto Session. Next year’s legislative session is scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026. Water Program Task Force CCR on HB 2172 established a water program task force to evaluate the state's...

Through a two-day veto session this week, the Legislature put its finishing touches on a condensed session and then adjourned sine die (final day). The adjournment, which concludes the 2025 Kansas legislative session, came one day before the 90th scheduled day. During its veto session, the Legislature busied itself overriding about a dozen bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly, and also overrode 15 budget line-items that had been vetoed by the Governor. Additionally, this week, the Legislature passed a handful of bills that will be sent to the Governor for initial...

Around 11:30 p.m., on Thursday, March 27, 2025, after narrowly passing a state budget bill for fiscal years 2025 – 2027, and numerous other bills, the Kansas legislature gaveled out for the First Adjournment of the 2025 session. Lawmakers will return to Topeka on April 10 for a short Veto Session where they could take final action on remaining legislation and also attempt to override any vetoes of bills by Governor Laura Kelly. Prohibiting Foreign Ownership of Real Property and Drone Critical Components The House placed into Sub for SB 9 the...

The 2025 Kansas legislative session is quickly drawing to a close as legislators spent the majority of the session’s 10th week debating and ultimately passing a combined 160 bills, including the preliminary state budget ahead of First Adjournment scheduled for March 28. Conference committees, a six-person panel consisting of each committee’s chairmen, vice chairmen and ranking member, begin meeting on Monday to negotiate differences in House and Senate-passed legislation. The most-watched conference committee will be the budget, which began meeting on Friday to finalize 25 pages worth of differences in the...

Kansas lawmakers worked through the last few days of committee work this week before they wrap up hearings on March 18 and begin multiple days of debate on bills. This will be followed by conference committees meeting on amended bills the week of March 24, and then the legislature’s first adjournment on March 28. Following this break, the Legislature will return on April 10 for a brief Veto Session to consider final action on certain bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly. The...

Kansas lawmakers now have only 7 days to hold hearings and wrap up any remaining pertinent issues by March 18. After that date, the Legislature will spend about a week debating passage of bills prior to their first adjournment on March 28. Following a short break, the Legislature will return on April 10 for a brief Veto Session to consider final action on bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly. Feeling this pressure, committee chairs in both the Senate and House of Representatives...

Entering the first week after the 2025 Kansas legislature’s Turnaround, lawmakers now only have four weeks remaining to wrap up any pertinent issues. The last day for most committees to meet this year is March 18. After which, the legislature will spend a few days debating passage of bills prior to their first adjournment on March 28. Following a short break, the legislature will return on April 10 for a brief veto session to consider final action on bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor...

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