All Roll Calls
Yes: 203 • No: 0
KansasSB 4082025–2026 Regular SessionSenate
Excluding a child engaging in age-appropriate independent activities from the definition of a child in need of care in the revised Kansas code for care of children, requiring the secretary for children and families to enter into a memorandum of understanding with military organizations and create a referral process for children in need of care cases involving children of military personnel to provide families with services that a military family advocacy program offers, authorizing a challenge to a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity as soon as practicable after discovery of fraud, duress or mistake of fact and specifying that certain genetic testing results shall constitute a change of circumstances that warrants a court finding of material mistake of fact.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
judiciary
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Military help in child welfare cases
When DCF does a preliminary inquiry, staff must try to find out if a parent is military whenever practicable. If an investigation involves a military parent or guardian, DCF must refer the case to the base family advocacy program. DCF must sign agreements with Fort Riley, McConnell Air Force Base, Fort Leavenworth (including Munson Army Health Center), and the Kansas National Guard. The agreements must set how to identify military parents, how to refer cases, when to notify prosecutors about filings, and how to protect privacy under state and federal law.
Parents can allow age-appropriate independence
A child allowed by a parent to do age-appropriate independent activities is not, by that alone, a child in need of care. Examples include walking to or from school, playing outside, staying home for a reasonable time, or sitting in a car that is not dangerously hot or cold. The activity must fit the child’s age, maturity, and abilities, and the lack of supervision must not be grossly negligent. Letting a child do such activities does not, by itself, make the parent guilty of criminal child endangerment. A charge can still apply if the parent knowingly or recklessly ignores an obvious danger to that child.
New rules to challenge paternity
You can ask a court to revoke a voluntary paternity acknowledgment as soon as you learn of fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact, and you must file as soon as practicable after discovery. If you signed before age 18, you may challenge until one year after your 18th birthday. If the child is older than one year, the court must first consider the child’s best interests. If you were 18 or older when you signed, you must file within 60 days of signing or before any court or agency case about the child, whichever is earlier. After these deadlines, you must prove fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact. A verified-chain genetic test that excludes the listed father or identifies another man counts as a material mistake of fact. These rules apply retroactively to past acknowledgments and ongoing cases.
Old child welfare laws repealed
The law repeals several old Kansas child welfare and family law sections and replaces them with the new rules in this act. Courts and agencies now follow the updated text. The practical effects depend on how the new rules are applied.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 39 Nay: 0
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 124 Nay: 0
Yes: 124 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 40 Nay: 0
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Enrolled and presented to Governor on Friday, April 3, 2026
4/9/2026SenateApproved by Governor on Thursday, April 9, 2026
4/9/2026SenateConcurred with amendments in conference; Yea: 39 Nay: 0
3/26/2026SenateNonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Senator Warren , Senator Titus and Senator Corson as conferees
3/23/2026SenateMotion to accede adopted; Representative Humphries, Representative Williams, L. and Representative Osman appointed as conferees
3/23/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
3/18/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
3/18/2026HouseEmergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 124 Nay: 0
3/18/2026HouseCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Judiciary
3/17/2026HouseHearing: Monday, March 2, 2026, 3:30 PM Room 582-N
3/2/2026HouseFinal Action - Passed; Yea: 40 Nay: 0
2/18/2026SenateReceived and Introduced
2/18/2026HouseReferred to Committee on Judiciary
2/18/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Be passed
2/17/2026SenateCommittee Report recommending bill be passed by Committee on Judiciary
2/12/2026SenateHearing: Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 10:30 AM Room 346-S
2/11/2026SenateReferred to Committee on Judiciary
1/29/2026SenateIntroduced
1/28/2026Senate
Bill Text
As Amended by House Committee
As introduced
Enrolled
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