Dozens of new Kansas laws go into effect on July 1. On Wednesday, 124 bills adopted by the Kansas Legislature this spring will be added to the statute book.

Some pieces of legislation were signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly. Others became law without Kelly’s signature or were enacted over her veto by Republicans in the House and Senate.

The laws tackle a wide range of issues, from education and criminal justice reform to election security and license plates.

The full list of 2026 statutes can be found on the Kansas Secretary of State’s website. Here are 10 new laws that go into effect on Wednesday:

Unlawful approach of an officer

Past coverage: Kansas will criminalize unlawful approach of officers; incentivize ICE partnerships

House Bill 2372 empowers local and state police to arrest people who distract officers by getting too close for comfort. The buffer zone applies to all first responders, including ICE agents and other federal officers.

The law, which has been criticized by First Amendment advocates, says someone can be arrested only after receiving “a visual or audible signal not to approach or remain within 25 feet” of a first responder.

The legislation also encourages local coordination with federal immigration authorities by removing the requirement that sheriff’s offices obtain permission from county commissioners before entering into agreements with ICE.

School cell phone ban

Past coverage: Kansas governor signs full-day cellphone ban into law for public, private schools

House Bill 2299 prohibits students in Kansas public schools and accredited private schools from accessing cellphones from the opening bell until class is dismissed for the day. Kelly described it during the bill signing as “a matter of public health.”

The law requires local school districts to adopt new policies by Sept. 1, mandating that K-12 students store phones in an inaccessible place during the day and establishing consequences for violations. There are limited exceptions for students with an IEP or a doctor’s note.

Other electronic communication devices are also banned during the school day, including tablets, computers, smart watches, wireless headphones and earbuds.

Prescription drug pricing

Past coverage: Kansas lawmakers take aim at high prescription drug prices with new regulations

Senate Bill 20, dubbed the Kansas Consumer Prescription Protection and Accountability Act, aims to drive down prescription drug prices by imposing new restrictions.

The restrictions target pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs — the middlemen that process claims on behalf of insurance companies, decide which medications are covered by health plans, and how much they will cost patients.

The law bans spread pricing — the practice of PBMs charging a health benefit plan more for a drug than they paid a pharmacy for it. It also outlines reporting requirements for PBMs and empowers the Insurance Department to financially audit benefit managers.

7-OH and kratom ban

Past coverage: KC company behind 7-OH boom donated to Ty Masterson’s campaign before kratom ban

Senate Bill 430 criminalizes the selling and possession of both kratom and 7-OH, a potent opioid that researchers consider to be more addictive than the kratom leaves it is derived from.

The new law classifies both as Schedule 1 controlled substances — the same as heroin, LSD and other drugs that health authorities say have no accepted medical uses.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in the process of determining whether kratom is a safe and effective means of treating certain medical conditions,” Kelly said in April. “Until such a time as quality scientific reviews determine positive impacts and minimal health risks, it is wise to safeguard the health of Kansans.”

Punishing sextortion

House Bill 2537, also known as Caleb’s Law, is named after Caleb Moore, a 14-year-old El Dorado boy who died by suicide after officials say he was targeted by an online sextortion scheme.

The law expands the definition of sexual extortion to include threats to distribute images, video, or other recordings of a sexual nature or that depict someone naked.

It also raises criminal penalties for existing sexual extortion offenses that involve an underage victim and a perpetrator who is older than 18.

No-bid contracts

House Bill 2571 raises the threshold for when counties must legally engage in the competitive bidding process while awarding construction contracts.

Previously, counties had been required to publicly bid on construction projects projected to exceed $25,000. The new law raises the ceiling for privately bid projects to $100,000 but does not prohibit counties from competitively bidding smaller projects.

Proponents of the new law noted that the threshold for competitive bidding was last adjusted in 2008 and had not kept up with the rate of inflation.

Interfering with a religious assembly

House Bill 2018 makes it a crime to interfere with a religious assembly and establishes penalties for doing so.

According to the law, interference can “also mean recklessly damaging, defacing, or destroying the property of a place of religious worship.”

The degree of severity in punishment for violators varies based on the type of force used and the amount of property damage inflicted.

Cell phones in work zones

Senate Bill 366 cracks down on distracted driving by penalizing motorists who use cell phones in construction and school zones.

Under the law, hands-free device usage in reduced-speed zones is permitted.

For the first year of enforcement, distracted drivers will receive a warning citation, the law says. After July 1, 2027, drivers pulled over for cell phone usage in a construction or school zones will be subject to a citation with a $60 fine.

Child abuse and neglect registry

House Bill 2601 requires the secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families to create and maintain a registry of people found to have neglected or abused children.

People could only be placed on the registry after a hearing where the allegations against them were substantiated.

The law outlines an appeals process and allows for people on the registry to apply for expungement after three years.

Golf carts on sidewalks

House Bill 2124 gives cities the authority to allow people to drive golf cards on sidewalks. The law does not require cities to adopt ordinances expanding golf cart driving permissions.

The Wichita City Council preemptively adopted such an ordinance in June.

The law also empowers local authorities to reduce maximum speed limits from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour without conducting a traffic study.

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