Senate Chamber Proceedings [Source] Translate

The meeting began with the Senate coming to order and the roll call of senators. Following the roll call, a prayer was led by guest chaplain L.D. Holmes, who prayed for the senators and their staff as they begin the new week, emphasizing the importance of discernment and unity. Senator Belue introduced FFA members in honor of National FFA Week, highlighting the organization's impact on students and agriculture. He recognized the state FFA officer team and a group that won first place at nationals in agronomy. Senator Johnson announced that February 24th is officially Type 1 Diabetes Awareness Day in Kansas, a bipartisan initiative aimed at raising awareness about the disease, which primarily affects children and young adults. Senator Dietrich discussed the state's efforts to provide educational materials about type 1 diabetes to school districts starting in the 2026-27 school year, emphasizing the importance of early detection. Several school nurses and students diagnosed with diabetes were introduced and recognized for their roles in awareness and support. Senator Bowser introduced pages from Atchison County Community High School, while Senator Miller introduced pages from Wichita Hamilton Middle School. The clerk read messages from the house announcing the passage of numerous bills, including those concerning health, elections, and education. Several Senate bills were withdrawn from the Committee on Ways and Means and re-referred to other committees. The Committee on Ways and Means recommended amendments to Senate Bill 315, and additional bills were introduced, including Senate Bill 516 and Senate Bill 517. Announcements were made regarding upcoming meetings of the Joint Committee on State Tribal Relations and a conference committee on welfare reform. The Majority Leader announced that the Senate would go on general orders the following day to debate specific bills and that both the Senate Republicans and Democrats would caucus after adjournment. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn until 2:30 p.m. on February 25th, 2026, which was passed.