Senate committee approves amendment and advances bill voiding mid-20th-century discriminatory covenants on state-owned school property

A Senate committee voted to add a clarifying amendment to Senate Bill 194 and then passed the bill out of committee. The bill would void covenants, conditions or restrictions established between Jan. 1, 1948, and Dec. 31, 1958, that restrict use or ownership of real estate owned by state and institutional educational institutions on the basis of race or that are otherwise against public policy.

The committee's reviser, Charles (reviser), told members the amendment "just adds the word only to line 19" so the statute "shall only apply to any covenant established between 01/01/1948 and 12/31/1958," language intended to make the bill's scope clearer. Charles also said the amendment changes the bill's effective date from "statute book" to publication in the Kansas Register.

Committee discussion was brief. Senator Bowser moved to accept the amendment; Senator Clifford seconded. The committee recorded aye votes and the amendment was adopted. Senator Bowser then moved to pass the bill out of committee as amended; the motion was seconded by Senator Vascadoe and passed. The committee chair said the bill will be sent to the floor and noted its importance to Wichita State University.

The action taken in committee was procedural: members approved a short clarifying amendment and voted to report the bill favorably to the Senate. The bill text as discussed would void certain mid-century covenants on state-owned or institutionally owned educational real estate that contained discriminatory restrictions on ownership or tenancy by race.

The transcript does not include full floor-level text or next-step scheduling; the committee action sends the bill to the Senate floor for further consideration.