The Kansas Senate Committee on Education advanced a package of education bills on a meeting that opened with an overview of several measures and closed after extended debate on a parental‑consent provision for students’ names and pronouns.

The committee voted to pass Senate Bill 76, the “Given Name Act,” as amended; advanced Senate Bill 48 (accreditation tied to compliance and improvement) after a contested amendment and a 5–4 division vote; and moved favorably on bills addressing attendance‑center needs assessments (Senate Bill 49), school‑board transparency and public comment (Senate Bill 47), virtual‑school graduation‑rate calculations (Senate Bill 45, substitute), postsecondary accreditation review (Senate Bill 78) and participation of nonpublic/virtual students in ancillary activities (Senate Bill 114).

Tamara Lawrence, the committee reviser, summarized several bills at the start of their discussion. On SB 76 she said the bill “would prohibit employees of school districts and post secondary institutions from addressing a minor or a student by a pronoun that is inconsistent with the minor's biological [sex] or by a name other than the name listed on the student's birth certificate or a derivative of such name without written permission from the minor's parent.” The committee adopted an amendment striking postsecondary institutions from the parental‑permission requirement and replaced “student” language in places to align the definition of “minor” in the bill with state law (an unemancipated individual under 18, as discussed in committee).

Supporters argued the change protects parents’ knowledge and involvement when a minor’s social or name changes occur at school. Senator Shane said the measure seeks to address cases in which parents were not informed about “intentional subversion and removing the parent from very important decisions regarding the life of the child,” and said it allows parents to consent if they choose. Opponents warned the bill could create legal exposure for districts and staff and raised operational concerns about how schools would implement the requirement and how the law would affect students with commonly used nicknames or foreign names.

Committee members debated liability language in the bill, whether the text adequately protects staff and districts, and whether the measure would have unintended consequences for foreign exchange students, students who use nicknames, and school operational practices. After debate and an unsuccessful motion to table the bill, the committee passed the amended SB 76. The record shows several senators voiced opposition during final passage votes and one senator asked to be recorded as a “no.”

On accreditation, the committee adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 48 that would require school districts and schools to be in compliance with applicable state statutes to obtain or maintain accreditation and that would tie accreditation requirements to certain needs‑assessment and at‑risk statutes cited in committee; members debated whether the amendment was overly prescriptive or appropriately ensured uniformity. Senator Shane explained the amendment sought to permit the State Board of Education discretion over methods of measuring academic improvement while tying accreditation to existing law; proponents said it ensures accountability, opponents said the State Board and local elected school boards should retain discretion. The committee passed SB 48 on a 5–4 vote.

Senate Bill 49, described by the reviser as amending KSA citations related to attendance‑center needs assessments, state assessment information for school board members, and budget allocations/reallocations, was moved and passed out of committee. Senator Thomas moved the committee to pass SB 49 favorably; Senator Shane seconded. After a division was called, the chair broke a tie with an affirmative vote and the motion passed.

Senate Bill 47, which would require districts to list school‑board members’ names and email addresses, provide a public comment period at regularly scheduled meetings and certain hearings, and authorize certain board access to school property, was amended in committee to narrow the public‑comment requirement to regularly scheduled meetings and specified hearings. Supporters said the bill protects board members’ access and public engagement; opponents argued the measure encroached on local control and could disrupt district operations. The committee passed SB 47 as amended.

On virtual‑school policy, the committee approved a substitute for Senate Bill 45 to adjust how certain students are counted in graduation‑rate calculations under the Virtual School Act and to remove duplicative references to homeschooling in the statutory text. Senators discussed an amendment that would apply an alternate graduation‑rate calculation already used for virtual schools to brick‑and‑mortar schools for consistency. The committee adopted the substitute and passed it favorably.

Senate Bill 114, which extends participation rights for students enrolled in virtual or nonpublic schools to ancillary activities associated with Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA)‑regulated activities, was amended so the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (students who attend college‑level work while completing high school at Fort Hays State University) are explicitly included when they meet residency or enrollment criteria. Committee members discussed whether listing specific ancillary events could create ambiguity; the committee retained a list of examples in the statute to signal legislative intent and passed the bill as amended.

Finally, Senate Bill 78, which would require governing bodies of postsecondary institutions to review and update accreditation policies and would prohibit accrediting agencies from compelling institutions to violate law, was described as largely technical. The committee adopted an amendment to include community colleges and independent colleges and passed the bill.

The committee used amendments, divisions and substitute motions several times during the session. Multiple senators raised procedural and policy concerns about local control, liability, operational burdens on schools and the balance between parental rights and school discretion. The chair closed the meeting after finishing the agenda and announced the committee would not meet Monday if the remaining items were completed; committee staff were thanked for their work.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the hearing record):
- SB 49 — Motion to pass favorably: moved by Senator Thomas, second Senator Shane; chair broke a tie in a division and the motion passed.
- SB 48 — Passed out of committee as amended; record shows a 5–4 vote after division.
- SB 76 — Passed as amended (parental‑permission requirement limited to K–12); specific roll‑call tallies were not consistently recorded in the transcript; several senators registered opposition during debate and at least one requested to be recorded as “no.”
- SB 47 — Passed as amended (public comment requirement narrowed to regularly scheduled meetings and specified hearings); final tally not specified in the transcript.
- SB 45 — Substitute for the bill passed as amended; final tally not specified in the transcript.
- SB 114 — Passed as amended to include Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science students under specified conditions; final tally not specified in the transcript.
- SB 78 — Passed as amended; final tally not specified in the transcript.

The committee record shows extended debate on operational effects, local control, and legal exposure on multiple bills. Several members urged districts to adopt policies addressing board access, public comment procedures and handling of name/pronoun requests internally; proponents said statute provides a backstop where those practices had broken down. No final floor or enactment dates were set during the committee meeting.