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Committee approves App Store Accountability Act with delayed effective date and clarified enforcement
Summary
SB 372, which would regulate app stores and developer practices for minors, was amended to delay most provisions until Jan. 1, 2027, allow rulemaking by the attorney general starting July 1, and replace a private cause of action with enforcement under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to report Senate Bill 372 favorably as amended after the reviser and committee members reviewed a negotiated amendment. The bill would create the App Store Accountability Act to require age verification and parental‑consent processes for minors and set disclosure and enforcement rules.
The reviser summarized amendment text that adds definitions (including 'commercially available method' and 'in‑app purchase'), clarifies that developers verify age data via app‑store data‑sharing methods, delays the operative effective date for most provisions until Jan. 1, 2027, and narrows enforcement to the Kansas Consumer Protection Act rather than a standalone private cause of action. The amendment preserves an earlier statutory effective date to allow the attorney general to begin rulemaking on July 1.
Committee members asked about terminology for age bands and whether the attorney general's office would need additional personnel to implement the rules. The reviser said the delay is intended to ease compliance and that no additional FTEs were identified. The committee approved the amendment and then moved to pass the bill favorably as amended.
Senator Shane moved that the committee pass SB 372 favorably as amended; the motion carried on a voice vote. The bill will be reported out of committee with the negotiated changes for further consideration.
