Read the full stored bill text
Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2439
By Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Requested by Representative Resman
1-14
AN ACT concerning public health and the environment; enacting the
Kansas geoengineering and weather modification prohibition act;
prohibiting geoengineering and weather modification activities;
providing criminal penalties for certain violations of the act; assigning
enforcement authority to the department of health and environment;
authorizing the secretary to adopt rules and regulations as necessary;
requiring operators of public-use airports to report any violations to the
department of transportation on a monthly basis; requiring the
department of transportation to send such reports to the secretary of
health and environment and the applicable state law enforcement
agency; authorizing the secretary of transportation to adopt rules and
regulations as necessary; repealing the Kansas weather modification
act; repealing K.S.A. 82a-1401, 82a-1402, 82a-1403, 82a-1405, 82a-
1406, 82a-1407, 82a-1408, 82a-1409, 82a-1410, 82a-1411, 82a-1412,
82a-1413, 82a-1414, 82a-1415, 82a-1416, 82a-1417, 82a-1418, 82a-
1419, 82a-1420, 82a-1421, 82a-1422, 82a-1423, 82a-1424 and 82a-
1425.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) This act shall be known and may be cited as the Kansas
geoengineering and weather modification prohibition act.
(b) The purpose of this act is to:
(1) Prohibit geoengineering or weather modification activity; and
(2) authorize the department of health and environment to enforce
such prohibition.
Sec. 2. As used in this act, the following words and phrases shall
have the meanings given to them below, unless the context requires
otherwise:
(1) "Act" means sections 1 through 7, and amendments thereto.
(2) "Aircraft" means a powered or unpowered machine or device
capable of atmospheric flight. "Aircraft" does not mean a parachute or
other such device used primarily as safety equipment.
(3) "Department" means the department of health and environment.
(4) "Geoengineering or weather modification activity" means the
injection, release or dispersion of chemicals, substances or apparatus into
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
HB 2439 2
the atmosphere within the borders of the state of Kansas for the express
purpose of affecting temperature, weather, climate or the intensity of
sunlight.
(5) "Person" means an individual or a company, partnership,
corporation, society association or governmental agency and any
authorized agent thereof.
(6) "Public use general aviation airport" means the same as defined in
K.S.A. 75-5061, and amendments thereto.
(7) "Secretary" means the secretary of health and environment.
Sec. 3. (a) Geoengineering or weather modification activities are
prohibited.
(b) (1) (A) Any person, including any public or private corporation,
who violates the prohibition of subsection (a) commits a severity level 6,
nonperson felony and shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $100,000.
(B) In addition to any other penalty imposed under this section, if a
corporation violates the prohibition of subsection (a), the officers, directors
or employees of the corporation who knowingly commit the violation shall
each be subject to a fine not exceeding $100,000.
(C) In addition to any other penalty imposed under this section, if an
aircraft operator or controller violates the prohibition of subsection (a),
such person commits a severity level 6, nonperson felony and a fine not
exceeding $5,000.
(2) Each violation of subsection (a) shall constitute a separate
offense.
(c) All moneys collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in
the air quality fee fund established by K.S.A. 65-3024, and amendments
thereto.
Sec. 4. (a) Any person who observes a geoengineering or weather
modification activity conducted in violation of section 3, and amendments
thereto, may report the observed violation to the department online or by
telephone, mail or email.
(b) The department shall establish an email address and an online
form for persons to report observed violations under this section and shall
make the email address and online form publicly accessible on the
department's website.
(c) The department shall establish a method for intake and screening
of reports made under this section and investigate any report that warrants
further review to determine whether there are violations of section 3, and
amendments thereto.
(d) The department shall refer reports of observed violations made
under this section to the adjutant general, if appropriate.
(e) The secretary may adopt any rules and regulations necessary to
implement this section.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
HB 2439 3
Sec. 5. (a) The department shall be the primary agency responsible
for administering and enforcing this act. The secretary shall be authorized
to take all actions necessary to implement and enforce this act, including
investigation, issuance of notices of violation, assessment of
administrative penalties where authorized by law, referral for criminal
prosecution and coordination with state and local law enforcement.
(b) The secretary may enter into interagency agreements to facilitate
reporting, investigation or enforcement under this act.
Sec. 6. (a) Beginning on October 1, 2026, and every month thereafter,
all operators of public use general aviation airports shall report to the
department of transportation, using a method determined by the secretary
of transportation, the following:
(1) The physical presence of any aircraft on public property,
including any public use general aviation airport, equipped with any part,
component or device that may be used to support a geoengineering or
weather modification activity; and
(2) the landing, takeoff, stopover or refueling of an aircraft equipped
with the components outlined in paragraph (1) on the physical location of
the public use general aviation airport.
(b) State funds shall not be expended pursuant to K.S.A. 75-5061,
and amendments thereto, to support a project or program located on or in
support of any public use general aviation airport that is not in compliance
with this section until such time as the entity becomes compliant with this
section.
(c) Upon receipt of the reports required in subsection (a), the
department of transportation shall submit aggregated reports to the
secretary of health and environment and the applicable state law
enforcement agency in support of the enforcement of section 3, and
amendments thereto.
(d) The department of transportation shall incorporate reporting
guidelines in all grant agreements for any public use general aviation
airport that receive state funds pursuant to K.S.A. 75-5061, and
amendments thereto.
(e) The secretary of transportation may adopt rules and regulations as
necessary to implement this section.
Sec. 7. The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of
this act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, or the application of any
portion of the act to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional or
invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other portions of the act that can be
given effect without the invalid portion or application, and the
applicability of such other portions of the act to any person or
circumstance shall remain valid and enforceable.
Sec. 8. K.S.A. 82a-1401, 82a-1402, 82a-1403, 82a-1405, 82a-1406,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
HB 2439 4
82a-1407, 82a-1408, 82a-1409, 82a-1410, 82a-1411, 82a-1412, 82a-1413,
82a-1414, 82a-1415, 82a-1416, 82a-1417, 82a-1418, 82a-1419, 82a-1420,
82a-1421, 82a-1422, 82a-1423, 82a-1424 and 82a-1425 are hereby
repealed.
Sec. 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
1
2
3
4
5
6