SB222 • 2026

Prohibiting deference to a state agency's interpretation of a statute, rule or regulation or document by a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Last action: 2026-04-10
Official status: Died in House Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibiting deference to a state agency's interpretation of a statute, rule or regulation or document by a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action.

What This Bill Does

Prohibiting deference to a state agency's interpretation of a statute, rule or regulation or document by a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-10 House
Died in House Committee
2025-03-06 House
Hearing: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 3:30 PM — Room 582-N event
2025-03-04 House
Hearing: Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 3:30 PM — Room 582-N — CANCELED event
2025-02-25 House
Referred to House Committee on Judiciary
2025-02-25 House
Received and Introduced
2025-02-19 Senate
Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 31, Nay 9
2025-02-18 Senate
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
2025-02-18 Senate
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
2025-02-17 Senate
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Judiciary
2025-02-14 Senate
Hearing: Friday, February 14, 2025, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S event

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting deference to a state agency's interpretation of a statute, rule or regulation or document by a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

As Amended by Senate Committee
Session of 2025
SENATE BILL No. 222
By Committee on Judiciary
2-5
AN ACT concerning state agencies; relating to interpretation of statutes,
rules and regulations and documents with the force and effect of law;
prohibiting deference to the agency's interpretation by a state court or
an administrative hearing officer hearing an administrative action.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) In interpreting a state statute, rule and regulation or
document that has the force and effect of law, a state court or an
administrative hearing officer hearing an administrative action may
consider but shall not defer to a state agency's interpretation of such
statute, rule and regulation or document and shall interpret the meaning
and effect of such statute, rule and regulation or document de novo.
(b) In an action brought by or against a state agency, after applying all
customary tools of interpretation and rules of statutory construction
pursuant to law, a state court or an administrative hearing officer hearing
an administrative action shall exercise any remaining doubt in favor of a
reasonable interpretation that limits the state agency's powers and
maximizes individual liberty a way that is consistent with an individual's
fundamental constitutional rights.
(c) As used in this section, "rule and regulation" and "state agency"
mean the same as defined in K.S.A. 77-602, and amendments thereto.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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