Over the Cattle Guard | 2025 Legislative Session Ends with Major Veto Overrides for Kansas Values
The 2025 Kansas Legislative Session officially adjourned Friday evening. Serving District 1 continues to be an incredible honor, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent your voice in Topeka.
This final week, we returned to respond to Governor Kelly’s vetoes. I’m pleased to share that the Legislature overrode several key vetoes, enacting laws that reflect our shared priorities: transparency, business growth, educational access, pro-life protections, and responsible government.
HB 2284 – Increasing Government Transparency
We successfully overrode the Governor’s veto of HB 2284 (88-27) to bring more accountability to government contracts, especially in Medicaid.
What the new law does:
Requires written procurement policies for contracted Medicaid services
Prohibits destruction of evaluation records under the Kansas Open Records Act
Implements fair and clear tie-break procedures in evaluations
Requires legislative transparency throughout the process
Establishes an appeals process for disputes
This ensures that government contracts are open, fair, and accountable to taxpayers.
HB 2291 – Regulatory Sandbox for Innovative Businesses
HB 2291 creates a Regulatory Sandbox Program, which we enacted after overriding the Governor’s veto (88-37).
This program allows innovative small businesses to request relief from state rules and regulations while testing new ideas in a controlled environment.
Why it matters:
Supports Kansas entrepreneurs
Cuts red tape and lowers startup barriers
Encourages growth and modernization of industry
This is a win for economic development and pro-business policy in Kansas.
HB 2033 – Expanding Access to At-Risk Educational Programs
We passed HB 2033 (87-38) to allow IMSLEC-accredited nonprofit organizations to receive distributions from school districts’ at-risk education funds.
This means that students who struggle with reading and writing now have access to more proven support programs, including those using multisensory learning techniques.
This is a step forward for equity in education and better outcomes for Kansas students.
HB 2062 – Recognizing the Unborn in Child Support and Tax Law
As a pro-life legislator, I’m proud we overrode the veto of HB 2062, which includes:
Requiring child support starting from the date of conception
Considering retirement accounts in support calculations
Providing a $2,320 income tax exemption for unborn children starting in 2025
Allowing exemptions for stillbirths
This bill is about life, fairness, and family support. It sends a strong message that every child matters—even before birth.
HB 2240 – Holding State Agencies Accountable
Finally, we overrode the Governor’s veto of HB 2240 to ensure that state agencies don’t make costly changes without legislative approval.
What it does:
Prohibits agencies from seeking federal waivers that expand public assistance
Prevents unauthorized changes to services for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD)
Requires Legislature or LCC approval before making changes that increase state costs
This bill is about budget discipline and agency oversight. It’s time for state agencies to ask **permission—not forgiveness—before increasing financial obligations.
Final Thoughts
While not every goal was accomplished, this session brought real results that reflect our district’s values.
✅ Transparency
✅ Business innovation
✅ Education access
✅ Pro-life protections
✅ Fiscal responsibility
I’ll continue updating you on important developments, and I remain committed to serving the people of District 1. If you have any questions or want to discuss any legislation, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Thank you again for allowing me to serve.
Best,
Dale Helwig
State Representative, District 1
