On April 11, the 2026 Kansas legislative session officially adjourned sine die. In legislative terms, “sine die” (Latin for “without day”) means the assembly has finished its business and adjourned for the year without setting a specific date to return. For us, it means the legislative clock has stopped, and the fate of this year’s bills is sealed.
Below is the status of some of the measures we tracked that were signed into law.
- HB 2501: Suppressor & Short-Barreled Shotgun Decriminalization
In a major win for hearing safety and modern standards, this bill removes firearm suppressors and short-barreled shotguns (barrels under 18 inches) from the state’s “controlled weapons” list. Aligning state law with federal standards ensures law-abiding owners are no longer at risk of state-level prosecution and provides critical liability protections for firearm retailers. Signed into law on April 9.
- HB 2507: Modernizing Waterfowl Stamps
This bill streamlines the migratory waterfowl stamp process by removing the outdated requirement for a physical signature across the stamp’s face. Signed into law on April 9.
- SB 364: Expanded Access for Seniors and Youth
To keep more generations in the field, this bill requires the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) to offer a discounted resident senior combination hunting and fishing license for those 65 and older. It also makes the “Kansas kids lifetime combination license” more accessible by increasing the qualifying age, lowering the maximum fee, and ensuring the license does not expire. Signed into law on April 6.
Note: These new laws are scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.
Review a complete list of monitored bills via the Interactive Legislative Map.
The Fight to Protect Kansas Sporting Traditions Continues
While the session is over, our work is not. Animal extremists and anti-hunting and gun groups never clock out. They are already pivoting to the interim period, looking for ways to bypass the legislature through ballot initiatives or administrative rule changes that threaten our traditions and lifestyle.
We’ve seen it in neighboring states: the moment we look away, they strike. We need you to stay engaged, keep your boots on the ground, and be ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice. Please share this message with fellow sportsmen to help defend our hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage in the Sunflower State.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
