The 2026 Kansas State Legislative Session has concluded, and it is one we can confidently describe as both productive and impactful for Kansas banks and the customers we serve. Through strategic advocacy, strong member engagement and clear communication with policymakers, the Kansas Bankers Association helped advance meaningful legislation while successfully stopping proposals that would have harmed our industry and the broader economy.
At the forefront of this year’s successes was a strong focus on protecting Kansans from fraud. As financial scams grow increasingly sophisticated, banks continue to serve as the first line of defense for consumers. This session, two key pieces of KBA-supported legislation were signed into law, equipping banks with stronger tools and providing greater protections for the public.
Two of these victories directly address the rapidly evolving fraud landscape. First, the passage of Crypto ATM Oversight legislation introduces important consumer safeguards for cryptocurrency kiosks operating in Kansas. The law requires clear fraud warnings, establishes fee caps and sets daily transaction limits — critical steps to protect customers who may be targeted through crypto-related scams.
Second, the enactment of the Trusted Contact and 10-Day Transaction Hold legislation gives financial institutions additional tools to detect and prevent financial exploitation. This measure allows customers to designate a “trusted contact” on their account and allows banks to temporarily pause suspicious transactions for up to 10 business days when specific safeguards are met. These commonsense protections strike the right balance between consumer autonomy and proactive fraud prevention.
In addition to fraud-focused legislation, we were pleased to see the legislature enhance Kansas’s reputation as a trusted destination for estate planning. By strengthening the Kansas Trust Code through the establishment of the Kansas Community Property Trust Act and other new provisions, lawmakers provided Kansans with greater flexibility, certainty and planning opportunities. This update modernizes our trust laws and supports long-term financial planning for Kansans.
Just as important as the bills that passed were the harmful proposals that did not. Thanks to early engagement and consistent advocacy, KBA successfully blocked detrimental state-level interchange fee legislation and other ESG-related measures that would have imposed undue costs or created regulatory uncertainty for banks. Preventing bad policy is often less visible, but it is no less important to the health of our industry.
Beyond legislation, KBA also led an informational hearing examining the role of social media and telecommunications companies in fraud prevention. Banks invest billions of dollars annually to protect consumers, but fraud prevention cannot rest on our shoulders alone. Criminals often exploit digital platforms and communication channels outside the banking system, and it is long past time for other industries to share responsibility. This hearing marks an important step in advancing that conversation, one we will continue into the 2027 legislative session.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the strength and engagement of KBA’s membership. Every call made, meeting held and contribution to BankPAC amplified our collective voice in Topeka. On behalf of the Government Relations Team, thank you to every Kansas banker who shared insights, built relationships with lawmakers and answered the call to advocate. Your commitment makes progress like this possible — and together, we will continue protecting consumers and strengthening Kansas banking.
