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Bill

HB 2504

Prohibiting cities and counties from restricting the discretion of landlords not to rent residential or commercial property on grounds including prospective tenants receipt of housing assistance or eviction or criminal history, and permitting cities and counties to prohibit discrimination by landlords on the basis of receipt of veterans benefits.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas bill preempts local tenant-protection ordinances while allowing cities to protect only veterans from rental discrimination.

Died in Senate Committee
#cities #counties
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Bill Summary · HB 2504

Legislative bill overview

HB 2504 prohibits Kansas cities and counties from enacting local ordinances that restrict landlord discretion based on prospective tenants' receipt of housing assistance, eviction history, or criminal history. Conversely, the bill explicitly permits—but does not require—local governments to prohibit discrimination against tenants based on receipt of veterans benefits.

Why this is important

Housing discrimination laws directly affect rental market access for vulnerable populations, including low-income renters, formerly incarcerated individuals, and those with eviction records. This bill preempts local authority to create tenant protections while carving out an exception for veterans, creating a two-tiered framework that centralizes rental policy at the state level and potentially limits local solutions to housing affordability and fair housing practices.

Potential points of contention

  • Local control vs. state preemption: Restricts municipal authority to address local housing discrimination concerns, limiting cities' ability to respond to community-specific rental market problems
  • Protected class inconsistency: Creates preferential treatment for veterans while preventing protection for other disadvantaged groups (housing-assistance recipients, those with criminal histories), raising fairness questions about which populations deserve anti-discrimination protection
  • Housing access impacts: May reduce rental options for low-income tenants relying on housing vouchers and individuals with records seeking housing stability, potentially exacerbating homelessness and recidivism

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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