Senate narrowly passes preemptive block on local short-term rental rules ahead of 2026 summer
Lawmakers eye World Cup visitor influx with passage of HB 2481
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Senate adopted a conference committee report Wednesday in a 23-17 vote that restricts municipalities from limiting short-term rentals during the summer of 2026.
The underlying measure, HB 2481, sponsored by Rep. Allen Reavis, R-Atchison, preempts cities and counties from imposing certain caps or limits on short-term vacation rental properties between May 15 and July 25, 2026. The window aligns with the anticipated influx of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will hold matches in the Kansas City metro area.
Critics argued the bill strips local governments of home-rule authority to manage neighborhood zoning and housing availability. Proponents framed the measure as a necessary economic safeguard to accommodate tourism and prevent local ordinances that could limit the hospitality market.
The bill also redefines the "transient guest" designation for that period, applying a one-bedroom requirement to qualify a property as a hotel or motel for tax collection purposes.
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