Senate Passes Bill Requiring Kansas to Share Public Assistance Data With Federal Agencies
S Sub HB 2004 advances 28-9 amid questions about immigrant benefit eligibility
The Kansas Senate voted 28-9 Monday to pass S Sub HB 2004, which would require the secretaries of the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to execute data-sharing agreements with federal agencies upon request. The bill was advanced to final action on an emergency motion, underscoring the urgency Republican leadership placed on the measure.
The bill sits at the intersection of public benefits administration and the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement. While the text concerns data-sharing "instruments" with federal agencies, the practical effect would make it easier for federal authorities — potentially including immigration enforcement agencies — to access information about who is receiving public assistance in Kansas. The 28-9 vote largely fell along party lines, with opponents likely concerned about the chilling effect such data-sharing could have on legal immigrants accessing benefits they are entitled to receive.
The measure, which originated in the House, now returns to that chamber to consider the Senate's substitute version. Three senators were absent and not voting.