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Sedgwick County seal
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Contact
Brandon Zenner
316-660-9370

This Week in Sedgwick County - April 1, 2026

Board of County Commissioners

  • Sedgwick County Commissioners approved minutes of the regular meetings on March 4 and March 11, 2026.
  • BoCC adopted a proclamation declaring April 2026 as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
  • Commissioners adopted a proclamation declaring April 2026 as YEEP (Youth Educational Empowerment Program) Financial Literacy Month.
  • BoCC accepted the resignation of Brad Rice from the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) Board of Building Code Standards and Appeals.
  • Commissioners appointed Chad Buresh to the MABCD Board of Building Code Standards and Appeals.
  • BoCC accepted the resignation of Madison Shriner for the Sedgwick County Aging and Physical Disabilities Advisory Council.
  • Sedgwick County Commissioners appointed Rick Reisner to the Sedgwick County Animal Care Advisory Board.
  • Commissioners reappointed Janna Hays to the Sedgwick County Animal Care Advisory Board.
  • BoCC reappointed five specialized positions to the MABCD Board of Appeals of Plumbers and Gas Fitters.
  • Sedgwick County Commissioners received and filed comments from a Data Center Commission Discussion.
  • Commissioners approved the recommendations of the Board of Bids and Contracts’ regular meeting on March 26, 2026, with the exception of Item 5: NEMA Traffic Signals Retrofit. The item was deferred to a later meeting.
  • Assistant County Manager Tania Cole provided a legislative update:
    • April 1, 2026, marked Day 80 of the legislative session. April 9 starts the three-day veto session.
    • HB 2644 passed. The bill would require a county appraiser to adjust the value of residential and commercial property upon final determination or obtain a fee simple appraisal if the appraised value exceeds 5% increase over three years.
    • HB 2571 passed the House 122-0. The bill would increase the cost threshold for when a county shall use the public bidding process in awarding a construction contract.
    • SB 197 passed the House 75-48 and awaits a vote in the Senate during Veto session. The bill would allow the use of a residential dwelling for no-impact home-based businesses, as defined by the bill. This permitted use would supersede any deed restriction, covenant, or agreement restricting the use of land or any master deed, bylaw, or other document applicable to a common interest ownership community entered into by a no-impact home-based business or a rural no-impact home-based business on or after July 1, 2026.
    • SB 418 passed the Senate 35-4 and the House 117-5. The bill would enact the By-right Housing Development Act and make various changes to law regarding residential housing planning, development, and construction.
    • HB 2331 Passed the Senate 38-0 and the House 122-0. The bill would amend laws relating to coroner procedures for the disposition of remains by creating a process that would allow a coroner to relinquish custody or dispose of unclaimed cremated remains and specify whether civil liability would arise from such disposition.
    • SB 325 (SB 404) passed the Senate 33-7 and the House 109-12. The bill would create the Vehicle Services Modernization Task Force; specify limits for the use of the special fund for county treasurers, the Division of Vehicles (Division), Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR), or contractors of the Division (contractors) in paying for necessary help and expenses incidental to the administration of duties in collecting motor vehicle registration and certificate of title fees; and rename certain fees related to vehicle registration and authorize an increase to a transaction fee, with approval by the board of county commissioners, to not more than $10 in calendar years 2027, 2028, and 2029.
    • Multiple bills of interest, including SB 327, HB 2516 and HB 2698 did not advance.
    • HB 2769 was amended to exclude elected officials and passed both chambers. The bill would require members of governing bodies of subordinate service taxing areas to be residents of such taxing areas.
    • HB 2329 passed both chambers. The bill would change the name of juvenile crisis intervention centers to juvenile stabilization centers, modify the intake criteria for such centers, prohibit certain rules and regulations for such centers, modify the treatment and services provided by such centers, increase the cumulative detention limit for juvenile offenders and criminal penalties for juvenile offenders who use a firearm in the commission of an offense or who are repeat offenders, provide for increased placement of offenders in non-foster home beds in youth residential facilities, require the Secretary of Corrections to pay for the costs associated with such placements, authorize the secretary to make expenditures from the evidence-based programs account of the state general fund moneys to contract for such beds and transfer moneys from such account of the state general fund to the department for children and families to provide juvenile stabilization services.
    • Multiple property tax relief bills of interest include HB 2745 and SCR 1603, as well as sales tax bill SB 33.

Governing Body of Fire District 1

  • Sedgwick County Commissioners approved minutes from the fire meeting on March 11, 2026.
  • Commissioners reappointed Scot Pennington, Beau Means, Gregg Wilhite and Jay Russell to the Sedgwick County Fire Code Board of Appeals.
  • BoCC appointed Scott Mauler to the Sedgwick County Fire Code Board of Appeals.

Upcoming Events

  • Head to Sedgwick County Zoo on Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for a hippity, hoppity great time at the Easter Eggstravaganza. Families can meet the Easter Bunny and participate in an Easter egg hunt, including prizes and giant eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny. The event is free with regular Zoo admission. Easter Eggstravaganza at Sedgwick County Zoo
  • The Sedgwick County Early Childhood Coordinating Council will host Grow Together Free Family play Day on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Great Plains Nature Center. Families can expect food, sensory-focused fun, take home activities, nature exploration and family and child development resources. The first 50 families will receive a free book. Great Plains Nature Center Events
  • Sedgwick County Environmental Resources will host its free electronic waste collection event from April 23-26 and April 30-May 2, 2026, at the Sedgwick County West Year, 4701 S. West St. Acceptable items include computers, laptops, televisions and more. Electronic Waste Events
  • The Wichita Foundation Amphitheater at Exploration Place will begin hosting RiverFlix for the 2026 season on April 24. Bring your blankets, snacks and a sense of adventure, with food trucks and seating opening at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages. The movie on April 24 will be SING. Riverflix at Exploration Place

 

Watch the meeting at Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners Meeting | April 1, 2026.