House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for HB2627 - Committee on Veterans and Military
Short Title
Expanding permissive preference in private employment to include current servicemembers and eligible spouses.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 12, 2026
Chairman opened the hearing on HB2627.
Carly Choi, Revisor of Statutes (Attachment 1) gave an overview of the bill. She explained that the bill would expand permissive preference in private employment to include current service members and eligible spouses.
Keith Marshall, Lieutenant Colonel, Adjutant General's Department (Attachment 2) testified as a proponent to the bill. He explained that this bill makes a practical, meaningful update to Kansas law by extending permissible private sector hiring preference to the very people who serve our state everyday: current members of the National Guard and Reserve, and to the spouses who stand behind all military members in Kansas.
Michelle Richart, Midwest Region Liaison, Defense-State Liaison Office (Attachment 3) testified as a proponent to the bill. She explained that by implementing these changes, Kansas can ensure our service members are ready to support the military mission because the state is supporting their families.
Mike Kelly, President, Military Officers Association of America (Attachment 4) testified as a proponent to the bill. He supports the bill but would like to remove the language "stationed in Kansas" and any related language that would preclude this employment preference for Kansans serving the the National Guard of any other state or a reserve unit in another state.
Chairman James closed the bill on HB2627.
