Kan. Stat. Ann. § 44-1006
Construction of act.
Operative Text
(a) The provisions of this act shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of the purposes thereof. Nothing contained in this act shall be deemed to repeal any of the provisions of any other law of this state relating to discrimination because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry, unless the same is specifically repealed by this act. (b) Nothing in this act shall be construed to mean that an employer shall be forced to hire unqualified or incompetent personnel, or discharge qualified or competent personnel. (c) The definition of "disability" in K.S.A. 44-1002(j), and amendments thereto, shall be construed in accordance with the following: (1) The definition of disability in this act shall be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals under this act, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of this act; (2) an impairment that substantially limits one major life activity need not limit other major life activities in order to be considered a disability; (3) an impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active; and (4) (A) The determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures such as the following: (i) Medication, medical supplies, equipment, or appliances, low-vision devices (which do not include ordinary eye glasses or contact lenses), prosthetics including limbs and devices, hearing aids and cochlear implants or other implantable hearing devices, mobility devices, or oxygen therapy equipment and supplies; (ii) use of assistive technology; (iii) reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aides or services; or (iv) learned behavioral or adaptive neurological modifications. (B) The ameliorative effects of the mitigating measures of ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses shall be considered in determining whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity. (C) As used in this subparagraph: (i) "Ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses" means lenses that are intended to fully correct visual acuity or eliminate refractive error; and (ii) "low-vision devices" means devices that magnify, enhance, or otherwise augment a visual image.
Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-1001 through 44-1006 establishes that Kansas anti-discrimination law should be read broadly to protect as many individuals as possible, and it does not override other state laws that also prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, or ancestry. The act clarifies that employers are not required to hire or retain unqualified workers simply because of these protections. Notably, the definition of 'disability' is intentionally expansive: conditions that are episodic, in remission, or managed through assistive devices or medication are still considered disabilities when evaluating coverage, with the notable exception that ordinary eyeglasses and contact lenses are factored into that assessment.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and housing providers operating under Kansas law should be aware that Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-1001–44-1006 directs courts and agencies to interpret disability-related protections broadly, meaning a wide range of physical and mental impairments may qualify for coverage even if they are intermittent or well-managed by medication or assistive technology. Compliant operators generally evaluate accommodation requests without discounting a condition simply because it is controlled by treatment, since the law requires that mitigating measures (other than ordinary eyeglasses or contacts) be set aside when assessing whether a disability exists. Maintaining consistent, documented processes for reviewing accommodation requests helps demonstrate good-faith compliance with the act's broad construction mandate.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-1001–44-1006, tenants with disabilities are entitled to have the law interpreted in their favor to the maximum extent the statute allows, which means conditions that are episodic, in remission, or managed through medication or assistive devices are generally still recognized as disabilities. If a housing provider denies an accommodation by arguing that a condition is not severe enough or is adequately controlled by treatment, this provision's broad-construction mandate may be relevant to challenging that denial. Tenants who believe their disability-related rights have been violated may consider filing a complaint with a relevant state or local civil rights agency, consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Kansas fair housing law, or exploring whether the denial could be raised as a defense or claim in a formal proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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