On March 27, 2024, Kansas lawmakers voiced their support for the federal AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. By a 109–14 vote, the Kansas House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 5026, endorsing passage of legislation at the federal level to require all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment.
Rep. Ken Rahjes (R), who is also director of agricultural programming at KBUF(AM), was lead sponsor of the resolution. “Bad weather or just information, where do you turn? You turn to the radio,” he said. “What this resolution does is send notice to our delegation to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.”
The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (S.1669/H.R.3413) currently has 238 co-sponsors in the U.S. House and 48 in the Senate. It is eligible to be brought up for consideration by the full Senate, but has yet to be reported out of a committee in the House. In December 2023, an attempt to pass the bill through unanimous consent failed in the Senate.
[Related: “Attempt to Pass AM for Every Vehicle Act in Senate Falls Short”]
“The passage of this resolution tells Congress that Kansans want AM radio in vehicles,” stated Allison Mazzei, president of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. “Radio serves as a cornerstone of communication, providing essential information and ensuring public safety across our state.”
The Kansas Association of Broadcasters met with every member of the state’s federal delegation to garner support for the legislation. One of the state’s two senators, Sen. Roger Marshall (R), and three of its four representatives — Reps. Sharice Davids (D), Ron Estes (R), and Tracey Mann (R) — have all signed on as co-sponsors.
