bowser

Senate Bill 372 Brings Small-Town Values to the Digital World

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:48:33 GMT

In my rural district, which covers northeast Kansas, families look out for one another and protect their kids at all costs. In our small towns, Kansans trust that public schools will not open their doors to child predators, banks will not make sharky loans to children, and corner stores will not sell unaccompanied minors alcohol, tobacco, or other age-restricted products.

Unfortunately, Kansas parents cannot count on the same protections for their kids online.

Today’s digital world works less like a small town and more like the Wild West. The fabric of trust, accountability, and shared values that ties Kansans together is nowhere to be found on our kids’ phones and tablets – least of all on the app store marketplaces that deliver millions of poorly regulated platforms straight to our kids’ home screens.

In just a few taps, app stores allow kids to download improperly age-rated platforms, including social media apps, violent video games, AI chatbots, and anonymous messaging tools, all of which can become breeding grounds for blackmailers and child predators. When kids agree to download or purchase these platforms, they also consent to opaque terms of service conditions that allow developers to comb through their contacts, search history, and camera roll and constitute binding contracts. At no point in the process is a parent notified or asked to consent.

As a father, I find this lack of default, automatic protection entirely unacceptable. Parents deserve better tools to supervise kids online. And children deserve stronger safeguards. That is why I support Senate Bill 372 , the App Store Accountability Act.

Senate Bill 372 would restore trust, order, and transparency to the app store overnight. Just like teachers require a signed permission slip for a student to participate in a field trip, Senate Bill 372 would require informed parental consent for all minors’ app downloads and purchases. This precautionary step has potential to stop harm in its tracks, empowering parents to block kids’ access to risky apps that open the door to cyberbullying, mature content, sextortion, and more before they are ever installed.

How it works in practice is simple. Senate Bill 372 would require app stores to use their existing age-verification mechanisms as the foundation for obtaining parental approval. During account set-up, app stores would link minor and parent accounts, providing parents with a secure and familiar system to manage the platforms available on their kids’ devices without needing to repeatedly share age information on an app-by-app basis.

Kansans agree this bill is necessary. Recent polling shows overwhelming bipartisan support for Senate Bill 372’s core premise: 81% of Kansans, including 82% of parents, support requiring app stores to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before minors can download apps.

The reason behind this near-unanimous support is simple. App stores serve as the primary gateways to the digital world, and parents agree that is where meaningful safeguards must begin. Parental consent, truth in advertising, contracting fairness, and age-gating are common-sense safety guardrails that ought to be built-in to app stores, just as they are in the real world.

Kansas parents are tired of waiting for Washington to deliver the digital protections our kids urgently need. It’s time we follow in the footsteps of Utah, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama and pass the App Store Accountability Act in Topeka.

I was proud to vote with my Senate colleagues to advance Senate Bill 372 to the Kansas House of Representatives where it now awaits a hearing in the Committee on Federal and State Affairs. I urge my fellow state lawmakers to act without delay and pass this bill to protect future generations from exploitation and the harms of an unaccountable digital marketplace.

Kansas Must Lead on Cryptocurrency

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 18:00:37 GMT

When most people think about fraud, they picture a bad check or a suspicious phone call. After years working in cybersecurity and serving in the U.S. Army Reserves, I see something very different. Today’s financial scams look less like petty crime and more like organized cyber operations. They move fast, exploit technology, and are increasingly aimed at Kansas families who are simply trying to pay bills, save for retirement, and keep their personal information secure.

Cryptocurrency scams are one of the fastest growing threats in that environment. Across the country, Americans reported approximately $9.3 billion in losses tied to cryptocurrency fraud in 2024, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. These schemes are not random. They are targeted, scripted, and designed to funnel money through digital systems that are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to recover once funds are sent.

In Kansas, we are seeing more cases involving digital currency kiosks placed in everyday retail locations. Victims are often coached step by step by criminals who pose as law enforcement officers, technical support agents, or government officials. By the time the fraud is discovered, the money has already disappeared into digital wallets beyond the reach of traditional safeguards.

This is not just a financial problem. It is a cybersecurity problem. And it requires modern solutions.

That is why the Kansas Legislature is advancing new protections focused on fraud prevention in digital asset transactions. The goal is straightforward. We must make it harder for criminals to operate and easier for Kansas families and seniors to recognize and stop scams before they cause permanent damage.

The legislation strengthens oversight of cryptocurrency kiosks and digital currency operators, requires meaningful fraud warnings and disclosures, mandates the use of tools that block transfers to wallets known to be connected to criminal activity, and provides cooling off periods and refund protections to give victims time to realize something is wrong. These measures are about prevention first, not punishment after the fact.

Strong consumer protection does not conflict with innovation. In fact, it enables it. Clear standards create safer markets, build trust, and allow responsible businesses to grow while shutting down bad actors who rely on confusion and loopholes.

Kansas is taking an important step forward, but digital crime does not respect state borders.

As Congress continues to debate national crypto legislation, federal lawmakers must recognize that inconsistent rules and regulatory gaps create opportunities for criminals. A modern digital economy requires a modern enforcement framework that prioritizes fraud prevention, accountability, and coordination between state and federal authorities.

Kansas families and seniors deserve consistent protections, whether a transaction happens in Topeka or through a server on the other side of the world. Kansas is moving to strengthen its safeguards. Now Washington must do the same and ensure that innovation does not come at the cost of security.

Senator Bowser Attends White House Meeting

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:50:23 GMT

Washington, D.C. — Kansas Senator Craig Bowser (Senate District 1) joined 36 Republican legislators from the Kansas House and Senate for a White House meeting on October 15, 2025, hosted by the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

The four-hour session brought together federal officials and state leaders to discuss key national and state issues, including veterans’ care, small business growth, affordable housing, border security, and election integrity.

During the meeting, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs outlined ongoing reforms aimed at improving services and outcomes for America’s veterans. The Administrator of the Small Business Administration discussed efforts to cut unnecessary red tape, improve conditions for entrepreneurs, and expand access to small-business loans.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development addressed the national shortage of affordable housing and shared the agency’s plans to increase availability across the country. The Director of the Domestic Policy Council highlighted President Trump’s domestic agenda, including border security initiatives and efforts to strengthen election security.

Finally, the White House Director of Political Affairs provided insight into the nation’s changing political landscape and discussed ongoing congressional redistricting efforts by both political parties.

“The opportunity to hear directly from the administration about these important national issues—and how they impact Kansas families and businesses—was incredibly valuable,” Senator Bowser said. “It’s clear the White House is focused on empowering states to lead, cutting government red tape, and ensuring our veterans and small business owners get the support they deserve.”

The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs serves as President Trump’s principal liaison to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, fostering collaboration to advance key administration priorities and improve interagency coordination.

Sheriffs Endorse Republican Craig Bowser for Kansas Senate

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 16:59:24 GMT

Craig Bowser today earned key endorsements out of Brown and Jackson Counties in his bid for the Kansas Senate. Brown County Sheriff, John Merchant, and Jackson County Sheriff, Tim Morse, endorsed Republican Craig Bowser over the incumbent independent candidate.

“Craig Bowser is a strong conservative ready to defend our Constitution and fight for public safety,” said Sheriff Merchant. “I’m proud to endorse Craig for Kansas Senate and I look forward to working with him to keep our citizens safe.”

Bowser, a resident of Jackson County, is a retired military officer who worked for a veteran’s advocacy organization in Manhattan before returning to his family farm in Holton.

“Craig Bowser is the kind of leader we need in the Kansas Senate. He is a conservative ready to defend our Constitution and fight for public safety,” said Sheriff Morse. “I’m proud to endorse Craig for Kansas Senate and I look forward to working with him.”

Bowser is facing a former Republican turned Independent in Dennis Pyle from Brown County. Pyle mounted an independent campaign for governor that delivered the race to Democrat Laura Kelly in 2022.

“Coming out of the military where I was responsible for security and policing in hostile environments, I have a profound respect for what our law enforcement officers do every day to keep us safe,” said Bowser. “I appreciate the support of law enforcement officials like Sheriff Merchant in my bid for the Kansas Senate.”

Kansas Senate District 1 includes all of Atchison, Doniphan, Brown, Jackson, and Nemaha counties as well as parts of Leavenworth, Jefferson, and Marshall counties.

Craig Bowser Pushes Back on Removal of Kobach from State Committee

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:54:12 GMT

First Congressional District Vice Chairman, Craig Bowser, is opposing the Kansas Republican Party Rules Committee’s proposal to eliminate key officials from the GOP state executive committee. The proposal would remove Attorney General Kris Kobach and Senator Roger Marshall, as well as representatives of college, minority, and women’s Republican organizations from the leadership of the Republican Party.

In a public statement, Bowser said “The Kansas Republican Party is a big tent party, and removing the voices of so many Republican activists and elected Republican officials is damaging to the Republican brand locally, statewide, and nationally. The Republican party is the party of Abraham Lincoln and we’ve always attracted people with our universal messages of faith and freedom. I stand with our state party chairman and the district chairs who have requested that the rules committee rescind its recommendation to change the rules and eliminate this vital representation from the executive committee.”

Bowser, a native of Jackson County, is running for the State Senate in District 1.

Craig Bowser Launches Campaign for Senate District One

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:48:37 GMT

Craig Bowser of Holton launched his campaign for Senate District One this week. Craig Bowser is a fifth generation Kansan raised on a ranch near Holton. After graduating from Holton High School, Bowser earned a bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University and an MBA from Washburn University in Topeka.

“I’m running for the State Senate to return conservative leadership to the first senate district,” said Bowser. “We do not currently have a Republican senator, and the alternative isn’t conservative. I’m the conservative Republican ready to serve.”

Bowser appointed Bryan Clark of Atchison as his campaign treasurer. Clark serves as the president of the Kansas State Troopers Association.

Bowser previously worked in Manhattan at the Service-member Agriculture Vocation Education (SAVE) Farm. After concluding his work there in 2021, he returned to his farm in Holton and started work at the Kansas Department of Revenue in Topeka.

After earning his degrees, Bowser joined the U.S. Army Reserves where he served for 24 years. After completing multiple combat tours in Iraq, Bowser used his G.I. Bill to earn his doctorate in strategic security from Henley Putnam School of Strategic Security.

During his time in the military, Bowser served as a civil affairs officer, working with political leaders and citizen groups where he was instrumental in establishing freedom and democracy. Bowser helped to facilitate the first free elections in Iraq in 2005. He was awarded the prestigious Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. Department of State during one of his combat tours.

In 2018, Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer appointed Bowser to the statewide Commission on Emergency Planning and Response. In 2019 he completed the Kansas Republican Leadership Series. Bowser is currently the vice chairman of the Kansas First Congressional District Republican Party.

Craig Bowser has not only served as a leader in the Army but has also held leadership positions in a variety of companies and industries such as transportation, utilities, nuclear, government, and agriculture. Today, Bowser works for the State of Kansas as an information security officer in Topeka. Craig and his wife Erin live on their farm near Holton.