This bill reduces the property tax rate that Kansas school districts can levy on taxable tangible property, lowering it from its current level to 20 mills for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, with the rate decreasing by one mill each year until reaching 15 mills starting in the 2031-2032 school year. The tax revenue collected will continue to fund general school district budgets, help cover operating and maintenance costs for public schools, and pay off certain redevelopment project bonds for districts established before 1997. Additionally, the bill prevents school districts from using specific legal procedures related to tax levies, and it directs most tax proceeds to the state treasury for the school district finance fund. This change directly affects school districts across Kansas and their property tax obligations.
This bill lowers the property tax rate that Kansas school districts can charge on taxable property. It directly affects school districts, property owners, and the state school finance fund. The new law sets a 20-mill tax rate for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, reduces it to 19 mills for 2027-2028, and then adjusts the rate annually to maintain the same revenue level as 2027-2028 while ensuring it never falls below 15 mills. Revenue collected under this tax must be sent to the state treasurer and deposited into the state school district finance fund, except for amounts used to pay bond debt on redevelopment projects. The bill also prohibits school districts from using certain tax increase procedures while this rate structure is in effect.
This bill establishes the Kansas Sports Facilities Authority, a state entity designed to build, fund, and manage sports facilities and related infrastructure like parking and utilities. The authority will specifically focus on creating venues for professional football teams and hosting various civic, educational, and commercial events. It creates a nine-member board appointed by various state officials, including the governor, legislative leaders, and a representative from the professional sports team, with background checks required for all appointees. The legislation also clarifies that any debt incurred by the authority is not a liability of the state itself, and it includes provisions ensuring professional sports teams play their home games in publicly funded facilities for the duration of their lease agreements.
This bill grants Kansas state educational institutions greater flexibility in managing contracts, easements, and procurement of goods and services by exempting them from certain state statutes. It allows institutions to execute contracts for facility operations, procure construction and development services with competitive bidding requirements, and grant easements for public utilities across state-owned land. The legislation also permits legislators to request copies of institutional policies and signed contracts within five business days, while maintaining oversight through state board of regents approval.
This Kansas bill clarifies which individuals must undergo criminal history record checks and specifies that the Department for Aging and Disability Services will receive the results of these checks. It authorizes the department to require fingerprinting and background checks for anyone applying for or employed in positions involving direct access to vulnerable adults or children. The bill establishes strict employment prohibitions for individuals convicted of serious offenses such as murder, sexual crimes against children, elder mistreatment, and various fraud or drug-related felonies, with some restrictions lasting indefinitely and others applying within six years of completing a sentence. Applicants or employees must pay a reasonable fee for each criminal history record check, and the department may grant waivers for employment in specific cases.
This bill requires banks and financial institutions that hold Kansas public funds to sign written agreements with the state treasurer, ensuring the state can control those funds if the bank fails. It increases the amount of securities banks must hold as collateral to secure public deposits from 100% to 102% of the deposit value and establishes procedures for handling situations where a bank does not follow state requirements. The legislation also creates a fee fund to cover the costs of operating the public money pooling system and allows exceptions when federal laws conflict with state requirements. These changes apply to municipal corporations, quasi-municipal corporations, and their designated depositories across Kansas.
This Kansas bill imposes a 3% excise tax on all sports wagers placed within the state, requiring individuals who make bets to pay the tax to lottery gaming facility managers, who then remit the funds to the state revenue department. The collected tax revenue is directed to the state school district finance fund, which is used to provide state foundation aid to school districts, while also reducing the statewide property tax levy for school districts by 1.5 mills. The legislation establishes new funds to manage the tax proceeds and refunds, and grants the director of taxation authority to enforce compliance and collect information from gaming facilities. This measure directly affects sports bettors, lottery gaming operators, school districts, and state education funding structures.
This Kansas bill prohibits postsecondary educational institutions from using state funds or student fees to pay collegiate student athletes for the use of their name, image, likeness, or athletic reputation. The law applies to all types of colleges and universities, including public, private, and not-for-profit institutions, and specifically covers athletes registered for courses while participating in varsity intercollegiate athletics. By preventing the commingling of these funds with payments to athletes, the bill aims to restrict how educational institutions can monetize student athletes' identities using taxpayer and student-generated money. The legislation defines key terms such as state moneys, student fees, and collegiate student athletes to ensure clear application across different types of institutions.
SB 474 creates a regulatory framework for Kansas short-term health insurance plans, which are temporary policies lasting up to 364 days (max 36 months total) with an annual coverage limit of $2 million. It requires insurers to clearly disclose that these plans do not cover all essential health benefits mandated by the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), including pregnancy care and mental health services, and must provide written notice in bold 12-point type. The bill mandates that short-term plans cover emergency services, hospitalization, ambulatory care, and lab services, while requiring insurers to maintain provider networks meeting federal standards for access to care. Insurers cannot charge higher premiums based on health status, and the Kansas Insurance Commissioner gains authority to enforce these rules through adopted regulations.
HB 2648, the Social Media and Telecommunications Fraud Accountability Act, requires social media platforms that accept payment for advertising to implement specific measures to prevent fraudulent ads, including verifying advertiser identities, detecting impersonation, and providing user reporting tools. It also prohibits falsely identifying caller names/numbers on telephone systems and bans using bank names without consent in electronic ads or solicitations. Social media platforms must publish quarterly reports on fraud incidents and remove reported fraudulent ads within 72 hours. Violations are deemed unconscionable under Kansas consumer law, subjecting violators to civil penalties of at least $10,000 per offense and allowing enforcement by the attorney general or private lawsuits.
SB 456 creates the Kansas Law Enforcement Trust Fund, administered by the Kansas Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, to provide direct financial support to law enforcement agencies. The bill mandates a $125 million transfer from the state general fund to the trust by July 1, 2026, with the principal amount preserved intact. Interest earnings from the fund will be used to award grants for technology replacement, equipment purchases, or matching federal/private grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that meet statewide interoperability standards. The fund’s primary mechanism is generating interest from the initial $125 million to finance these grants, without touching the principal amount.
SB 457 establishes the "Affordable Healthcare for Kansans" program to expand Medicaid eligibility in Kansas. It directly affects low-income adults under 65 who are not pregnant, by raising the income limit for Medicaid eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) starting January 1, 2027. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will administer the program and provide information to potential applicants. This change aligns Kansas with the federal Medicaid expansion threshold permitted under federal law.
