Budget & Taxes in Kansas

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 303: House Substitute for SB 303 by Committee on Taxation - Decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district, discontinuing certain sales tax exemptions, imposing sales tax on certain sales of lottery tickets, imposing an excise tax on all sports wagers as a rate of 2% of the amount wagered, creating the property tax relief fund and providing for transfers therefrom to the state school district finance fund and creating the sports wagering privilege tax refund fund.

SB 303 would allow Labette County to impose a countywide retailers' sales tax to fund fire departments within the county. The bill amends Kansas tax law to authorize county commissioners to seek voter approval (via petition or election) for this tax, requiring revenue to be used *solely* for fire department support. This creates a new funding mechanism specifically for Labette County fire services, distinct from existing county tax uses for courthouses or jails in other counties. The tax would require voter approval and must be spent exclusively on fire department needs as specified in the bill.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Property Tax Sales Tax

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2545: Increasing certain municipal court fee assessments and crediting such increase to the Kansas commission on peace officers' standards and training fund and the crime victims assistance fund.

HB 2545 increases municipal court fee assessments from $22.50 to $28 per case where someone is found guilty, pleads guilty, no contest, forfeits bond, or completes diversion. This directly affects individuals facing municipal court cases in Kansas. The additional $5.50 per case is allocated as follows: $10 to the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training Fund, $1 to the Crime Victims Assistance Fund, and smaller portions to other specific state funds like juvenile detention and law enforcement training. The bill amends Kansas statute 12-4117 to reflect these new fee amounts and funding allocations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2427: Substitute for HB 2427 by Committee on Appropriations - Establishing the positions of the senate fiscal integrity auditor appointed by the president of the senate and the house of representatives fiscal integrity auditor appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, providing for the duties of such fiscal integrity auditors including access to the state fiscal technology systems and software and reports and recommendations to certain legislative committees.

HB 2427 creates a new position for a fiscal integrity auditor in Kansas, appointed by the legislative coordinating council. The auditor will have unrestricted access to all state fiscal systems (like payroll and budget software) to examine spending for waste, fraud, or mismanagement, ensuring state agencies use funds as intended by lawmakers. The auditor must submit annual reports to legislative committees detailing findings on questionable spending, off-budget activities, and recommendations for transparency and cost savings. This bill directly affects Kansas state agencies and legislative oversight processes by adding an independent fiscal review role focused on accountability.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Government Spending

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2517: Providing countywide retailers' sales tax authority for Leavenworth county for the purposes of furnishing, equipping, improving and maintaining county-supported emergency management operations.

HB 2517 would allow Leavenworth County to impose a countywide sales tax on retail purchases, subject to voter approval, to fund the equipment, improvements, and maintenance of emergency management operations. The bill amends Kansas law to specifically grant Leavenworth County this authority, aligning it with existing provisions for other counties using such taxes for public safety purposes. This tax would require voter approval through a petition signed by 10% of county voters or resolutions from cities within the county, as per current law. Revenue generated would be dedicated exclusively to emergency management needs, such as emergency response equipment and facility upkeep.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2541: Enacting the Kansas rural business growth program act, providing a premium tax credit to incentivize capital investment in rural areas and establishing a program to be administered by the secretary of commerce for the purpose of incentivizing such investment.

HB 2541 creates a tax credit program for insurance companies that invest in certified rural funds, reducing their premium tax liability by 15% (after an initial two-year 0% period) for capital investments supporting eligible rural businesses. The program requires rural funds to apply to the Kansas Department of Commerce by October 2026, demonstrating prior investment in rural areas, submitting a business plan with job creation projections, and paying a $5,000 fee. Eligible businesses must be located outside cities over 50,000 residents or in specific industries (e.g., agriculture, manufacturing), have under 250 employees, and meet location criteria. The credit applies only to insurance companies, directly incentivizing their capital deployment into rural Kansas economic development.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Tags Rural Communities

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2548: Increasing the personal needs allowance for residents receiving long-term care in a medicaid-approved nursing facility.

HB 2548 increases the minimum monthly personal needs allowance for residents of Medicaid-approved nursing facilities in Kansas from $60 to $85, effective July 1, 2026. It requires annual adjustments to this allowance based on the chained consumer price index to keep pace with inflation. This change directly benefits Medicaid nursing home residents by allowing them to retain more money for personal expenses like toiletries, snacks, and small purchases. The bill ensures the allowance grows with living costs while maintaining the current structure for Medicaid funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2546: Providing countywide retailers' sales tax authority for Labette county for the purpose of providing financial support to fire departments located in the county.

HB 2546 would allow Labette County to impose a countywide retailers' sales tax (requiring voter approval via petition) to directly fund fire departments within the county. The bill amends Kansas law to add Labette County to the list of counties permitted to use this tax for fire department support, similar to existing authorizations for other county projects like courthouses or reservoirs. Revenue generated would be dedicated solely to fire department needs, not other county services. This is a specific policy change enabling a new funding source for local fire departments in Labette County.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 397: Providing that a person shall not lose eligibility for a homestead property tax refund claim or the selective assistance for effective senior relief (SAFESR) tax credit if the appraised valuation of the homestead subsequently exceeds $350,000 after qualifying in a previous tax year.

SB 397 prevents Kansas homeowners from losing eligibility for homestead property tax refunds or the SAFESR tax credit if their home's value later exceeds $350,000 after qualifying in a previous year. It ensures that individuals who received these benefits in a year when their home value was under $350,000 retain eligibility for future years, even if the value rises above the threshold. The bill amends Kansas law to explicitly protect this eligibility, applying to tax years 2026 and beyond for those who qualified under prior years' conditions. It directly affects current and future recipients of these specific tax relief programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Credits

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 357: Establishing the intercity passenger rail service program and making transfers annually to the passenger rail service revolving fund.

SB 357 establishes Kansas' intercity passenger rail service program, authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to develop connections to regional and national rail networks like the Midwest Regional Rail System. It creates a passenger rail service revolving fund that will receive $5 million annually from state funds (starting July 1, 2027) to provide loans and grants for rail infrastructure projects, including station development, track maintenance, and operational support. The fund will be managed by the Secretary and reinvested to sustain rail service growth, with interest added to the fund. This program directly affects Kansas residents by improving rail connectivity and rail service providers like Amtrak through funding for qualifying projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Rail

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2430: Enacting the insurance savings account act, allowing individuals and corporations to establish insurance savings accounts with certain financial institutions, providing eligible expenses, requirements and restrictions for such accounts and establishing addition and subtraction modifications under the Kansas income tax act.

HB 2430 creates "insurance savings accounts" in Kansas, allowing individuals and corporations to save money tax-advantagedly for insurance costs. Account holders can use funds to pay insurance premiums and deductibles for qualifying coverage (like auto or home insurance) starting January 1, 2027, with annual contribution limits of $6,000 for individuals, $12,000 for married couples, and $25,000 for corporations. Withdrawals for non-eligible expenses trigger tax recapture, adding the amount to Kansas adjusted gross income. The bill modifies Kansas income tax rules to allow these accounts as a deduction, while financial institutions aren’t required to track account usage or verify eligible expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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