This bill proposes to amend the Kansas Constitution to completely ban the state and all local governments from levying any property taxes. The measure would directly affect all property owners in Kansas by eliminating the legal authority to collect these taxes on real estate, personal property, and other taxable assets. If passed by the legislature and approved by voters, it would remove the existing system that currently classifies and assesses different types of property at specific percentages of their value.
HB 2679 would establish a legal framework for the regulated sale and use of cannabis by adults 21 and older in Kansas. The bill creates licensing requirements for cannabis businesses (including growers, manufacturers, retailers, and testing facilities), mandates the clearing of past cannabis-related criminal records, and imposes an excise tax on cannabis sales. Revenue from this tax would fund child care, economic development, mental health services, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates through a new "cannabis business regulation fund." The law would replace existing cannabis laws and require businesses to follow specific safety, labeling, and operational standards.
HB 2678 would establish Kansas' first legal medical cannabis program, allowing licensed businesses to cultivate, process, and sell cannabis products for medical use to qualifying patients. It requires the state to expunge past cannabis-related criminal records and imposes an excise tax on sales, with funds directed to child care, economic development, mental health, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates. The bill creates new licensing systems for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, while exempting medical cannabis use from certain drug possession laws. It directly affects patients with qualifying medical conditions, licensed cannabis businesses, and the state's criminal justice and social service funding mechanisms.
HB 2641, the Kansas Property Rights Protection Act, requires state and local governments to pay landowners compensation when government actions (like approving projects or enacting land-use rules) reduce property value. It mandates 110% compensation for temporary impacts (e.g., construction delays) and 150% for permanent value loss (including a buyout option if value drops over 10%). Governments must pay within 90 days or face daily penalties, and can later seek reimbursement from developers responsible for the project. The law excludes actions solely for public health/safety (e.g., nuisance abatement) but covers most development projects like wind farms or data centers.
SB 418 creates a "by-right" housing development process in Kansas, automatically approving qualifying single-family homes, townhouses, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that meet existing zoning rules - requiring local governments to approve applications within 15 days unless denied. It allows third-party professionals (like licensed engineers) to review permits or inspect construction if local authorities delay, and mandates that all land within city limits be treated as single-family residential zoning. The bill excludes owner-initiated rezoning to single-family zones from protest petitions and aims to address housing shortages by reducing approval delays for standard developments. This directly affects developers, homeowners seeking to build, and local governments responsible for zoning and permitting.
HB 2470 allows Kansas municipalities with fewer than 10,000 residents to designate their entire city as a neighborhood revitalization area under the state's revitalization program. This change removes ambiguity in current law, enabling small towns to apply revitalization incentives - like tax credits or development assistance - to all properties within their borders. The bill directly affects small municipalities seeking to address neighborhood decline through comprehensive economic development. It amends the Kansas Neighborhood Revitalization Act to explicitly permit whole-municipality designations, streamlining the process for communities focused on improving public health, safety, and welfare through neighborhood renewal.
HB 2187 requires government agencies and public utilities to make a good faith compensation offer to property owners at least 30 days before filing an eminent domain lawsuit. It prohibits using eminent domain for recreational trails or park facilities and deletes the legislature's power to condemn property for economic development. If the good faith offer exceeds an appraiser's award, the property owner can appeal to retain the higher amount, but the agency cannot appeal to reduce it. These changes aim to strengthen property owner protections by mandating upfront compensation and narrowing eminent domain use.
SB 262 requires Kansas government agencies and public utilities to make a good faith compensation offer to property owners at least 30 days before filing an eminent domain lawsuit, which cannot be reduced later. It prohibits using eminent domain for economic development projects or for recreational trails and park facilities, narrowing "public use" to only true public purposes. If the good faith offer exceeds the appraiser’s award, the property owner may appeal to receive the higher amount, but the agency cannot challenge this in court. These changes amend Kansas eminent domain law to strengthen property owner protections during condemnation proceedings.
