Rep. Barbara Ballard

Maddy summaryHB 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.

Maddy summaryHB 2631 increases the property tax exemption for residential homeowners in Kansas, raising the amount exempt from the statewide school levy from $75,000 to $125,000 of a property's appraised value. This change directly affects Kansas homeowners with residential properties who pay school taxes. The bill amends existing law to apply this higher exemption starting in 2027, reducing their taxable value for school funding purposes. The exemption applies to all taxable years beginning in 2027 and beyond.

Maddy summaryThis Kansas bill (HB 2707) expands the definition of "abuse" under the Protection from Abuse Act to include intentionally harming, threatening, or causing injury to a pet to control, punish, intimidate, or distress a partner or household member. It also allows courts to include specific orders about pet custody and protection in existing protection orders. The bill directly affects individuals in abusive relationships where pets are used as tools of control, such as when an abuser threatens or harms a pet to coerce a victim. Key mechanisms include adding new provisions to the law defining abuse (Section 1) and creating specific court orders for pet-related safety (Sections 10-11 of K.S.A. 60-3107).

Maddy summaryHB 2628 creates a refundable Kansas income tax credit for residents paying tuition and fees at eligible colleges or universities. It allows qualifying taxpayers to claim up to $300 per year toward these costs for themselves or their child, with any unused portion refunded if the credit exceeds their tax bill. The credit applies to Kansas residents who paid for attendance at institutions meeting state-defined standards under K.S.A. 72-3222. This policy directly supports families and individuals covering higher education expenses, making the credit accessible even if they owe no state income tax.

Maddy summaryHB 2620 increases Kansas' earned income tax credit (EITC) by raising the state credit percentage from 17% to 18% of the federal EITC amount for tax years 2010-2012, then maintaining 17% for all subsequent years. It directly affects low-to-moderate-income Kansas residents who qualify for the federal EITC and claim it on their state tax returns. The bill modifies how the state credit is calculated (based on the federal credit amount) and ensures any excess credit beyond state tax liability is refunded to the taxpayer. This change updates Kansas law to align with the federal credit percentage, effective upon publication in the statute book.

Maddy summaryHB 2629 increases Kansas income tax standard deduction amounts for 2024 and beyond. It raises the standard deduction to $3,605 for single filers, $8,240 for married couples filing jointly, and $6,180 for heads of household in 2024, with further increases scheduled for 2026. This bill directly affects Kansas residents who claim the standard deduction instead of itemizing deductions on their state income tax returns. The change reduces taxable income for qualifying filers, lowering their overall tax liability under Kansas law.

Maddy summaryHB 2598, the Kansas Paid Family Leave Act, creates a state-run program providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave for eligible workers in Kansas to bond with a new child (birth, adoption, or foster placement), care for a family member with a serious health condition, recover from their own serious health condition, or address military family needs. It covers most full- and part-time employees who worked 26 weeks (20+ hours/week) or 175 days (less than 20 hours/week) in the prior year, plus self-employed individuals who opt into the program. Benefits will equal 67% of an employee's average weekly wage (capped at $1,000/week starting in 2028), funded through payroll deductions of employee premiums beginning January 2027. The program launches for eligible workers on July 1, 2027, with benefits paid from the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund.

Maddy summaryHB 2597 requires all Kansas employers to provide employees with paid sick leave starting January 1, 2027. Employees earn at least two hours of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year, which can carry forward annually. The bill allows use for personal illness, caring for sick family members, addressing domestic violence, or handling emergencies like school closures due to weather. It applies to most employees but explicitly excludes independent contractors, with rules to be implemented by the Kansas Secretary of Labor.

Maddy summaryHB 2600 establishes the "Affordable Healthcare for Kansans" program to expand Medicaid eligibility in Kansas. It would extend coverage to non-pregnant adults under 65 with incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, directly affecting low-income Kansans currently ineligible for Medicaid. The key provision raises the income threshold for Medicaid eligibility to match the federal standard, effective January 1, 2027. This change requires the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to administer the program and inform potential applicants. The bill aims to align Kansas Medicaid eligibility with the federal expansion program under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific segment of K-5 highway in Wyandotte County (from the junction of K-5 and N. 18th Street west to N. 38th Street) as the "Representative Marvin S. Robinson II Memorial Highway." It also redesignates a portion of Interstate 635 (from the Kansas-Missouri border south to its junction with K-5 highway) as the "Harry Darby Memorial Highway." The bill requires the Kansas Secretary of Transportation to install highway signs marking both routes, following standard procedures. This is a procedural memorial designation with no substantive policy changes to transportation law.