The Legislature reached first adjournment, which is the end of the regular session, early Saturday morning. Legislators will reconvene April 25 for the veto session.
Prohibiting eminent domain for solar developments - The conference committee report for SB 455 passed the Senate 36-0 and the House 121-0. The KLA-supported bill, which contains the language originally in SB 457, would prohibit public utilities from exercising eminent domain for the siting or placement of solar facilities. It also would add solar to the existing prohibition for the siting and placement of wind turbines and facilities. The bill awaits further action by Gov. Laura Kelly.
Comprehensive tax plan - The conference committee report for HB 2036 passed the Senate 24-9 and the House 119-0. This comprehensive bill is the latest effort to provide both income and property tax relief. It reduces the statewide school mill levy from 20 mills to 19.5 mills. Additional property tax relief for homeowners was included by increasing the residential exemption from the statewide mill levy from $42,094 to $100,000. HB 2036 also eliminates the lowest income tax bracket and moves the state to a two-bracket system, with rates at 5.55% and 5.15%. The bill includes a 3% increase in the standard deduction and raises personal exemptions from $2,250 per person to $9,160 for single filers and $18,320 for joint filers. The exemption would be $2,320 for dependents. Additionally, the bill eliminates the income tax on social security income, accelerates the elimination of the food sales tax to July 1, 2024, and repeals the statutory transfer of funds to the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund and the City-County Revenue Sharing Fund.
Other tax Incentives - The conference committee report for SB 410 passed the Senate 34-2 and the House 120-0. The bill contains 22 provisions, one of which was included in last year’s report on SB 8. This provision, which was supported by KLA, would decrease personal property tax penalties related to filing rendition statements and eliminate the need to file such statements unless there is a change in personal property holdings.
Sales tax exemptions - The conference committee report for HB 2098 passed the Senate 34-1 and the House 102-17. The bill contains 10 different sales tax exemptions, including one for local meat processing services, which was supported by KLA in last year’s legislative session.
Budget - The conference committee report for SB 28 passed the Senate 26-12 and the House 70-44. Key items of importance include an additional $50,000 in both fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025 for the state’s two livestock theft investigators. The bill also contains language prohibiting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment-Division of Environment from using funds in FY25 to direct staff to use satellite imagery to locate small, confined feeding facilities. The FY24 budget includes expenditures totaling $25.4 billion, which is an all-funds increase of $1.1 billion above FY23 actual expenditures. The FY25 budget contains expenditures totaling $25.1 billion. Both budgets are lower than the governor’s recommendations for each FY.
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Categories: Kansas, Government & Policy, Livestock, Beef Cattle