Earlier this week, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said she planned to sign a tax relief bill that resulted from compromise work between the Kansas House and Senate. Now it appears she won’t have the chance to sign the bill.
On a voice vote the Kansas House sent the plan back to committee Thursday. House Speaker Dan Hawkins says the tax relief process is long and “House Republicans remain committed to delivering broad and sustainable tax relief to all Kansans.”
The compromise bill — which had almost unanimous approval in the Senate, including 17th District Senator Jeff Longbine of Emporia — kept the state’s three-rate income tax structure while lowering the top rate slightly. It exempted all Social Security benefits from income taxes. It also slightly reduced the statewide levy for K-12 education while letting residents exempt $100,000 of assessed valuation instead of the current amount of $40,000. And it ended the food sales this July instead of January 2025.
Meanwhile, the Kansas Senate voted down an education funding plan which would have kept public education funded through 2026 — but school advocates say the package doesn’t meet constitutional funding mandates. Longbine was in the majority, voting against the bill.
The House had narrowly passed the bill earlier. 13th District Representative Duane Droge of Eureka was in favor, but 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia and 76th District Representative Eric Smith of Burlington voted against it.
Lawmakers have first adjournment Friday. The veto session begins April 29.
