The second week of the legislative session kept Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) staff busy and engaged. Numerous committees continued the process of bill introductions that will shape this year’s body of legislation. A few committees have begun the process of hearing and working bills, keeping with the already fast pace of this session.
KLA staff testified in the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation in support of Senate Bill 35, a bill that would discontinue the 1.5-mill levy for the Kansas educational building fund and the state institutions building fund.
KLA policy supports increased reliance on income tax and other non-property tax sources to fund the government. Reducing the total statewide mill levy is the single most effective way for the legislature to affect broad-based property tax relief and ensure it applies equally across all classes of property. The bill was passed favorably out of committee.
The Senate Tax Committee also passed Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1603, a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap property tax valuation increases at 3% per year. KLA testified in opposition to SCR 1603 as it would inequitably shift the local property tax burden, which, on average, comprises 83% of the mill levy, away from faster-growing subclasses of property like residential to slower-growing subclasses of property like commercial and agricultural land.
Property tax relief also is being considered in the House. KLA testified in support of House Bill 2011 in the House Committee on Taxation, which would reduce the statewide mill levy for schools from 20 to 18.5 mills. Going forward, the statewide assessment would be adjusted to be revenue neutral.
KLA has made securing broad-based property tax relief a priority this session. Staff will continue to update members on these bills.
Members can stay up to date on what’s happening during the session by following @newsfromKLA on X and Facebook and the hashtag #KLAattheCapitol. — KLA
