Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2024

Filed/Introduced
8/8/26  
Introduced
1/16/25  

Caption

Providing a tax credit for firefighters who incur unreimbursed medical expenses for screening for occupation-related cancer, enacting the fighting chance for firefighters act.

Impact

The enactment of HB2024 could have a significant impact on state tax laws by providing financial relief to firefighters and enhancing their ability to access critical healthcare services. The proposed tax credit is designed to encourage firefighters to seek necessary screenings without the worry of incurring excessive out-of-pocket expenses. This could potentially lead to earlier detection of cancers, improving health outcomes for those in this essential profession. Additionally, the bill may also impact state tax revenue, as the estimated cap for the total credits allowed is set at $1,500,000 annually.

Summary

House Bill 2024, known as the Fighting Chance for Firefighters Act, introduces a tax credit for Kansas resident firefighters who incur unreimbursed medical expenses related to cancer screening. This bill aims to support firefighters facing increased risks of developing certain types of cancer due to their occupational exposure to hazardous conditions while performing their duties. By enabling this tax credit of up to $250 per year for medical procedures needed to detect specific cancers, the bill seeks to mitigate the financial burden associated with these necessary health screenings for firefighters.

Contention

While the bill's intention is largely viewed as positive, there may be points of contention regarding its implementation and fiscal implications. Concerns could be raised about the allocation of funds and the effectiveness of the credit in promoting preventive healthcare among firefighters. Opponents might question whether the cap on credits is sufficient to meet the needs of the firefighting community and whether this initiative effectively addresses the broader healthcare challenges faced by those in high-risk professions. Furthermore, the non-refundable nature of the tax credit might limit its accessibility for firefighters with lower income levels who do not have sufficient tax liability to take full advantage of it.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS HR6001

Providing for the organization of the House of Representatives for the 2024 special session of the Legislature.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.