Kansas House Bill HB2122

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/25
• Refer: 1/28/25
• Report Pass: 2/13/25
• Engrossed: 2/19/25
• Refer: 2/20/25
• Report Pass: 3/6/25
• Enrolled: 4/10/25
• Passed: 4/10/25

Caption

Increasing the annual license fees of electric and hybrid passenger vehicles, trucks and electric motorcycles and distributing the fees to the state highway fund and the special city and county highway fund, modifying the threshold limit for allowing quarterly payments of certain truck and truck tractor annual vehicle registration fees and eliminating the two-quarter grace period for truck or truck tractor owners that have delinquent quarterly payments before certain penalties apply.

Summary

HB2122 revises Kansas motor vehicle registration fees and payment rules, with a particular focus on electric and hybrid vehicles and certain trucks and truck tractors. The bill increases annual license fees for all-electric motorcycles, electric hybrid vehicles, plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, all-electric vehicles, and certain electric or hybrid trucks, and directs those revenues into the state highway fund and the special city and county highway fund. It also updates the fee schedule for trucks and truck tractors and changes the threshold for when owners may pay annual registration fees in quarterly installments. The bill lowers the quarterly-payment eligibility threshold from annual fees exceeding $300 to fees exceeding $100, but removes the two-quarter grace period that previously allowed delinquent payers more time before the full balance and penalties were triggered. Under the revised rules, a delinquent quarterly installment can lead more quickly to the remaining balance becoming due, along with penalties, lien filing, and enforcement actions. The bill also makes conforming changes to title and registration fee distribution provisions and repeals the prior versions of the affected statutes, with the new provisions generally taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Impact

HB2122 amends K.S.A. 8-143 and 8-143a and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 8-145, replacing existing fee schedules and payment procedures for vehicle registration in Kansas. It raises registration costs for electric and hybrid passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and certain trucks, while preserving lower rates for conventional vehicles and many special-use categories. The bill also changes how registration revenue is allocated, sending specified electric-vehicle-related fees to the state highway fund and special city and county highway fund, and it tightens enforcement for quarterly truck registration payments by accelerating penalties and collection remedies for delinquent accounts.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have received broad legislative support, passing the House 118-1, the Senate 39-1, the Senate conference report 40-0, and the House conference report 102-22. That voting pattern suggests general agreement on the need to update registration fees and payment rules, especially for electric and hybrid vehicles and for delinquent quarterly truck payments. The final votes also indicate that, while the measure was largely accepted, it was not entirely uncontested in the House.

Contention

The main points of contention are likely the higher annual fees imposed on electric and hybrid vehicles and the stricter treatment of delinquent quarterly truck registration payments. Supporters would view the bill as a revenue and enforcement measure that better aligns registration fees with highway funding needs, while opponents may see it as a cost increase on cleaner vehicles and a tougher collection regime for trucking operators. The House conference vote of 102-22, compared with the near-unanimous Senate action, suggests the fee increases or enforcement changes drew more resistance in the House than in the Senate.