Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2123

Introduced
1/28/25  

Caption

Increasing the minimum wage for employees that receive tips and gratuities.

Impact

If passed, HB2123 would significantly impact the wages of tipped employees in Kansas, ensuring that these individuals earn a guaranteed minimum rate that is higher than what is currently legislated. This change would require employers in the service industry, such as restaurants and bars where tipping is common, to adjust their payroll practices to comply with the new wage requirements. Proponents of the bill argue that it will lift many workers out of poverty and provide them with a more stable income.

Summary

House Bill 2123 aims to increase the minimum wage for employees who receive tips and gratuities. The bill amends K.S.A. 44-1203, revising the minimum wage rates applicable to these employees. Currently, employers can count tips towards the minimum wage calculation, which can leave some employees earning less than the required minimum when tips fall short. By increasing the tipped employees' minimum wage from $2.13 to $6.15, the bill seeks to ensure fair compensation that aligns more closely with standard minimum wage requirements for all employees.

Contention

Despite the potential benefits, there is likely to be contention surrounding the bill among various stakeholders. Supporters in the labor union sector and advocacy groups for workers' rights may push for its adoption, highlighting concerns that the current system inadequately supports employees reliant on tips. Conversely, some business owners may argue that raising the minimum wage for tipped workers could lead to increased operational costs, which might result in changes such as higher menu prices or reduced hiring. Therefore, the discussion around HB2123 is expected to encompass broader themes of economic impact, worker rights, and the sustainability of tipping culture.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 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 SCR1601

Informing the Governor that the two houses of the Legislature are organized and ready to receive communications.

KS HB2002

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

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

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 SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.