Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2143

Introduced
1/29/25  

Caption

Requiring the secretary of state to enter into agreements with credit rating agencies for the release of certain information that can be used to verify the citizenship of persons registered to vote in this state.

Impact

If enacted, HB2143 will have a profound impact on how voter registration works in Kansas. The bill aims to streamline the process of verifying citizenship, a move that supporters argue is necessary to prevent voter fraud. It would require county election officers to act upon notifications regarding individuals who may be noncitizens, and this could lead to a significant purge of the voter registration lists. The law stipulates that individuals removed from the rolls will have the opportunity to restore their registration by proving their citizenship, thus introducing a layer of accountability to the voter registration process.

Summary

House Bill 2143 mandates that the Secretary of State enter into agreements with credit rating agencies to facilitate the release of personal information such as names, addresses, and social security numbers, which will be used to verify the citizenship status of individuals registered to vote in Kansas. The primary goal of this bill is to ensure that only eligible citizens are allowed to participate in elections, thereby enhancing the integrity of the electoral process. The bill proposes measures to identify and remove noncitizens from the voter rolls, a point which has sparked various debates around its implications and execution.

Contention

Opposition to HB2143 centers around concerns that it may disproportionately affect eligible voters, particularly among marginalized communities. Critics argue that relying on credit rating agencies to verify citizenship status can lead to inaccuracies and unfair disenfranchisement of lawful voters. There are fears that the bill could foster an atmosphere of intimidation among voters, discouraging participation in elections due to the potential for removal based on flawed data. Furthermore, the debates touch upon the broader implications of voter suppression and the balance between securing elections and upholding citizens' rights to vote.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

KS SB4

Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

KS SCR1603

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for residential property.

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 SCR1601

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.