Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2144

Introduced
1/29/25  

Caption

Enacting the supported decision-making agreements act to provide a statutory framework for adults who want decision-making assistance and amending the crime of mistreatment of a dependent adult or an elder person.

Impact

The bill aims to reinforce the autonomy of individuals while ensuring that they have the necessary support to navigate significant decisions. The act emphasizes that decision-making assistance should not substitute for personal agency. This legislative effort is particularly relevant for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or those with disabilities, who may require support without the stigma or loss of independence that often comes with traditional guardianship or conservatorship arrangements. By promoting supported decision-making, the bill may contribute to better health and social outcomes for these groups.

Summary

House Bill 2144, titled the Supported Decision-Making Agreements Act, establishes a legal framework for adults to receive assistance in making decisions regarding their personal, healthcare, and financial affairs. This bill allows adults, particularly those who may be experiencing difficulties in decision-making, to enter into supported decision-making agreements with one or more supporters. A supporter can provide guidance and assist in understanding information, conveying the principal's choices to others, and accessing important documentation such as medical records. Importantly, entering into such an agreement does not denote that the adult lacks the capacity to make decisions independently.

Contention

While the bill garners support for its intention to empower adults, there are underlying concerns regarding the potential for abuse or undue influence by supporters. Critics worry that without proper checks, some supporters might exploit their positions, especially in situations involving vulnerable adults. Furthermore, the bill amends existing legislation concerning the mistreatment of dependent adults and elderly persons, which could introduce complications regarding the enforcement of protections against coercive support practices. Debates around the bill highlight the balance between enabling autonomy and safeguarding against potential exploitation.

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 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 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 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 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 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 SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

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.

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