Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2396

Introduced
2/27/25  
Refer
2/27/25  
Report Pass
3/6/25  
Engrossed
3/10/25  
Refer
3/11/25  
Report Pass
3/19/25  
Refer
1/27/26  

Caption

Senate Substitute for HB 2396 by Committee on Assessment and Taxation - Authorizing the use of a protest petition to limit funding of a taxing jurisdiction by property tax revenues exceeding a certain amount, providing for a protest petition notice to be sent to taxpayers and modifying the content requirements of the revenue neutral rate hearing notice.

Impact

The implementation of HB 2396 will have significant ramifications on state tax laws, especially concerning the revenue generation processes of cities and counties. By allowing voters to challenge tax increases via protest petitions, the bill seeks to instigate a more democratic approach to budget approvals, providing residents a path to dispute local tax hikes. Additionally, the bill establishes the Acknowledging Stewardship of Tax Revenue and Appropriations (ASTRA) fund, which will allocate state funds to qualifying municipalities based on population and property valuation metrics. This could better distribute state financial resources to support local services.

Summary

House Bill 2396 addresses property taxation by introducing mechanisms for local taxing jurisdictions to be held accountable for increasing their property tax revenues beyond certain limits. The bill allows for the establishment of protest petitions that can limit how much funding such jurisdictions receive when property tax revenues exceed a designated threshold. This change aims to empower voters by giving them a direct say in how much tax they are willing to support through local budgets, thus promoting fiscal responsibility at the local government level.

Contention

While proponents of HB 2396 argue that the measure enhances local government accountability and allows citizens to have a greater role in tax-related decisions, critics express concerns that it may hinder necessary funding for local projects. If local governments are unable to increase tax revenues without going through lengthy protest processes, they may find it challenging to fund essential services such as public safety, infrastructure improvements, and education. This contention centers around the balance between fiscal oversight by the public and the ability of local governments to effectively manage their budgets.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 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 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 HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

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 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.

Similar Bills

KS HB2745

Senate Substitute for HB 2745 by Committee on Assessment and Taxation - Providing a protest petition to contest certain increases in property tax revenues and continuing reimbursements from the taxpayer notification costs fund for an additional five years.

CA SB911

Transfer of real property: fire hazard severity zones: compliance documentation.

CO HB1169

Housing Developments on Faith and Educational Land

TX HB1916

Relating to the jurisdiction of a court in a suit to divide certain property not divided or awarded on the dissolution of a marriage.

CO HB1001

Housing Developments on Qualifying Properties

CO HB261001

Concerning the promotion of residential developments on qualifying properties.

OR SB48

Relating to housing; and prescribing an effective date.

TX SB1566

Relating to connection of utilities by certain entities in certain subdivisions formerly located in a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction.