Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2496

Introduced
1/21/26  

Caption

Requiring the director of property valuation to conduct a review or audit of the appraisal and apportionment of the valuation of the property of any public utility when the total appraised value of property of such public utility in this state decreased more than 5% and a governmental body requests such review or audit.

Impact

The impact of HB2496 on state laws revolves around enhancing governmental oversight of public utility valuations. By instituting an audit mechanism, the bill aims to ensure that public utilities are not unduly benefitting from decreased property valuations without adequate review. This is particularly significant in cases where local governments might be losing tax revenue as a result of declining appraisals, thereby affecting funding for public services. The legislation is intended to hold public utilities accountable and promote fair taxation practices across the board.

Summary

House Bill 2496 seeks to amend property taxation laws specifically concerning public utilities. The bill mandates that the director of property valuation is required to conduct a review or audit of the appraisal and allocation of property values for any public utility when the appraised value decreases by more than 5% compared to the previous year. This process is initiated upon the request of a governmental body that has the authority to levy property taxes, ensuring that tax assessments remain fair and accurate despite any fluctuations in property valuations.

Contention

Notable points of contention around HB2496 may arise from the interests of public utilities which could be concerned about the increased scrutiny and potential costs associated with frequent audits. Opponents may argue that this could lead to regulatory burdens that complicate the operational efficiencies of these entities. Proponents, on the other hand, may emphasize the need for transparency and fairness in tax assessments, arguing that the audits are necessary to protect public interests and ensure that municipalities can maintain essential services funded by property tax revenues.

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 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 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 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 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 SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

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 SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS SCR1601

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

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.

Similar Bills

CA SB1352

Property taxation: newly constructed: reconstructed property.

CA AB245

Property taxation: application of base year value: disaster relief.

CA SB1053

Property taxation: transfer of base year value: disaster relief.

CA SB603

An act to amend Section 69 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to taxation, to take effect immediately, tax levy.

HI HB1398

Relating To Property.

HI HB1398

Relating To Property.

TX HB2011

Relating to the right to repurchase from a condemning entity certain real property for which ad valorem taxes are delinquent.