Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2558

Introduced
1/27/26  
Refer
1/27/26  

Caption

Increasing the amount of moneys transferred from the state general fund to the state water plan fund and from the state water plan fund to the water technical assistance fund and the water project grant fund.

Summary

HB 2558 revises Kansas water funding statutes to increase the amount transferred from the state general fund into the state water plan fund and to increase the amounts moved from the state water plan fund into two dedicated programs: the water technical assistance fund and the water projects grant fund. The bill also extends the life of those two funds, adjusts the thresholds that trigger transfers of excess balances, and updates the timing and amounts of the annual transfers. In addition, it preserves reporting requirements and directs the Kansas water office and Kansas water authority to continue administering the funds and related grant programs. The bill expands the uses of the water technical assistance fund to support planning, engineering, management, and other technical help for water infrastructure projects, with priority for smaller municipalities. It also expands the water projects grant fund to support construction, repair, maintenance, replacement, matching funds, and limited repayment assistance for outstanding water-related loans, with grant formulas favoring smaller cities. The bill further authorizes the Kansas water authority to recommend use of a portion of the state water plan fund for water-related staffing, encourage cooperative and nonprofit-supported projects, and promote stockwatering conservation grants.

Impact

HB 2558 would amend K.S.A. 82a-955, 82a-956, and 82a-957 to increase and extend state funding flows for water planning and infrastructure, raising the annual general fund transfer to the state water plan fund and increasing the amounts directed to technical assistance and project grants. It would also raise the balance thresholds for excess-fund transfers, extend the sunset date for the two special funds, and modify grant eligibility and prioritization rules that affect municipalities, special districts, and other water-related applicants. The bill would therefore expand the Kansas water office’s role in administering water infrastructure assistance and could increase state support for local water projects, especially in smaller communities.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears generally supportive of water infrastructure investment and state water planning, with a clear emphasis on increasing available funding and broadening assistance programs. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate to indicate formal support or opposition. The overall framing of the bill suggests a policy consensus around strengthening water funding mechanisms.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are fiscal and distributional: the bill increases transfers from the state general fund and enlarges commitments from the state water plan fund, which may raise concerns about state budget impacts. It also prioritizes smaller municipalities for full technical-assistance grants and sets repayment-assistance formulas that favor smaller cities, which could prompt questions from larger cities or special districts about equity. Another possible issue is the bill’s authorization for water funds to support staffing and certain projects involving nonprofits or historic and park sites, which may draw scrutiny over scope and project selection.

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 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 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 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 HB2002

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

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 SB6

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

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.