Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2628

Introduced
2/2/26  

Caption

Establishing a refundable income tax credit for tuition payments and fees made to postsecondary educational institutions.

Impact

The implementation of HB 2628 will create a new avenue for eligible students to receive financial assistance based on their tuition costs. The refundable nature of the tax credit signifies that students could potentially receive funds back even if their tax obligation is minimal or nonexistent. This could significantly affect low-income and middle-income students, making higher education more accessible and affordable. The state may see improved educational outcomes and a more educated workforce as a result of this initiative, directly impacting its economy and labor market dynamics.

Summary

House Bill 2628 proposes the establishment of a refundable income tax credit designed to alleviate the financial burden of tuition payments and fees for students attending postsecondary educational institutions. This initiative aims to provide meaningful financial support to individuals pursuing higher education, thereby encouraging enrollment and retention rates in colleges and universities throughout the state. By facilitating access to educational funding, the bill aspires to enhance the overall educational landscape and promote higher completion rates among students.

Contention

Discussions around HB 2628 may surface differing perspectives on the potential fiscal impact on the state's budget. Proponents argue that the long-term benefits of enhancing higher education access outweigh immediate costs, believing that a more educated population could lead to increased economic growth. Conversely, opponents may raise concerns about the sustainability of funding such credits and the implications of reduced state revenues for other essential services. As with many financial incentives, there may also be debates regarding who gets to benefit most from the bill—specifically whether the credit adequately targets those who need it the most versus broader demographics.

Notable_points

While HB 2628 aims to simplify access to financial aid through a tax credit, its structure will be crucial for ensuring equitable distribution. Policymakers may face challenges in ensuring that the program does not disproportionately favor upper-income families or larger institutions over those in greater need. Furthermore, accountability measures will likely be necessary to track the effectiveness of the tax credit in increasing enrollment and completion rates, ensuring that the intended benefits tangibly translate into real-world outcomes for students.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 SB8

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

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 HB2002

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

KS HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.