Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2680

Introduced
2/4/26  

Caption

Renaming the tax credit for low income students scholarship program the Kansas K-12 students scholarship program, expanding eligibility under the program, increasing the aggregate tax credit limit and moving the program's administration to the state treasurer.

Impact

In terms of state law, the bill increases the aggregate tax credit limit for contributions to scholarship granting organizations from $10 million to $20 million annually. This revision is intended to incentivize more contributions from taxpayers to educational scholarships, thereby increasing funding availability for eligible students. The administration of the program will be transferred to the state treasurer, which is expected to streamline operations and improve oversight of the scholarship process. The changes are designed to enhance funding effectiveness and ensure that a greater number of students can benefit from scholarship opportunities.

Summary

House Bill 2680 proposes significant changes to the existing scholarship programs for low-income students in Kansas. The bill renames the tax credit for low-income students' scholarship program to the Kansas K-12 students scholarship program and expands eligibility criteria for students seeking financial support. The amendments allow scholarships of up to $8,000 per year to eligible students, who must meet specific income requirements relative to federal poverty guidelines. This move aims to provide greater educational opportunities for students from lower-income families and reinforces the state's commitment to educational access and equity.

Contention

However, the bill generates notable points of contention among various stakeholders. Critics argue that expanding tax credits might reduce the overall funding available for public schools by diverting state resources toward private educational institutions. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential inequity created by allowing funds that could have supported public education to be used for private schooling. Advocates for the bill assert it enhances school choice and provides necessary support for family-based education alternatives, emphasizing the potential for increased competition among schools, which could lead to overall educational improvement.

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 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 HB2002

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

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 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 SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

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 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.

Similar Bills

UT HB0109

Utah Fits All Scholarship Program Alterations

UT SB0107

Education Scholarship Amendments

UT HB0467

Utah Fits All Scholarship Program Modifications

NJ S1027

"Opportunity Scholarship Act"; establishes pilot program in Department of Treasury providing tax credits to taxpayers contributing to scholarships for low-income children.

NJ A1578

"Opportunity Scholarship Act"; establishes pilot program in Department of Treasury providing tax credits to taxpayers contributing to scholarships for low-income children.

SC H4741

Tuition Gap Scholarship Program

SC S0959

Tuition Gap Scholarship Program

OR SB630

Relating to scholarships for use at participating nonpublic schools.