Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB118

Introduced
1/30/25  

Caption

Imposing conditional term limits on members of the legislature and requiring nomination for office by petition after such term limits have run.

Impact

The implementation of SB 118 will mark a significant change to the existing legislative framework. It will not only limit the number of terms a legislator can serve, but the requirement for nomination petitions after reaching the term cap introduces an additional layer of qualification. This may invigorate the political landscape in Kansas by encouraging more candidates to enter the fray, as veteran legislators may find it more challenging to secure their positions after exhausting their term limits without a solid backing from their constituents via petitions.

Summary

Senate Bill 118 proposes to implement conditional term limits for members of the Kansas legislature, specifically capping the tenure of house representatives at six two-year terms and state senators at three four-year terms. The bill includes provisions for incumbents to seek reelection even after reaching these term limits, but only through a nomination process that requires petitions. This structure is aimed at enhancing accountability and ensuring a turnover in legislative positions, thereby allowing fresh perspectives within the state governance.

Contention

Throughout discussions surrounding the bill, there were notable points of contention. Proponents argue that term limits are essential for preventing stagnation within the legislature and that they empower citizens by allowing new representatives to emerge. Conversely, opponents raise concerns about the potential loss of experienced lawmakers who have acquired valuable knowledge over time, which could affect legislative efficiency and continuity. Additionally, the stipulation for nomination by petition may prove burdensome and could limit accessibility for some candidates, potentially skewing the representation in the legislature.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

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 SB4

Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

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 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 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.

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.