Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB16

Introduced
1/16/25  

Caption

Prohibiting discrimination by financial services companies on the basis of social credit score and requiring registered investment advisers to obtain written consent from clients prior to investing client moneys in mutual funds, equity funds, companies and financial institutions that engage in ideological boycotts.

Impact

The introduction of SB16 will modify various components of existing state laws pertaining to financial practices. By legislating against discrimination based on social credit scores, the bill seeks to influence how financial institutions assess clients. This could result in a significant shift in the operational policies of banks and investment firms, as they will need to revise their criteria for customer evaluation. Furthermore, the bill creates a disclosure requirement, necessitating that clients be informed if their financial service access is denied, including the rationale behind such decisions.

Summary

Senate Bill 16 aims to prohibit discrimination by financial services companies based on a person's social credit score. It defines a social credit score broadly, incorporating various factors such as environmental compliance, support for certain corporate diversity standards, and lifestyle choices, among others. The bill is designed to ensure that individuals are granted access to financial services regardless of their personal beliefs or business affiliations. Under this bill, financial services companies are expected to provide services on a nondiscriminatory basis without imposing standards that extend beyond typical financial assessments.

Contention

Despite its intent to provide equity in financial access, the bill has faced criticism from various groups, particularly from those concerned about the broader implications of enforcing social credit systems. Opponents argue that the social credit score concept could unfairly stigmatize individuals based on non-financial criteria, potentially leading to economic discrimination. Moreover, the language around ideological boycotts triggers debates about freedom of expression and the ethics of corporate governance, highlighting a potential battleground between financial services and political or social values.

Enforcement

Enforcement of the provisions in SB16 places requirements on financial services companies with total assets exceeding $20 billion. If violations occur, penalties include being classified as engaging in deceptive practices, with the Attorney General empowered to pursue investigations and impose sanctions. These measures underscore the state's commitment to maintaining an equitable financial ecosystem while closely monitoring adherence to the law.

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 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 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 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 SB8

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

KS SB4

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

KS HB2002

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

KS SB6

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

KS SCR1601

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.