Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB165

Introduced
2/3/25  

Caption

Requiring school district bond elections and other tax levy question submitted elections be held only on primary or general election dates and only permitting one such bond election to be conducted each calendar year.

Impact

The proposed legislation is expected to significantly impact the financial operations of school districts. By consolidating elections to specific dates, it could potentially enhance voter turnout and engagement during these elections. Supporters argue that this will allow for clearer and more focused campaigns regarding bond issuances and tax levies, facilitating informed decision-making among voters about school funding matters.

Summary

Senate Bill 165 focuses on restructuring the process by which school districts can issue bonds and levy taxes. This bill mandates that all elections related to the issuance of bonds or tax levies must occur on primary or general election dates. Additionally, it restricts school districts to holding only one bond issuance election per calendar year, aiming to streamline the election process and reduce voter fatigue regarding frequent special elections.

Conclusion

Ultimately, SB165 seeks to enhance the governance of school funding by imposing stricter electoral conditions while aiming to improve accountability and transparency. Its passage may lead to a shift in how school districts approach borrowing and funding initiatives, potentially reshaping the landscape of educational finance in the state.

Contention

However, the bill has faced criticism from some stakeholders who believe it may limit the flexibility of school boards to address urgent funding needs outside of the designated election dates. The provision that forbids more than one bond issuance approval election in a year may hinder school districts' ability to respond swiftly to financial challenges or community demands for infrastructure improvements, such as repairs or renovations to school buildings.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB4

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

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 HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

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 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 SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

KS SB3

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

KS HB2002

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.