Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB273

Introduced
2/18/25  

Caption

Requiring that special elections be held on the first Tuesday in March.

Impact

The proposed amendments under SB273 will have a direct impact on the scheduling of special elections, which includes measures to issue bonds for local projects. This might lead to increased voter turnout as these elections would now align with a specific date, making it easier for voters to remember and participate. Additionally, it eliminates the possibility of having multiple special elections on different dates, which could simplify the electoral process for both election officials and the public.

Summary

Senate Bill 273 aims to standardize the timing of special elections by requiring that they be held on the first Tuesday in March of each year. This legislation amends several sections of the Kansas Statutes Annotated related to the scheduling and organization of elections, particularly focusing on bond elections conducted by municipalities and school districts. The bill's intent is to create a uniform framework for election dates, potentially facilitating greater participation by having elections occur on predetermined days that are consistent across various jurisdictions.

Contention

There could be points of contention surrounding SB273 regarding its implications for local governance and election administration. Critics may argue that mandating a specific date for all special elections could limit local control over the electoral process, potentially hindering the ability of municipalities to respond to timely needs based on local issues. Moreover, the timing may not always align with local circumstances or needs, such as urgent municipal bond requests that cannot adhere to the proposed schedule.

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 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 SB3

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

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 HB2002

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

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 SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.