Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB35

Introduced
1/16/25  
Refer
1/17/25  
Report Pass
1/23/25  
Engrossed
1/30/25  
Refer
1/30/25  
Report Pass
3/10/25  
Enrolled
4/10/25  

Caption

Discontinuing the state property tax levies for the Kansas educational building fund and the state institutions building fund and providing for financing therefor from the state general fund.

Summary

SB 35 eliminates two existing state property tax levies that currently support the Kansas educational building fund and the state institutions building fund. In place of those ad valorem levies, the bill shifts financing to the state general fund through annual demand transfers beginning July 1, 2026. The educational building fund would receive an initial $56 million transfer, with future transfers adjusted annually based on the average percentage change in statewide taxable valuation over the prior 10 years. The state institutions building fund would receive an initial $25 million transfer, with future transfers increased by 2% of that base amount each year. The bill preserves the existing purposes of both funds. Money in the Kansas educational building fund remains available for construction, reconstruction, equipment, repair, and debt service for state educational institutions under the Board of Regents. Money in the state institutions building fund remains available for similar capital and debt-service purposes for state institutions, including juvenile justice facilities, the Department for Aging and Disability Services, and veterans’ facilities. The bill also repeals the statutory provisions that currently implement and phase in the property tax levies, with those provisions expiring on June 30, 2026.

Impact

SB 35 changes Kansas law by removing the statutory framework for two statewide property tax levies and replacing them with direct transfers from the state general fund. It amends K.S.A. 76-6b01, 76-6b02, 76-6b04, 76-6b05, 76-6b11, and related provisions, and repeals the existing sections governing the levies and their annual accounting. The bill does not change the underlying uses of the funds, but it changes how those funds are financed and shifts the burden from property taxpayers to the state budget.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad legislative support, as reflected in strong final votes in both chambers and unanimous Senate adoption of the conference committee report. The vote margins suggest general agreement with the policy of replacing property-tax financing with general-fund support for these capital accounts. No committee transcript was provided, so the available record shows support through voting history rather than detailed debate.

Contention

The main policy tension in SB 35 is fiscal: it relieves property taxpayers by ending the levies, but it also commits the state general fund to ongoing transfers that will compete with other budget priorities. Potential points of concern include the long-term affordability of the new general-fund obligations, the annual growth formula tied to taxable valuation for the educational building fund, and whether shifting these costs away from property taxes is the best financing approach. The recorded opposition in floor votes indicates some legislators likely objected to the budgetary tradeoff or the structural change, even though the bill ultimately passed with substantial majorities.

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 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 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 HB2002

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

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.

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.