Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB437

Introduced
2/2/26  
Refer
2/3/26  
Refer
2/19/26  
Refer
2/24/26  

Caption

Establishing the technical college funding task force to design and make recommendations for a pilot outcomes-based funding model for Kansas technical colleges.

Impact

The implementation of this bill is expected to impact how funding is allocated to technical colleges, shifting towards an outcomes-based approach. This means that funding will no longer be simply based on enrollment numbers but rather on measurable outcomes such as graduation rates, job placement rates, and other success metrics. Such a framework aims to create a more accountable and effective funding structure that aligns with state goals for economic development and community stability.

Summary

Senate Bill 437 establishes a technical college funding task force aimed at creating a pilot outcomes-based funding model for Kansas technical colleges. The bill is designed to ensure that state investments in education are tied to measurable outcomes reflecting academic success and workforce readiness. The task force will include members from various educational institutions and appointments from legislative leaders, highlighting a collaborative approach to address educational funding in the state.

Contention

While many stakeholders support the bill for its focus on outcomes and accountability, there may be concerns regarding how outcomes are measured and the potential implications for colleges with historically lower performance metrics. Discussions may ensue around equitable access to funding and the extent to which this model can address the specific needs of diverse technical colleges across the state. The bill retains a degree of flexibility by allowing for additional funding sources and mechanisms, which could mitigate some concerns but also lead to broader debates about educational equity and resource allocation.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

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

KS SR1702

A resolution honoring the life, career and trailblazing achievements of Kansas icon Ed Dwight.

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 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 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 SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

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 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 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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.