Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB489

Introduced
2/5/26  

Caption

Providing for a universal homestead exemption from ad valorem property taxation.

Impact

The bill mandates that school districts be reimbursed from the state general fund for revenue losses due to the homestead exemption. However, it specifically states that other taxing subdivisions, such as counties and cities, will not receive reimbursement for revenue losses, implying a potential financial burden on those entities. The legislation also lays out a systematic approach where certain forms and certification processes are required for homeowners to secure their exemptions, ensuring that the benefits reach legitimate homeowners while preventing fraud.

Summary

Senate Bill 489 proposes a universal homestead exemption from ad valorem property taxation, allowing the first $10,000 of appraised value of any homestead to be exempt from property taxes levied by all taxing subdivisions, effective from January 1, 2028. The bill emphasizes its aim to alleviate the property tax burden on homeowners and promotes the idea of homeownership and residential stability in the state of Kansas. Additionally, it establishes clear definitions for terms such as 'homestead', 'owner', and 'taxing subdivision', facilitating the implementation of the exemption.

Contention

Notably, the bill includes provisions to combat potential fraud associated with homestead exemptions, introducing civil and criminal penalties for false statements or failure to notify of changes in eligibility. These measures could foster a more responsible administration of the exemptions but may also lead to concerns regarding the administrative burdens placed on both homeowners and county appraisers. The requirement for counties and municipalities to absorb the costs of the exemption without additional state reimbursement presents a significant point of contention, potentially leading to disputes over budget priorities and funding at the local level.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 SB6

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

KS SB8

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

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 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 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.

Similar Bills

FL S0276

Homestead Property Tax Benefits for Long-term Owners and Permanent Residents

NJ A2752

Prohibits homestead property tax rebates and credits and ANCHOR property tax benefits from being paid to property owners who move out of State.

MN SF5284

Relative homesteads rental licensing requirements prohibition provision

FL H0775

Assessment of Homestead Property

FL HB775

Assessment of Homestead Property:

NJ S91

"Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act"; provides State reimbursement for 50% of school property taxes paid by seniors, 65 years and older.

NJ A270

"Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act"; provides State reimbursement for 50% of school property taxes paid by seniors, 65 years and older.

NJ S2118

Revises criteria to establish base year for homestead property tax reimbursement after relocation.