Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB521

Introduced
2/27/26  
Refer
3/2/26  
Report Pass
3/16/26  
Engrossed
3/23/26  

Caption

Providing for income tax credits for payment of employee's child care related expenses and certain employer contributions to expand community child care availability.

Impact

The impact of this legislation on state laws could be significant, especially affecting sectors related to family economic support and child care services. By implementing these credits, the state aims to enhance access to childcare, which is often a barrier for families seeking employment or returning to the workforce. Further, this initiative aligns with broader policies aimed at promoting family-friendly work environments and ensuring that child care is accessible to all, regardless of income levels. It will likely result in increased utilization of licensed child care services as families seek to benefit from these credits.

Summary

SB521 aims to provide financial support for employees towards child care costs by offering credits for payments made to child care providers. The bill is designed to address the growing need for affordable childcare options, reflecting the recognition of the importance of supporting working families. By incentivizing these payments, the legislation seeks to alleviate some of the financial burdens families face in securing quality child care services, which are crucial for parents who are in the workforce. The implications of this bill could also encourage more individuals to re-enter the workforce, knowing that child care costs will be mitigated through these credits.

Contention

Discussions surrounding SB521 may highlight notable points of contention, particularly regarding its funding and implementation. Some legislators and advocacy groups may raise concerns about the bill's financial viability and the potential long-term impacts on the state's budget. There might be debates regarding whether the credits will sufficiently cover the costs of tree placements in child care or if they will create unequal opportunities for low-income families compared to higher-income families. Addressing these concerns will be crucial for garnering bipartisan support as the bill progresses through the legislative process.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 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 HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

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.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.