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The 🐝 Rating System
Each bill is evaluated based on four key factors: Scope of Impact, Financial Impact, Urgency, and Controversy. These factors are weighted to reflect their influence on the bill's overall importance. Here's how the ratings break down:
🐝 Minimal Impact: Legislation with limited reach or lower urgency and controversy.
🐝🐝 Moderate Impact: Proposals with a broader or more notable influence, addressing issues of medium urgency or financial significance.
🐝🐝🐝 High Impact: Bills with widespread consequences, urgent needs, or significant public and political attention.
Daily Legislative Update 🐝
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Below is today’s morning update on published activities in the Kansas Legislature.
Table of Contents
Top Stories of the Day
Flat Tax is Back
Yesterday, Senator Tyson (R) introduced a flat income tax proposal (SB 283) which has been promptly referred to the Committee on Assessment and Taxation (which she chairs). The bill is so fresh it hasn’t arrived on BillBee just yet, but buried within the 16 pages of the bill are two major changes to state income tax rules:
A reduction in the upper tax rate from 5.58% to 5.35% over three years; and
A flat income tax rate of 5.2% for 2028 and beyond.
These tax cuts also apply to estates and trusts. There’s no fiscal analysis of the total budget impact for the proposal yet, but we can certainly reference work on past attempts at a flat tax; Senate Bill 539 from last year (also introduced, coincidentally, by Senator Tyson) would have reduced cost nearly $650 million annually once fully phased in.
There are some structural differences between the 2024 and 2025 proposals, but the net effect is the same.
LetterSwarm of the Day
With the recent launch of LetterSwarm, it’s now fast and easy to promote advocacy and letter-writing campaigns to express your view to your legislator(s). When appropriate, I’ll highlight an active “swarm” for your consideration. Today’s swarm is a request to write your state senator to oppose flat income taxes.
House Select Investigating Committee
In the wake of last week’s confrontation between Rep. Hoheisel (R) and Rep. Carr (D), the Kansas House formed a select investigative committee to research and respond to Rep. Carr’s formal complaint. (FYI: Select Committees aren’t yet processed into BillBee, but you can follow the committee’s published activities here.)
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Bills and Resolutions
UPDATE: Summaries of these bills are now published on BillBee. The links below go directly to each bill’s writeup.
Bills Under Consideration
House Bills on the Floor for Consideration
Final Action on Bills and Concurrent Resolutions:
General Orders (Bills Under Consideration):
Committee Reports:
SB 50 – Education Committee recommends amending interest rate provisions related to the federal PLUS program.
SB 92 – Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee recommends amending the electric transmission line siting permit process to expedite final orders.
HCR 5001 – Federal and State Affairs Committee recommends adoption.
HB 2376 – Federal and State Affairs Committee recommends amending to include the Kansas cereal malt beverage act.
SB 7 – Local Government Committee recommends passing.
SB 104 – Local Government Committee recommends passing.
HB 2098 – Taxation Committee recommends passing.
HCR 5011 – Taxation Committee recommends multiple amendments related to property classification and valuation.
Senate Bills on the Floor for Consideration
Final Action on Bills and Concurrent Resolutions:
SB 283 – An act concerning taxation, including income tax rate adjustments, discontinuation of certain tax credits, and amendments to various Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.).
SB 284 – An act concerning prescription drugs, including provisions related to the federal 340B drug pricing program and the Defense of Drug Delivery Act.
SCR 1614 – A concurrent resolution urging the U.S. Congress to increase penalties for federal immigration law violations and to prosecute employers hiring undocumented immigrants.
Consent Calendar (Bills Eligible for Fast-Track Approval):
SB 269 – Assessment and Taxation Committee recommends passing the bill and placing it on the consent calendar due to its noncontroversial nature.
General Orders (Bills Under Consideration):
Bill References and Changes:
Notes:
Bills are linked to BillBee for more detailed information.
The Consent Calendar allows for expedited consideration of noncontroversial bills.
General Orders include actions such as committee recommendations and bill referrals.
New Bills Introduced
Senate Bills:
House Resolutions:
Miscellaneous / Commemorative and Cultural Acts:
🐝 HR 6009: Honoring Michael Young for his artistic contributions to Kansas.
Senate Resolutions:
Miscellaneous / Commemorative and Cultural Acts:
🐝 SR 1711: Honoring Michael Young for his artistic contributions to Kansas.
Senate Concurrent Resolutions:
Government Organization, Elections, and Public Administration:
🐝 SCR 1613: Legislature to adjourn for a set period in 2025.
Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Corrections:
🐝🐝 SCR 1614: Urges increased penalties for hiring undocumented immigrants.Have any ideas or feedback just let us know!
Session Highlights for March 3, 2025
House of Representatives
The House, presided over by Speaker pro tempore Carpenter, met at 11:00 a.m. and adjourned until 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Roll Call:
119 members were present, with Reps. Helgerson, Hill, and Meyer excused due to illness; Reps. Corbet and Tarwater excused on legislative business; Rep. Vaughn excused by the Speaker.
Bill Actions:
HB2398: Referred to Appropriations Committee.
SB137: Referred to Federal and State Affairs Committee.
SCR1604: Referred to Federal and State Affairs Committee.
HB2397: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
HB2399: Referred to Health and Human Services Committee.
HB2054: Amendment attempts failed; the bill was passed as amended.
Additional Notes:
Prayer was delivered by Chaplain Holmes, emphasizing wisdom and guidance for legislators.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Rep. Schreiber.
Committee assignment changes:
Rep. Ohaebosim appointed to replace Rep. Meyer on the Committee on Health and Human Services.
Rep. Brownlee Paige appointed to replace Rep. Meyer on the Committee on Insurance.
The House appointed conferees Proctor, Waggoner, and Haskins for the conference on SB4.
Senate
The Senate, presided over by President Ty Masterson, convened at 2:30 p.m. and adjourned until 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Roll Call:
37 senators were present, with Senators Blew, J.R. Claeys, and Shane excused.
Bill Actions:
Additional Notes:
Invocation was delivered by guest chaplain Doug Henkle, focusing on unity and legislative wisdom.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by President Masterson.
Received the Kansas Fights Addiction Grant Review Board 2024 Annual Report.
Messages from the House included the appointment of conferees for the conference on SB4.
The Senate withdrew SB119 from the Committee on Ways and Means and referred it to the Committee on Transportation.
SB281 was withdrawn from the Committee on Education and referred to the Committee on Government Efficiency.
Upcoming Actions
House of Representatives
Session Time: 11:00 AM
Committee Updates:
Appropriations (9:00 AM): Request for bill introductions and informational briefings from the Department of Commerce and Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.
Federal and State Affairs (9:00 AM): Meeting on call of the chair.
Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications (9:00 AM): Meeting on call of the chair.
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget (1:30 PM): Presentation on deer and turkey populations by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Child Welfare and Foster Care (1:30 PM): Presentation on Medicaid Finances by Megan Leopold, Managing Fiscal Analyst.
Transportation (1:30 PM): Presentation by Carolyn Simons, Senior Director State Funding Policy for ARTBA.
Senate
Session Time: 2:30 PM
Committee Updates:
Ways and Means (2:30 PM): Budget hearing on Department of Administration, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, state hospitals.
Education (2:30 PM): Budget hearing on School for the Deaf and School for the Blind.
Utilities (2:30 PM): Budget hearing on Citizens' Utility Ratepayers Board and Kansas Corporation Commission.
Have any ideas or feedback, just let us know!
