This bill reduces the property tax rate that Kansas school districts can charge on taxable property, lowering it from the current rate to 20 mills for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, then gradually decreasing by one mill each year until it reaches 15 mills starting in the 2031-2032 school year. The measure directly affects school districts across Kansas by limiting how much tax revenue they can collect from property owners to fund general operating budgets, maintain public schools, and repay certain redevelopment bonds. Under the new provisions, most tax revenue collected must be sent to the state treasurer and deposited into the state school district finance fund, while districts are prohibited from using certain other tax authority mechanisms. The changes apply to all school districts in Kansas and take effect once the bill is published in the state statute book.
This bill reduces the property tax rate that Kansas school districts can levy on taxable tangible property, lowering it from its current level to 20 mills for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, with the rate decreasing by one mill each year until reaching 15 mills starting in the 2031-2032 school year. The tax revenue collected will continue to fund general school district budgets, help cover operating and maintenance costs for public schools, and pay off certain redevelopment project bonds for districts established before 1997. Additionally, the bill prevents school districts from using specific legal procedures related to tax levies, and it directs most tax proceeds to the state treasury for the school district finance fund. This change directly affects school districts across Kansas and their property tax obligations.
This bill lowers the property tax rate that Kansas school districts can charge on taxable property. It directly affects school districts, property owners, and the state school finance fund. The new law sets a 20-mill tax rate for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years, reduces it to 19 mills for 2027-2028, and then adjusts the rate annually to maintain the same revenue level as 2027-2028 while ensuring it never falls below 15 mills. Revenue collected under this tax must be sent to the state treasurer and deposited into the state school district finance fund, except for amounts used to pay bond debt on redevelopment projects. The bill also prohibits school districts from using certain tax increase procedures while this rate structure is in effect.
This Kansas bill imposes a 3% excise tax on all sports wagers placed within the state, requiring individuals who make bets to pay the tax to lottery gaming facility managers, who then remit the funds to the state revenue department. The collected tax revenue is directed to the state school district finance fund, which is used to provide state foundation aid to school districts, while also reducing the statewide property tax levy for school districts by 1.5 mills. The legislation establishes new funds to manage the tax proceeds and refunds, and grants the director of taxation authority to enforce compliance and collect information from gaming facilities. This measure directly affects sports bettors, lottery gaming operators, school districts, and state education funding structures.
This bill introduces two new taxes on large wind farms and solar facilities in Kansas, targeting those with a capacity of at least 5,000 kilowatts. The first tax is a $4 annual fee per kilowatt of capacity, while the second is a $0.001 per kilowatt-hour tax on electricity produced, both payable by the year 2027. Revenue from these taxes will be placed in a new state fund designated for property tax relief, which will then be transferred to support school district financing. The legislation also amends existing school tax laws to allow for a reduction in the statewide property tax levy for schools using these funds.
HB 2631 increases the property tax exemption for residential homeowners in Kansas, raising the amount exempt from the statewide school levy from $75,000 to $125,000 of a property's appraised value. This change directly affects Kansas homeowners with residential properties who pay school taxes. The bill amends existing law to apply this higher exemption starting in 2027, reducing their taxable value for school funding purposes. The exemption applies to all taxable years beginning in 2027 and beyond.
HB 2784 lowers the property tax rate for Kansas school districts from 20 mills to 19 mills for the 2026-2027 school year. It directly affects school districts by reducing their local property tax revenue and requires the state to transfer funds from the general fund and budget stabilization fund to the state school district finance fund to offset this loss. The bill amends tax laws to automatically calculate and transfer the revenue difference based on the rate decrease, ensuring school districts maintain funding levels. This change applies specifically to the 2026-2027 school year as defined in the bill.
SB 488 proposes phasing out property taxes in Kansas over three years: limiting mill levies to 50% of 2025 levels in 2026, 25% in 2027, and eliminating them entirely for all property starting in 2028. To offset lost revenue for local governments, it creates a new "Kansas fair share purchase surcharge" on retail transactions (7.6% for purchases under $20 or $1.60 flat for $20+), with the collected funds distributed to school districts, counties, cities, and other taxing subdivisions via revenue replacement grants. The bill requires voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 2026 for the tax changes to take effect. It also establishes a "property tax freedom reserve fund" to manage these transition funds and provides for "freedom dividend rebates" to residents.
HB 2715 changes when property tax applies to new vehicles in Kansas. It shifts the tax due date from vehicle registration (at purchase) to 12 months after a new vehicle is bought or acquired. This directly affects new vehicle owners, who will now pay the property tax when renewing registration after their first year of ownership. The bill amends Kansas law to require this tax payment at registration in the tax year following the 12-month period, rather than at the time of purchase.
HB 2745 requires Kansas counties and cities to obtain voter approval before increasing property taxes above a set limit, directly affecting local governments seeking tax hikes beyond this threshold. It establishes a property tax relief fund and provides funding transfers to jurisdictions that keep tax increases within the new limit. The bill also creates a new property tax limit for budget planning and allows voters to challenge proposed increases by signing a petition with at least 10% of eligible voters within 30 days, which would force the local government to revert to the previous tax level.
