Rep. Dan Osman

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to amend the Kansas Constitution to require voter approval for any property tax exemptions. If passed, the change would shift the authority currently held by the state legislature to the electorate, meaning voters would directly decide whether specific groups or properties receive tax breaks. The measure does not create new exemptions itself but establishes a new rule for how future exemptions must be approved. It directly affects Kansas voters, property owners, and local governments by altering the process for determining tax relief.

Maddy summaryHB 2632 raises eligibility thresholds for Kansas seniors (65+) and disabled veterans to qualify for property tax refunds. It increases the household income limit from $50,000 to $75,000 and the homestead appraised value limit from $350,000 to $500,000 for tax years starting in 2026. The bill also adds an automatic cost-of-living adjustment to the income threshold each year. This change directly affects more Kansas residents aged 65+ or disabled veterans who previously earned too much or owned homes exceeding the old value limits.

Maddy summaryHB 2630 allows Kansas counties and cities to levy a 2% additional tax on liquor sales revenue (from retailers, microbreweries, distributors, and other sellers), but only after voter approval via local election. The tax revenue must be used exclusively to reduce the following year's property tax levy by an equal amount. Local governments must hold an election and secure majority voter approval before implementing the tax, with collections starting 60 days after the election. This bill directly affects property taxpayers in participating counties and cities by providing a new funding mechanism for property tax relief.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to change the state constitution to lower the property tax assessment rate for residential real estate in Kansas from 11.5% to 9%. The change would directly affect homeowners and communities with mobile or manufactured homes by reducing the percentage of their property's value used to calculate taxes. If approved by voters, the new rate would apply to properties starting January 1, 2027, while other property classes like agricultural land and commercial buildings would keep their current assessment percentages.

Maddy summaryHB 2678 would establish Kansas' first legal medical cannabis program, allowing licensed businesses to cultivate, process, and sell cannabis products for medical use to qualifying patients. It requires the state to expunge past cannabis-related criminal records and imposes an excise tax on sales, with funds directed to child care, economic development, mental health, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates. The bill creates new licensing systems for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, while exempting medical cannabis use from certain drug possession laws. It directly affects patients with qualifying medical conditions, licensed cannabis businesses, and the state's criminal justice and social service funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 2679 would establish a legal framework for the regulated sale and use of cannabis by adults 21 and older in Kansas. The bill creates licensing requirements for cannabis businesses (including growers, manufacturers, retailers, and testing facilities), mandates the clearing of past cannabis-related criminal records, and imposes an excise tax on cannabis sales. Revenue from this tax would fund child care, economic development, mental health services, low-cost housing, and property tax rebates through a new "cannabis business regulation fund." The law would replace existing cannabis laws and require businesses to follow specific safety, labeling, and operational standards.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform to address issues caused by decades of federal inaction. The bill highlights how the lack of updated laws has negatively impacted states, local communities, and families through workforce shortages, economic instability, and family separation. It specifically calls for modernizing immigration pathways to reduce visa backlogs and ensuring that law enforcement actions are conducted with clear accountability and respect for due process. By requesting federal action, the resolution aims to restore predictability to immigration policy and protect vulnerable populations from the consequences of outdated statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 2656 establishes Kansas' "No Kid Hungry in Schools" program, requiring public school districts with high student poverty rates to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all students. The state reimburses districts for the cost difference between federal meal reimbursements and the federal free-meal rate, covering up to one breakfast and one lunch per student daily. School districts must participate if they qualify under federal poverty thresholds for free meal eligibility, and must offer two federally reimbursable meals per student per day. The bill amends existing school meal funding laws to implement this state-level reimbursement system.