Kansas lawmakers race to reckon with flat tax, DEI disputes, disability services before spring break

Kansas lawmakers are rushing to cut taxes, fund disability services and address immigration issues before the annual three-week spring break begins next week. Most bills that don’t pass at that point will not be considered when lawmakers return for a short omnibus session on April 29.

Republicans are at odds over how to cut income taxes and pay for other big-ticket items such as disability rights. Everything is coming to a head as lawmakers approach their annual “drop dead day” deadline to pass or kill a bill.

Lawmakers are expected to finalize a proposed $25 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

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Here are some of the key issues being considered this week.

Republican Party shaken by “flat tax”

After Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the Republican package in January because it included a single-rate, or “flat” income tax, the Legislature passed the income tax, sales tax, This is his second attempt at enacting property tax cuts, which he said he supports. “Ultra-wealthy.” Democrats, with the help of several Republican defectors, narrowly prevented the governor’s veto from being overturned in the House.

Although state tax collections have been lacking in recent months, Kansas still has more than $4 billion in surplus funds due through the end of June 2025. Lawmakers are poised to approve tax cuts worth $500 million to $600 million a year, but the plan Mr. Kelly outlined in January would be worth about $300 million a year.

Both the House and Senate want to exempt retirees’ Social Security benefits from income taxes, reduce state property taxes on public schools and adjust the standard personal income tax deduction.

The main difference is the proposed income tax rate.

The Senate’s plan would set the single interest rate at the current high of 5.7% and reduce it to 5.45% over five years.

In the House, Republican leaders concluded that the single rate plan was unlikely to overcome another veto from Mr. Kelly. Instead, they want to eliminate the lowest income tax bracket and set the top rate at 5.65%.

Mr. Kelly has not said publicly whether he would accept the two interest rate plans.

Senate Republicans appear to have a two-thirds majority behind the plan, but the House approved it this week by a vote of 123-0. The final tax plan will be drafted by three negotiators from the House and Senate.

immigration and diversity

Immigration and diversity issues are both part of Kansas’ budget negotiations this year.

Republican senators added a provision to their spending plan to help Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s fight with the Biden administration over border security. The measure set aside $15.7 million for the proposed border mission through July and directed Kelly to deploy Kansas National Guard resources to support Texas.

Asked about the provision last month, Kelly said the state constitution designates her as commander in chief of the Guard, “and I make that decision.”

Another provision in the Senate budget would withhold $35.7 million from state universities until the top administration abandons diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives before Kelly and other legislative leaders. There is. Lawmakers are asking schools to declare that they will not require prospective students or job applicants to adhere to DEI principles or discuss their experiences with DEI programs.

Last year, Kelly vetoed two anti-DEI budget provisions. He could have prevented the state university from using DEI principles in its hiring. Another would prohibit state boards that license mental health professionals from requiring or encouraging training in diversity or anti-racism theory.

Services for people with disabilities

Some Kansas families wait as long as 10 years for their children with physical or intellectual developmental disabilities to receive in-home or community services. Lawmakers are considering solutions.

While 15,000 Kansans with disabilities have access to services such as day programs, employment assistance and home care, more than 7,600 are on a waiting list. A total of 23 people died while waiting for services in 2022 and 2023, according to the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services.

Kelly is proposing to spend $23 million to provide services to 250 people with physical disabilities and 250 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are currently on the waiting list. The House proposal would double that.

Some House Democrats unsuccessfully pushed for enough spending to provide services to an additional 1,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But some Republican lawmakers are questioning whether service providers can handle such an increased workload.

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“It’s disingenuous to say they’re going to get help when they can’t even find the workers to provide the services they need,” House Health Committee Chairwoman Brenda Landwehr (R-Wichita) said at a recent meeting. Stated.

But disability advocates say increasing the number of slots for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by an additional 500 will help reduce the waiting list, given that hundreds more people have been added to the list over the past two years. There are doubts that it will shrink further.

Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Kansas Disability Rights Center, argues that if the state invests more money, health care providers will increase their capacity.