May 12, 2023

Governor’s Active Veto Pen The Kansas Governor, a former New Yorker, demonstrated by her actions she is not ‘middle of the road’.  Her veto of CCR 8 prioritized county and municipality lobbyists veto request above helping seniors and disabled veterans struggling to pay property taxes and other provisions.  These lobby groups were against one provision in CCR 8 that would level the playing field against governments operating a business that directly competes with a private business.  Disappointingly, these taxpayer funded lobbyists put their angst against leveling the playing field over bi-partisan legislation that would have helped many Kansans.

CCR 8 had several provisions as do most tax and budget legislation.  The Governor said NO to CCR 8 that would have: expanded property tax relief for seniors in need and disabled veterans; reduced penalties on personal property tax late-filings; modified proposed property tax increase mailed out notices;  provided reimbursement to local governments for these notices;  provided two prior years’ values on your annual property valuation notices; allowed certified residential property appraisal when appealing   property taxes on homes; allowed paying under protest regardless of a valuation appeal; codified adverse influences in valuation of agriculture land; clarified agriculture agritourism property classification; provided a property tax exemption for businesses directly competing against a government business; decreased penalties for late withholding taxes; provided a carryforward for net-operating losses for specific years; allowed a subtraction modification for the federal work opportunity tax credit (WOTC); increased adoption tax credits; removed the sunset of tax credits for disabled employment; clarified an option for State And Local Tax (SALT) – it saved Kansans over $130 million on federal taxes without costing the state a dime; established a tax credit for donations to pregnancy centers; and exempted sales tax on manufacturer coupons.  All of these items were lost this year as a result of the Governor’s veto.  There will not be an attempt to override as the last day of session was a couple of weeks ago.

Kansans could have benefited from CCR 8 and CCR 169.  Remember CCR 169 that was vetoed earlier?  It included property tax relief for homeowners, state sales tax on groceries removed in 2024 instead of 2025, and income tax cuts including exempting Social Security and increasing standard deductions.  It is apparent the Governor’s actions and claims she is ‘in the middle of the road’ are contradictory as  she vetoes tax cuts and continues to grow government at a record pace.

Vetoes and veto overrides were a record high this year.  The legislature didn’t attempt to override all of the vetoes, but of the ones they did, 12 were overridden.  The successful veto overrides include:  HB 2313 Born-Alive Infant Protection, HB 2264 Women’s Right to Know about Abortion Drug Reversal, HB 2350 Making Human Smuggling a Crime, HB 2138 Requiring Separate Accommodations by Biological Sex on Overnight School Trips, HB 2094 Work or Training Requirement for Able Bodied Adults to Receive Food Benefits, SB 228 Modernizing County Jail Statutes (reimbursement for mental health detainees), and SB 180 Women’s Bill of Rights.  Bills that failed to secure 2/3 majority for an override: HB 2344 Loosening Overly Burdensome Daycare Regulations, HB 2236 Parents Bill of Rights, SB 169 Tax Reductions, SB 206  Ballots Due by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, and SB 26 Child Mutilation Prevention Act.  There will not be an override attempt on the bills she vetoed last week, including CCR 8, because the 2023 session has ended.  I have already began efforts to pass this legislation next year as I keep fighting the good fight.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12^th District State Senator.

Caryn