April 28, 2023

Property Tax Relief for seniors in need and disabled veterans by expanding the property tax freeze that passed last year, is in CCR 8 along with several other provisions.  The Senate passed it with a bi-partisan vote of 26 to 13.  Hopefully, it will became law.  It’s in the Governor’s hands.

Record Number of Vetoes and veto overrides is being reported.  The legislature didn’t attempt to override all of the vetoes, but of the ones they did, 12 were overridden.

The Governor worked to get a Republican Senator and an Independent (former Republican) Senator to vote against the veto override on CCR 169.  Apparently, they were seen coming out of her office on the day of the vote.  These are two legislators who originally voted YES on CCR 169.  It contained tax cuts on Social Security, an accelerated food state sales tax cut, some property tax relief for homeowners, an income tax cut by increasing the standard deduction, and a single income tax rate of 5.15%.  It would have accelerated the corporate tax cuts in 2024 and 2025 to 2024. The Republican who flipped, said the bill was too rich for corporations, but these are cuts they are going to get anyway.

The state budget increased over $1 billion this year, $1.5 billion was given to a handful of companies over the last two years, over $1.5 billion has been put in a rainy day fund, and yet the Governor and a few legislators blocked tax reductions for all Kansans.  Some say it was because of the single income tax rate policy at 5.15%.  A Democrat said the last day of session, “Don’t worry, you’ll get it next year because it is an election year.”  My heart sunk.  It shouldn’t matter if it is an election year.  We should pass it because it is good policy, no matter what year.

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.

Session has ended.  Many of us were surprised when leadership ran the Sine Die resolution, ending the 2023 session April 28^th.  Usually it is a few weeks after the last day of veto session, not on the last day of veto session.  As I was walking out of the building many people commented they had no idea that day was going to be Sine Die.

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

Caryn