Governor Kelly Announces
Food Sales Tax Completely Eliminated

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Thursday announced that in 2025, Kansans are projected to save $156 million due to the reduction in the state sales tax rate from 2% to zero and the “Axe the Food Tax” legislation she signed in 2022. According to projections from the Kansas Department of Revenue, reducing the state sales tax on groceries from 2% to zero will save shoppers $13 million per month this year.

“The complete elimination of the state sales tax on food is a win for Kansas,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By axing the food tax once and for all, the average family of four will save $500 per year on groceries. I’m proud that we’ve put more money back into Kansans’ pockets thanks to this commonsense legislation.”

After working tirelessly to put the state on solid financial footing, in 2021 Governor Kelly called on the Kansas Legislature to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries as soon as possible. The Legislature ultimately passed legislation that gradually reduced the state sales tax on groceries over three years.

In 2023, the state sales tax rate on groceries went down from 6.5% to 4%, saving consumers $187.7 million per year. At the end of 2024, it was projected that shoppers saved nearly $570 million due to the reductions in the state sales tax rate on food and food ingredients during the two years the reduction has been in effect.

The state sales tax reduction applies to food, food ingredients, and certain prepared foods. When looking at a receipt, shoppers will see two tax rates, one for qualifying purchases and one for all other items.

The total elimination of the state sales tax on qualifying items went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

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Governor Kelly Announces December

Tax Collections Surpass Estimate by $66.7M

TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ends December 2024 with total tax collections at $1.1 billion. That is $66.7 million, or 6.3%, above the estimate. Total tax collections are up 8.1% from December 2023.

TOPEKA – While the risk to the general public still remains very low, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is reminding Kansans to practice caution around wild birds and backyard poultry amid increasing reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) virus both nationally and within Kansas.

HPAI is primarily an infection of wild birds; however, in the ongoing outbreak beginning in early 2022, numerous animal species have been infected including domestic poultry, dairy cattle, wild carnivores like skunks and raccoons, and domestic cats. The virus is spread by migratory waterfowl, primarily ducks and geese.

“The public health risk of HPAI remains low,” KDHE Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dereck Totten said. “While there has been no person-to-person spread, KDHE is monitoring the situation carefully. We are working with people who have had flocks test positive and encourage the public to avoid contact with sick birds.”

Fall migration of wild birds increased in November and December, resulting in additional exposure to HPAI and thus an increase in cases in domestic poultry in Kansas. Since Dec. 3, the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) has identified HPAI in six non-commercial backyard flocks and two commercial flocks.

Since this virus can infect humans who come in close contact with sick or dead birds and other infected animals, KDHE, in coordination with local health departments, monitors all exposed individuals for symptoms of influenza-like illness. While no human cases have been identified in Kansas, 66 cases of HPAI have been confirmed in humans in the United States in 2024. Those cases are nearly all from exposure to infected poultry or dairy cows, and no known human-to-human spread has occurred.

Current information regarding HPAI in animals in Kansas can be found at KDA Avian Influenza.

Most of the infections in humans the U.S. have been mild and primarily present as red, itchy eyes, but there is the potential for more severe illness, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. For more information on keeping yourself healthy while handling poultry, visit CDC Avian Influenza.

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TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday announced she has signed Executive Order 24-05 declaring Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, as a Day of Mourning in honor of Former President Jimmy Carter and ordering that State of Kansas offices be closed. This coincides with the National Day of Mourning declared by President Joe Biden. State offices will reopen and resume normal operations on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

In addition to the Day of Mourning, Governor Kelly on Monday directed flags throughout the State of Kansas to be flown at half-staff until sunset on Jan. 28, 2025.

Executive Order 24-05 can be found here.

TOPEKA – As 2024 comes to an end, Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday highlighted some of the key successes from the second year of her second term.

“I am proud of all my administration has accomplished throughout this year,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By working with the Legislature, our state agencies, stakeholders, and Kansans from across the state, we were able to reach new heights in 2024. I look forward to carrying this momentum into 2025 as we continue striving to make Kansas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Bipartisanship: In 2024, Governor Laura Kelly signed 103 bipartisan bills into law, including legislation that:

• Creates the Kansas Blueprint for Literacy, transforming how Kansas prepares educators to teach reading and better equips students with the literacy tools they need to succeed.
• Comprehensively updates Kansas’ workers compensation system, increasing the caps on workers compensation benefits and adding a cost-of-living adjustment to those caps beginning in July 2027.
• Establishes the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) as an independent state agency and codifies the position of the Child Advocate as the independent head of the OCA, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Education: This year, Governor Kelly fully funded K-12 education for the sixth year in a row, while making the largest single-year investment in higher education in Kansas history. The budget Governor Kelly signed invested $1.3 billion to support postsecondary institutions’ efforts to drive workforce development and lower costs for Kansas students. Additionally, Governor Kelly secured $75 million to put Kansas on the path to fully funding special education.

Tax Relief: In June, Governor Kelly signed into law a comprehensive tax relief package that responsibly cuts Kansans taxes while preserving the state’s long-term fiscal health. Senate Bill 1 provides Kansans with nearly $2 billion in tax cuts over the next 5 years, including increasing the residential property tax exemption from $42,000 to $75,000, eliminating state taxes on Social Security income, and increasing the standard deduction and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.

Water: The budget Governor Kelly signed this year continues Kansas’ historic $35M yearly investment in water infrastructure, conservation, and quality programs across Kansas. It also pledged an additional $16M specifically for drinking and wastewater infrastructure projects in communities of less than 1,000. This funding is essential to ensuring our small, rural communities have access to a clean and reliable water supply for years to come. 

Throughout 2024, the Kelly Administration and the Kansas Water Authority hosted two rounds of water Local Consult meetings to get feedback directly from Kansans on how to best implement short- and long-term solutions to Kansas’ water issues. Over these 14 meetings across the state, more than 1,000 Kansans participated and shared their input. Recommendations from these input sessions, including starting an independent evaluation cycle for water programs and building regional project pipelines to help ensure a multigenerational water supply for Kansans, will be implemented starting this fiscal year.

Early Childhood: Today, there are more licensed child care slots than ever recorded in Kansas history. Now, there are 1,200 more child care slots than Kansas had at this time last year, creating more opportunities for children to thrive and for the economy to grow. Governor Kelly also delivered $18 million over the next 3 years in expanded tax credits to reduce the cost of child care for working families.

In September, Governor Kelly announced Kansas will cover the state licensing, background check, and fingerprinting fees for child care providers seeking initial licensure or licensure renewal through 2025 or until available funds are expended, easing the financial burden for new providers and alleviating costs for our existing providers.

Economic Development: In 2024 alone, the Kelly administration attracted 266 committed economic development projects, totaling more than $3.4 billion in new business investment into the state and creating and retaining more than 5,100 jobs.

Infrastructure and Broadband: During Fiscal Year 2024, the Kansas Department of Transportation repaired 1,740 miles of roads and 136 bridges, building stronger and safer infrastructure so Kansans can smoothly travel the state.

To address the digital divide and increase all Kansans’ access to high-speed internet, the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) deployed a total of $16.8 million throughout 2024. This funding will enhance infrastructure and expand access to public Wi-Fi and connected devices, creating more opportunities for Kansans to thrive in the digital era.

Unemployment Insurance System: In November, Governor Kelly and the Kansas Department of Labor launched a new online system for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. Previously, the UI system had not been updated since it was established in the late 1970s. The launch of the Unemployment Insurance Technology Enhancement project is a win for Kansas because it demonstrates the state’s dedication to responsive and effective workforce support.

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