“Kansans deserve real property tax relief, and they deserve the truth about how such relief can be accomplished,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “To date, the Legislature – led by a Republican supermajority – has provided only lip service on this topic and has failed to deliver on the campaign promises and talking points they have been repeating for two years. Today, I’m laying out a fiscally responsible property tax relief plan that I invite the Legislature to debate and take action on to finally give Kansans some real relief.”

The truth about property taxes is that the overwhelming majority of property taxes are levied at the local level – by cities, counties, and school districts. The revenues that these taxes generate are designed to contribute to an improved quality of life for its citizens, like paying for police and firefighters, maintaining reliable roads, and providing access to high-quality public schools. However, increased valuations and rising costs have placed an undue burden on property owners across the state.

Action must be taken to encourage local governments to keep their costs down, while not sacrificing the services that its citizens deserve. But the State is not excused from being a part of the solution and providing relief for the portion of property taxes for which it is responsible.

To identify a real and lasting solution, Governor Kelly is introducing a multi-pronged approach to drive property tax reform in Kansas. She encourages the Legislature to follow her lead and to debate and vote on this property tax reform package in the closing days of the 2026 legislative session.

Governor Kelly’s plan is divided into three parts: 1) immediate property tax relief for vehicle owners, 2) incentivizing local governments to permanently bend their cost curves, and 3) requiring the state to have skin in the game for its share of property taxes.

The first leg of the plan is for the Legislature to adopt Senate Bill 378, which was introduced by Senator Ethan Corson during the 2026 legislative session. This bill would provide for a one-time $250 vehicle tax credit for all vehicle owners in the state when they register their vehicle. The cost to cover this credit would be paid for by using surplus funds sitting in the budget stabilization fund. This policy would give immediate relief to Kansans in Fiscal Year 2027, while the other components of the package take shape. By limiting this to a one-time event, it will not jeopardize the fidelity of the budget stabilization fund.

The second leg of the plan is to create a fund to be distributed to cities and counties that demonstrate an ability to manage their budgets responsibly. The state would make an annual deposit into this fund, beginning with $60.0 million in the first year, and growing the deposit by 2 percent each year. Cities and counties that keep their annual budget growth at a reasonable level – recommended to be no greater than 3 percent – would be eligible to claim a portion of this fund, to assist them in paying for needed services. The distribution formula would take into account each city/county’s population and total assessed value, ensuring that rural and urban areas have equitable access to these funds.

The third leg of the plan is for the state to have some skin in the game and to provide tax relief for the 20 mills that are levied to assist the state in paying for its share of public education. Current law exempts the first $75,000 of every home’s appraised value from this 20-mill tax. The Governor’s proposal would increase the exemption level to $150,000. By doubling the current exemption, this would provide meaningful tax relief to over 700,000 Kansas homeowners every year. This proposal would safeguard funding for public education by creating a demand transfer from the State General Fund into the School District Finance Fund to ensure that public schools continue to receive their full constitutional funding.

The Governor urges the Legislature to give serious consideration to this comprehensive property tax package, while it has time to act. It is time for Kansans to hear the truth from their elected officials, and to have their elected officials deliver realistic results for them.

“House Substitute for Senate Bill 366 takes concrete steps to make our communities safer for all – and safe communities are vital to making Kansas a state where people want to put down roots and raise their families,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I’m pleased to sign smart, commonsense legislation that will help ensure drivers are distraction-free and schoolchildren, pedestrians, and constructions workers are protected.”

Under Senate Bill 366, individuals who use a cell phone while driving in school or construction zones will be subject to a warning citation. After July 1, 2027, individuals will be subject to a citation with a $60 fine. Additionally, this law permits the display of certain lighting in road construction zones by vehicles and trailers being used for highway construction and maintenance operations.

“We need to keep our kids and workers safe on the road. Car crashes and fatalities caused by distracted driving are far too prevalent in our state, with tragedy touching too many families,” said Senator for District 7 Ethan Corson. “Prohibiting cell phones in school and construction zones is a commonsense action to curb the inattention that leads to accidents. With the signing of this legislation, we are delivering on the promise to enhance public safety and protect Kansans from harm.”

By prohibiting and authorizing penalties for drivers’ cell phone use in school and construction zones, Senate Bill 366 aims to reduce accidents, protect children and construction workers, and ensure drivers are alert, focused, and distraction-free.

“Distracted driving from cell phone usage is one of the biggest preventable causes of traffic fatalities, injuries, and accidents,” said Representative for District 125 Shannon Francis. “This bill helps protect construction workers and school children where they are most vulnerable. We must build a culture of safety among Kansas drivers.”

In addition to House Substitute for Senate Bill 366, Governor Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills:

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2212: Authorizing the governor to make a declaration of need for enhanced public safety and security for an extraordinary event.

House Bill 2393: Authorizing the supreme court to impose a charge to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel through June 30, 2030.

House Bill 2511: Permitting money received from agricultural production on a state-owned property to be used for the management of all state-owned properties.

House Bill 2519: Continuing in existence certain exceptions to the disclosure of public records under the Kansas Open Records Act.

House Bill 2622: Modifying the municipal lease-purchase protest petition requirements.

House Bill 2702: Providing that applicants for a physician assistant license submit to a criminal record check, providing for the collaboration between physicians and physician assistants, and requiring the revocation of a physician assistant license under certain circumstances.

House Bill 2761: Enacting the speech-language pathology assistant act to provide for the licensure of speech-language pathology assistants.

Senate Bill 55: Providing additional protections from exploitative contractors by prohibiting the assignment of benefits under certain property and casualty insurance contracts.

Senate Bill 425: Increasing the maximum annual registration fee limit for seed retailers and wholesalers and authorizing a late fee for registrations renewed after the registration deadline.