Kelly Vetoes Property Tax Bill, Pitches Alternative Plan

Governor Strikes Down 15 Bills in Veto Blitz

Kelly Signs State Budget, Blasts Lawmakers' Pay Raises

Drought Threatens Kansas Wheat as Early Harvest Looms

Iran Conflict Fuels Helium Shortage With Direct Kansas Impact

Kelly Vetoes Property Tax Bill, Pitches Alternative Plan

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed Senate Substitute for House Bill 2745 on Wednesday, rejecting the Republican-backed measure that would have created a protest petition process allowing voters to block local property tax increases exceeding inflation-adjusted revenue, capped at 3%. Kelly said the bill had already caused financial disruption, with multiple school districts and local governments seeing bonds terminated by underwriters due to the uncertainty it created. In its place, she introduced a three-part alternative: a one-time $250 vehicle registration credit for every car and truck owner, funded from the state's rainy-day account; a $60 million incentive pool rewarding cities and counties that hold annual spending growth to 3% or less; and a doubling of the residential school-tax exemption from $75,000 to $150,000, which the governor estimated would benefit more than 700,000 households. House Speaker Dan Hawkins dismissed the proposal as a distraction, calling it "a half-baked, last-second shot to save face after blocking real property tax relief." The Legislature returns Thursday and Friday for its annual veto session, but an override appears unlikely — the bill passed the Senate 22-18 and the House 63-59, well short of the two-thirds majority required in both chambers.

Governor Vetoes GOP Property Tax Bill, Unveils Alternative Plan

Kelly proposed $250 vehicle tax credits, a $60 million local spending incentive and doubled residential exemptions; Republican leaders call the plan inadequate

citizen journalGreg Loving

Governor Strikes Down 15 Bills in Veto Blitz

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed 15 bills Wednesday, escalating her clash with the Republican supermajority over elections, education, local governance and criminal justice. Among the most prominent were House Bill 2569, which would have eliminated mail-in voting for many Kansans and restricted election-related lawsuits to Shawnee County District Court, and House Bill 2437, which Kelly said imposed online voter registration restrictions that risked purging eligible voters from the rolls. Kelly also rejected Senate Bill 361, calling it a backdoor private school voucher program that could defund public schools. Several vetoes targeted what Kelly characterized as state overreach, including Senate Bill 462 and House Bill 2593, which would have shifted local government authority to the attorney general's office, and Senate Bill 391, which would have restricted local officials' ability to set housing and renter policies. In criminal justice, Kelly vetoed House Bill 2329, arguing it would undo the landmark 2016 juvenile justice reforms championed by the late Rep. Russ Jennings, R-Lakin.

Kelly vetoes 15 bills, rejecting GOP efforts on elections, school vouchers and local control

The sweeping vetoes target legislation that would have banned mail-in voting, restricted local governments and undone 2016 juvenile justice reforms.

citizen journalGreg Loving

Kelly Signs State Budget, Blasts Lawmakers' Pay Raises

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2513, a multi-year state budget covering fiscal years 2026 through 2029, but sharply criticized the Republican-led Legislature for its spending priorities. Kelly said she agreed to the measure only because the alternative was worse, noting that changes in the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill" require Kansas to commit new state dollars to secure federal matching funds for programs previously covered entirely by Washington. She condemned lawmakers for cutting funding for school mental health services and severely underfunding special education while boosting their own salaries by 4% — following what she described as a 93% pay raise the previous year — and giving legislative staff a 10% increase. State employees who work in prisons, mental health facilities and road maintenance received just a 1% raise, a disparity Kelly called "truly shameless." The governor also noted the Legislature rushed the process without waiting for the April Consensus Revenue Estimates and issued line-item vetoes within the budget.

Kelly reluctantly signs state budget, blasts lawmakers over pay raises and cuts

The governor called the spending plan “a bad budget that went through a bad process” but signed it to secure required federal match funds.

citizen journalGreg Loving

Drought Threatens Kansas Wheat as Early Harvest Looms

WICHITA, Kan. — A warm, dry winter and spring have Kansas wheat farmers bracing for a diminished crop after last year's strong harvest. Matt Splitter, CEO of Splitter Farms near Sterling in Rice County, said his winter wheat is heading out about a month ahead of schedule after little snow, a warmer-than-average March with temperatures reaching the upper 90s, and the return of drought conditions statewide. Splitter said the combination is pointing toward the earliest harvest his operation has ever seen, estimating fields are roughly six weeks from cutting once heading is complete. He cautioned that the crop's high-end potential has already been hurt but said a good soaking rain could still make a difference. Storm Team 12 chief meteorologist Ross Janssen offered some longer-term hope, noting that an incoming El Nino pattern could shift conditions toward wetter weather that would benefit late summer and early fall crops even if winter wheat disappoints.

KWCH

Iran Conflict Fuels Helium Shortage With Direct Kansas Impact

WICHITA, Kan. — Kansans are already paying more for helium as the Iran conflict chokes off roughly a third of the global supply, with ripple effects reaching hospitals, manufacturers and tech-dependent businesses across the state. Rod Anderson, owner of Helium Enterprises in Wichita, said an Iranian missile strike cut Qatar's processing capacity by about a third and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has blocked shipment of what remains — a disruption felt acutely in Kansas, where helium is critical for MRI machines, surgical equipment, the microchips inside everyday electronics and leak checking in the aircraft manufacturing sector that anchors the Wichita economy. Larry Straub, a professor of management at Wichita's Newman University, said the shortage puts health care at particular risk because surgeons rely on helium to keep instruments inflated during procedures. Anderson noted that helium is the second most abundant element in the universe but rare on Earth because it escapes into space, with natural gas reservoirs the only commercial source — meaning there is no quick substitute. If the disruptions continue, Anderson warned, it could take years for the global supply to recover, leaving Kansas industries facing sustained higher costs.

KSN

Sources

1. KWCH
2. KSN

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