Kansas Lawmakers Cap Local Spending in Late-Night Tax Push

Kansas State Board Names Jake Steel Next Education Commissioner

Kansas City Advances $600 Million Downtown Royals Stadium Plan

Lawmakers Override Five Vetoes, Curb Agency and Local Authority

Kelly Signs CHIP Income Update for Kansas Children

Kansas Lawmakers Cap Local Spending in Late-Night Tax Push

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Legislature passed House Bill 2043 in the early Saturday morning hours at the close of the veto session, sending Gov. Laura Kelly a measure that effectively limits annual spending increases by local governments to 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is smaller. The new bill departs from House Bill 2745, which Kelly vetoed earlier in the week and which Republican House leaders allowed to die Friday by declining to call an override vote they were almost certain to lose. HB 2745 targeted property tax revenue increases through a citizen protest petition tied to registered voters, while HB 2043 caps total local government spending and uses a tighter petition denominator of 10% of voters who cast ballots in the most recent secretary of state election. Republican leaders also failed to pass Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603, a constitutional amendment that would have capped annual increases in assessed property values at 3%; the measure fell short of the required two-thirds House majority on a 69-54 vote. Negotiations devolved into finger-pointing between candidates for governor, with Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, blaming Democrats for blocking his cap and Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, calling HB 2043 "not a serious piece of legislation." Because the chambers will not reconvene until Jan. 11, 2027, lawmakers cannot override Kelly if she vetoes the new bill.

Kansas Reflector · Citizen Journal

Kansas State Board Names Jake Steel Next Education Commissioner

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday named Jake Steel as the state's next commissioner of education, with seven of 10 board members voting in favor. Steel will assume the role on June 1, succeeding Randy Watson, who has served as commissioner since 2014 and announced his retirement last fall. A graduate of Garden City High School, Steel currently serves as director of strategy and operational alignment at the Kansas State Department of Education, where he helped secure $26 million in federal funding for Kansas schools. He previously worked as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education and as a White House Fellow on the Domestic Policy Council, and holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard University. The other finalists were Geary County USD 475 Superintendent Reginald Eggleston, the 2026 Kansas Superintendent of the Year, and former Virginia state superintendent Lisa Coons.

KCLY Radio

Kansas City Advances $600 Million Downtown Royals Stadium Plan

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Council's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a plan to contribute up to $600 million in city funding toward a new downtown Royals stadium at Washington Square Park, just east of Union Station and north of Crown Center. The full council could vote on the proposal as early as Thursday, with Mayor Quinton Lucas and nine of 12 council members signed on as co-sponsors. The city's contribution would come primarily from taxes on new economic activity around the site, and the project carries an estimated total cost of $1.9 billion that could include additional tax incentives from the state of Missouri. Opponents at Tuesday's hearing argued that city leaders are undermining a 2024 vote in which residents struck down a sales tax to help pay for a new stadium in the Crossroads Arts District, while supporters said the project will bring jobs, tourism and downtown investment. The Royals have not yet officially endorsed the plan, and the council must still approve a tax increment financing plan and other funding agreements.

KCUR

Lawmakers Override Five Vetoes, Curb Agency and Local Authority

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Legislature on Thursday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes on five bills that collectively shift power away from executive-branch agencies, local governments and outside legal counsel and toward the statehouse. Senate Bill 30 requires legislative approval by joint resolution before new occupational licensing rules can take effect, while House Bill 2719 rewrites the state's rules-and-regulations filing act to add a legislative ratification step for certain agency rules. Senate Bill 375, the proxy advisor transparency act, grants the attorney general enforcement authority and creates a private right of action, placing Kansas among Republican-led states pushing back against environmental, social and governance investing. House Bill 2593 requires open meetings and attorney general sign-off before local governments hire outside lawyers on a contingency-fee basis, and Senate Bill 462 restricts public nuisance lawsuits and channels cross-jurisdictional cases through the attorney general's office. The measures take effect upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Lawmakers override five vetoes to reclaim authority from agencies and local governments

Measures require legislative approval of regulations, restrict local legal strategies and target ESG investing

citizen journalGreg Loving

Kelly Signs CHIP Income Update for Kansas Children

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on April 9 signed bipartisan legislation that permanently updates eligibility thresholds for the state's Children's Health Insurance Program. Senate Bill 271 adjusts the household income threshold from 250% of the 2008 federal poverty level to 250% of the current federal poverty income guidelines. The legislation also adjusts family premium rules tied to the program. The change aligns Kansas with national standards and ensures eligibility reflects current economic conditions.

Health coverage income limits permanently updated for Kansas children

Bipartisan legislation links eligibility to 250% of the current federal poverty level, replacing outdated 2008 guidelines and adjusting family premium rules.

citizen journalGreg Loving

Sources

1. Kansas Reflector / Citizen Journal
2. KCLY Radio
3. KCUR

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:

citizen journal offers three flagship products: a daily national news summary, a daily Kansas news summary, and local news and school board summaries from 20 cities across Kansas. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE!

Brought to you by (click me!)