Top 5 Kansas news stories
April 28 2026
Kelly Vetoes Citizen-Veto Property Tax Bill, Two Others
Kelly Vetoes Recess, Agritourism Bills Citing Local Control
Kelly Signs Tax Credits for Child Care, Ethanol, Gun Storage
Kelly Signs Kratom Ban, Three Other Bills
Kansas Leaders Tackle Access-to-Justice Crisis at Topeka Summit
Kelly Vetoes Citizen-Veto Property Tax Bill, Two Others
TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed three Republican-backed tax bills, headlined by property tax measure House Bill 2043. HB 2043 did not cut any property tax rate; instead, it created a citizen veto allowing residents to block any local budget that grew property tax revenue faster than the lesser of Midwest CPI or 3%, through petition signatures from 10% of voters in the most recent secretary of state election. The bill reached Kelly's desk after leadership gutted an unrelated 2025 insurance measure and inserted the property tax framework, with the rewritten version clearing both chambers on April 10 — hours before the Legislature adjourned sine die, foreclosing a veto override without a special session. Kelly's alternative, which she said was denied discussion or a vote, paired a one-time $250 vehicle tax reduction, a permanent increase of the state school mill levy residential exemption from $75,000 to $150,000, and a $60 million fund to help counties offset property tax increases; she tied the underlying local-tax burden to former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback's 2012 income tax cuts. House Speaker Dan Hawkins accused Democrats of shielding "local government spending sprees from true accountability." Kelly also vetoed House Bill 2515, the Kansas Legal Tender Act recognizing gold and silver specie, and House Bill 2044, which would have created an income tax subtraction for armed forces compensation and shielded homeowners from losing the homestead refund if their home's appraised value rose above $350,000.
Greg Loving
Kelly Vetoes Recess, Agritourism Bills Citing Local Control
TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed two bills she said would pull authority away from local decision-makers, casting both measures as legislative overreach. House Bill 2763 would have required Kansas elementary schools to provide a minimum amount of daily recess, prohibited withholding recess as discipline, and mandated an annual state fitness test as part of the school term. Kelly said she supports both policies but pointed to the State Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education, which have agreed to implement the fitness test administratively once federal Rural Health Transformation grant guidance arrives and to reaffirm a 30-minute recess recommendation directly with districts. She also vetoed Senate Substitute for House Bill 2111, which would have exempted certain registered agritourism operations from local building codes and regulatory enforcement, calling it a measure rushed through on behalf of a single operator rather than the broader industry. In both messages, Kelly argued that cities, counties and the elected State Board of Education are better positioned than the Legislature to set rules in their communities.
Greg LovingKelly Signs Tax Credits for Child Care, Ethanol, Gun Storage
TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday signed Senate Bill 82, a bipartisan package combining three distinct tax credits targeting workforce, agriculture and public safety constituencies. The bill overhauls the state's employer child care assistance tax credit, allowing businesses to claim 75% of expenditures on child care services, on-site or partner programs, referral services or donations to organizations expanding community child care capacity, with up to $100,000 in non-refundable credits per tax year and a three-year carry-forward. SB 82 also creates a $0.05-per-gallon non-refundable income tax credit for retailers selling E15 or higher-ethanol blends, capped at $2.5 million statewide annually, and an individual income tax credit for the purchase of lockable gun and ammunition storage devices. The bill repeals certain existing credits, including the qualified alternative-fueled motor vehicle property credit. Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi framed the child care provision as a workforce play, and Kelly cast the package as her preferred vehicle for targeted tax relief — a contrast point with the broader GOP property and income tax bills she vetoed the same day.
Greg LovingKelly Signs Kratom Ban, Three Other Bills
TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday signed Senate Bill 430, adding mitragynine — the psychoactive compound in kratom — to Schedule I of the Kansas Uniform Controlled Substances Act, the strictest classification under state drug law and the same tier as heroin and LSD. The reclassification effectively bans the unregulated sale and possession of kratom products in Kansas, where the substance had been widely available in smoke shops, gas stations and online; federal and state regulators have raised concerns about contamination, mislabeled potency and dependency risk. The bill also reconciles competing amendments to existing statutes governing theft and expungement. Kelly signed three additional bills the same day: House Substitute for Senate Bill 51, updating the responsibilities of the Executive Branch Chief Information Technology Officer and the state's IT services framework, including telecommunications, cloud computing and IT audit reporting; Senate Bill 300, establishing new corporation income tax requirements for certain alcoholic liquor manufacturers; and House Bill 2029, reconciling statutes amended more than once in recent legislative sessions. The four signings round out a busy day for Kelly that also included Senate Bill 82's tax-credit package and five vetoes — three on tax bills and two on measures involving local control.
Greg LovingKansas Leaders Tackle Access-to-Justice Crisis at Topeka Summit
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas legal and government leaders gathered Monday for a Topeka summit focused on what officials describe as a growing access-to-justice crisis across the state. Roughly 75% of cases in Kansas involve at least one party without legal representation, with the shortage particularly acute in rural areas where attorney availability has continued to decline. New efforts highlighted at the summit include loan-repayment programs designed to attract lawyers to underserved communities and an online self-help center that draws thousands of daily visits. Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall said data show that when people without an attorney receive help navigating the system and experience procedural fairness, their trust in the courts grows. Leaders said expanding the programs is central to making the legal system more fair and accessible statewide.
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