News from Kansas State Representative Ken Rahjes

Hello from Topeka.

I enjoyed seeing all of you who came to the town halls we had throughout the district; great attendance and many issues were discussed. Glad to have State Senators Billinger and Bowers and State Representative Barb Wasinger at some of the stops.

We are in the final two weeks before the First Adjournment of the session. There are many things that we will vote on and some that did not make the cut, so they may be attempted next year. Here are a few of the things that happened:

Comprehensive Tax Package—The House Tax Committee has spent months creating a taxation package. Kansans in every corner of the state made their voices heard, and we listened. This taxation package is responsible and sustainable and will not raise taxes on ANY Kansans. Here are some highlights:  

Income Tax—This plan brings about a single-rate income tax of 5.25%. Establishing a single-rate tax assists in keeping things simple as our state grows and adjustments are made while making Kansas competitive with our neighbors. The Republican income tax plan focuses most relief on low-income Kansans, raising the starting point before taxes kick in by more than $4,000 for individuals and $7,300 for married filers. The standard deduction for individuals is brought to $4,000, which will increase with inflation to provide flexibility in economic turmoil. This package accelerates reductions to taxes paid by businesses as they stay in Kansas. This helps us retain mature and loyal businesses that want to stay in Kansas. The Social Security Income Tax cliff has been a great concern to many of our state’s retirees. This package eliminates that cliff and smooths out the tax rate when earning over $100,000 in Social Security income. This relief is much-needed for Kansas retirees.

Property Taxes—The residential property tax deduction is increased from $40,000 to $65,000, giving homeowners about $60 million in tax relief.

Sales Tax—This bill brings the elimination of sales tax on groceries to July 1st of this year, saving the average family hundreds of dollars they would have previously had to wait much longer to see. The Senate has its version of tax relief so we are a few steps away from something being finalized.

Other issues included the following:  

Education Budget—House Republicans have fully and constitutionally funded K-12 education again this year to $6.4 billion, $4.2 billion of which comes from state general funds. We fully support our K-12 schools and educators and are committed to providing them with the resources they need to be successful. SB 113 also allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools or home school programs to compete in KSHSAA activities. This increases competition and expands the opportunity to join peers in athletics and other activities to more students across Kansas. Additionally, parents will now be able to access a portal on district websites to view curricula for the year, increasing transparency and providing a resource to parents who want to reinforce schoolwork at home. SB 113 does not include special education funding. Much like tax bills, education is not finished yet. There will still be negotiations with the Senate and we will have to see if the Governor vetoes these measures if they are agreed to by the legislative branch.  

ESG—The weaponization of ESG policies that we have seen seeks to eliminate the free market by neglecting the fiduciary duty to investors. With HB 2436, House Republicans are taking care of the issue now, returning our investments to a free-market strategy that does not play games with the money we are responsible for. This bill has been carefully crafted over many months to minimize unintended consequences. The goal is simple: ensure that fiduciary responsibility precedes ideological credit scores when investing state dollars. Here’s what we have accomplished with HB 2436:  Proxy Voting: Now, we will use proxy voting organizations that do not follow ESG criteria, ensuring that state-controlled money will not be used by investment firms to push their agenda upon companies.   Investments: There’s roughly $30 billion managed by our pension and pooled money boards. HB 2436 will make sure that money is not invested based on political ESG criteria but with the goal of the most significant returns for Kansans. Contracts: ESG will no longer be permitted as a criterion for selection when the state is determining contracts. This affects all contracts, not just those with financial institutions.

Teacher Interstate Mobility Compact—Teacher shortages are impacting districts across Kansas and House Republicans are determined to tackle the issue from multiple angles. One solution we are discussing is SB 66, which creates a compact that assists teachers' mobility across member states. By streamlining licensure reciprocity, we can welcome new teachers from other states we know are strong, well-qualified candidates to educate Kansas kids.

You can read about all the bills that passed or could be considered in either chamber by going online to  kslegislature.org and when the House and Senate are on the floor or in committees, you can see all of them on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. I am located at 186-W, the northwest corner of the capital. When you call, my assistant, Terry Benitis, will answer your call and help you with your matter. If you would like to contact me, my email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov, phone during the session at (785) 296-7463, or you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.     

Thanks for reading. It is my honor to serve you.