GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative
I want to thank the Liberal Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Kansas Board of Realtors for sponsoring our legislative forum this week. I also want to thank Sen. Bill Clifford – Garden City, Rep. Marty Long – Ulysses, and Rep. Gary White – Ashland for participating and sharing your insights. I serve with a great bunch of legislators representing Southwest Kansas, but it’s all about hearing what you think are the important issues facing Kansas. A big thanks to everyone who came. We talked about a wide range of topics, including budget, water, wind, highways, county treasurer fees, senior citizen centers, immigrants, and much more.
In Topeka
We have two weeks before first adjournment. Non-exempt committees, which are the majority of the committees, will have their last meetings on Tuesday. This is generally the last day to pass a bill out of those committees. Wednesday and Thursday we will be on the floor all day debating bills passed out of committees. The following week we will have conference committees meet to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of bills. We will also vote on those reconciliations to pass bills in what is called a conference report. The legislature will then adjourn until the veto session when we consider overriding any vetoes of the Governor.
On Tuesday this week, the House concurred with Senate amendments on HB 2299, the bell-to-bell K-12 cell phone ban. The bill now goes to the Governor, who has indicated her intent to sign the legislation. This is a positive step for Kansas kids as it helps ensure classrooms are places for learning and interaction, not distractions. It’s about helping students stay focused on instruction, their classmates, and the work in front of them, not the constant notifications on their cell phones. HB 2299 is an important step, but by no means, the final step in addressing the serious issues new technologies are creating in developing minds. The bell-to-bell cell phone ban, combined with the age verification for pornography bill we passed two years ago, are helping ensure Kansas no longer ranks near the bottom in helping to protect Kansas kids from smartphone and online overexposure. There is another bill that's still in committee that would make big tech ensure kids verify their age and obtain parental consent before downloading an app. I really hope we can get something done there too. I hear time and again of the struggle parents have to adequately protect their kids from online threats. This bill would give parents stronger safeguards to protect their minor children from the increasing risks of the digital world.
SB 368 creates the Health Care Sharing Ministries Tax Deduction Act. It allows Kansans who participate in a qualifying ministry to subtract certain contributions and assistance amounts from their state taxable income. The deduction is capped at $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for married couples filing jointly. To qualify, these organizations must operate as nonprofit entities, provide regular financial transparency to members, conduct independent annual audits, and clearly disclose that they are not insurance companies. For families in our community who rely on these ministries, this change ensures they are treated more fairly under Kansas tax law.
SB 445 allows Kansas law enforcement agencies to request temporary personnel and other assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to help support funeral services for officers who have died in the line of duty and other assistance. For instance, the KBI provides “other assistance” focused on family support (such as coordination with survivors, resources for grieving loved ones, and assistance navigating benefits or services) and agency support (such as logistical help in the aftermath of a line of-duty death). By allowing state agencies to assist when requested, this law helps ensure that funeral services are handled properly while also supporting the officer’s department, family, and fellow officers during a difficult time.
Property Taxes continue to be one of the most common issues I hear about when talking with constituents. Everyone is concerned about rising property taxes and lack of citizen input on excessive increases, and I understand that frustration. This week, the Kansas House and Senate worked on separate tax proposals, but the two chambers could not reach agreement on a final plan yet. That means negotiations will continue as we work toward a final tax bill before the Legislature adjourns.
The largest portion of most Kansans’ tax burden is property tax, and those decisions are largely made at the local level. City councils, county commissions, and school boards determine most of the property tax on our tax statements. At the state level, our authority is different. The Legislature primarily controls state income taxes and the state portion of sales taxes. Last year, for instance, we passed significant income tax reform through Senate Bill 269, which established a formula to gradually reduce income tax rates as the state’s revenues grow faster than inflation and as long as the state maintains a healthy budget stabilization fund.
The Legislature will continue working toward a tax agreement before the session concludes. As those discussions continue, my focus remains the same: providing meaningful tax relief where the state has authority, maintaining responsible budgeting, and making sure Kansans understand how different components of their tax bill are determined. I support a final plan that will protect taxpayers and provide greater certainty for families and businesses across our state.
“When your friend becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.”
Meg Atwood This session my office assistant is Meg Atwood. Meg has over 30 years’ experience in education in China, Hungary, and the United States. Her background includes consulting for home schools, ESL and Special Education in the public school system. She will be the friendly voice on the other end of the phone when you call my office. You can reach her at
Constituent Services
Thank you for the opportunity to continue serving our families in Seward and Meade County. Please reach out to me any time I can help you with a state agency concern. I do ask that you send the request to me by email. This ensures that I get the information correctly to the agency we are working with. You can reach me when I’m in Topeka by email at
