GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative

Next week is conference committee week, where members of the House and Senate meet in small groups to work through the differences between bills that have passed each chamber. These are three on three negotiations where we focus on resolving disagreements, finding workable compromises, and finalizing legislation that both bodies can ultimately vote on.

This is where much of the detailed work happens. It is a deliberate process aimed at making sure the final version of each bill is thoughtful, balanced, and ready for final passage.

SCR1603

SCR1603 passed the House this week. It is a proposed constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature the ability to provide responsible property tax relief for seniors. Beyond the senior provision, this amendment also addresses a larger issue within our property tax system. Today, property is valued based on a single year’s fair market value, which can lead to large property tax increases in a short period of time. That volatility creates uncertainty for homeowners and businesses alike.

To bring more stability to the system, SCR 1603 would allow property to be valued based on the lower of the current fair market value or an average of values over a period of years. This helps smooth out rapid spikes and provides a more predictable and manageable path for property valuations over time. The change would apply across residential, commercial, and agricultural improvements, creating consistency throughout the system.

Property taxes are without a doubt the most vexing problem facing the Legislature. Everyone can agree they are out of control. The problem is that property taxes are levied at the local level. In recent years the Legislature has completely eliminated the small portion of property taxes that the state had levied, and we have increased the homestead exemption and rebate programs for disabled veterans and low-income senior citizens. We’ve also passed transparency measures to give folks a clear view of what local governments are doing with property taxes.

I am still hoping the Senate will pass HB 2745 in a version that more closely resembles the original House version. The Senate Tax Committee increased the protest petition requirement to 10 percent of registered voters which would make a petition to limit an excessive budget increase virtually impossible for larger communities like ours.

We all know the property tax issues in Seward County this year, which are among the issues that prompted passage of the House version of HB 2745. The most important reform in this bill is the protest petition process. In the House version, if a local government adopts a budget that exceeds a 3 percent increase in dollars collected from property taxes, citizens have 30 days to respond by petition. The petition would be drawn up and available in the County Treasurer’s office. If qualified voters equal to at least 5 percent of the votes cast for the office of Secretary of State in the most recent general election within that taxing district sign a protest petition, the budget must be reduced back to the allowable limit. That requirement ensures the threshold reflects actual voter participation, not arbitrary numbers. It ties the standard directly to turnout in a real statewide election.

This is not about tying the hands of local officials. It is about restoring balance. If a taxing authority believes it needs to grow beyond the limit, it would need to be prepared to defend that decision to the people who are paying the bill. That is how representative government is supposed to work. This bill sets a clear and reasonable guardrail. Local taxing jurisdictions may increase property tax revenues by up to 3 percent over the prior year, along with adjustments for new construction, changes in property use, expiring abatements, and voter approved bonds. Those are legitimate growth factors, and the bill accounts for them. What this legislation prevents is excessive increases beyond that threshold without direct accountability to our local taxpayers.

HB 2745 is still waiting on a vote in the Senate after it was passed a month ago by the House and after a number of changes have been made in Senate Tax that made it harder to protest. Both the House and Senate will continue working to reach a compromise that truly delivers real, long-term property tax relief that can overcome a likely veto from Governor Kelly.

SB 418

Our city and state has a severe shortage of housing. This week the House passed SB 418, a bill that cuts red tape to make it easier to build new homes. Interest rates and corporate ownership issues are important, but at the end of the day if you truly want affordable housing we need to increase the housing supply. It’s basic economics. And to do that, people need to be able to build new houses without burdensome and costly red tape. SB 418 is a step in that direction. 

SB 358

SB 358 strengthens public safety by ensuring individuals convicted of serious crimes remain in custody until sentencing. The bill requires those convicted of certain high-level felonies to be held in county jail without bond following conviction. If an individual was previously out on bond, it is revoked upon conviction. If they were already in custody, they remain there. The bill also establishes a clear process for individuals to request release while appealing their conviction under limited conditions. This legislation is a strong step toward safer communities, ensuring that dangerous offenders are not released back into the public between conviction and sentencing.