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Minutes for HB2074 - Committee on Taxation
Short Title
Including homestead renters as eligible to participate in certain homestead property tax refund claims.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 6, 2025
Chairperson Smith opened the hearing for HB2074.
Adam Siebers, Office of Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview for HB2074 that would include renters who would qualify for a refund under the homestead program starting in 2025 (Attachment 1). Mr. Siebers stood for questions from Committee members.
Kathleen Smith, Kansas Department of Revenue, provided an overview on the fiscal note for HB2074 stating the bill will decrease the State General Fund revenues by $14,840,000 in FY 2026, FY 2027 and FY 2028. Ms. Smith stood for questions from Committee members.
Proponents:
Christina Ashie Guidry, United Community Services of Johnson County, testified as a proponent for HB2074 stating Kansas is in a period of economic growth and to maintain that is to attract and retain workers and employers. Kansas has a housing shortage and the state is missing approximately 100,000 units of affordable housing. She stated homes for sale for under $300,000. dropped from 63.0 percent of the market in 2018 to 43.0 percent of the market in 2023. The 2023 data shows that 43.0 percent of renters in the state are housing cost burdened. In 2024, the legislature provided property tax relief for homeowners but not for renters. A property tax refund will support housing stability for renters and support the renter to homeowner providing the ability to save and look forward to owning a home (Attachment 2). Ms. Guidry stood for questions from Committee members.
Nathan Kessler, Kansas Action for Children, testified as a proponent for HB2074, stating KAC has been supportive of legislation to reinstate renters into the Homestead property tax refund program due to the relief it would provide. Many families with children who rent spend nearly 40.0 percent which is a third of their income on rent. This coupled with a 395.0 percent rise in the number of unsheltered Kansans since 2019 shows the need to extend renters a lifeline. Mr. Kessler stated rents have risen by 20.0 percent and now requires the renter to pay $1,000 or more for rent (Attachment 3). Mr. Kessler stood for questions from Committee members.
Rabbi Moti Rieber, Kansas Interfaith Action, testified as a proponent for HB2074 that addresses a more than 10-year old injustice regarding the elimination of the Homestead Property Tax Refund for renters. Allowing this policy back in will allow any benefits of cuts in property tax to benefit renters as well as homeowners (Attachment 4)
Mike Kelly, Military Officers Association of America, testified as a proponent for HB2074 stating this bill would help some but has a suggestion in the calculation of income referring to veterans disability. (Attachment 5) Mr. Kelly stood for questions from Committee members.
Written only proponent testimony for HB2074 was submitted by the following:
Representative Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, 19th District, (Attachment 6)
Martha Smith, Kansas Manufactured Housing Association, (Attachment 7)
Robert Gibson, Health Forward Foundation, (Attachment 8)
Jonathan Smith, Public Health, Lawrence, Douglas County, (Attachment 9)
Jessica Porter, Private Citizen, (Attachment 10)
Charlie Hunt, Johnson County Health & Environment, (Attachment 11)
Neutral:
Written only neutral testimony for HB2074 was submitted by Mari Castaldi, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, (Attachment 12)
Chairperson Smith closed the hearing for HB2074.
